Dr Pete Kennedy dealt with the unexpected visitors

Bees move in at university after swarming on to campus

A swarm of bees that turned up on a university campus has been allowed to stay.

The honeybees arrived at the University of Exeter’s Penryn Campus last week and – after causing a brief buzz – they were re-homed in a research apiary on site.

Swarming bees could cause chaos outside the average workplace, but the campus is a hive of world-renowned bee experts – and Dr Pete Kennedy soon had things under control.

“The swarm arrived outside the Environment and Sustainability Institute,” Dr Kennedy said.

“The bees were successfully removed and relocated to our research apiary on campus, where they are settling in to their new home.

“Swarming is a natural part of a honeybee colony's seasonal cycle, although it is typically managed by beekeepers to minimise disruption to the general public.

“The origin of this swarm remains unknown, but it will help support our research efforts into bee behaviour and factors affecting their survival.”

The swarm arrived on the campus last Wednesday evening (14 June) and was moved the following morning. 

Date: 23 June 2017