By Zoisa Fraser
A large swarm of bees wreaked terror on Lance Gibbs Street, Queenstown yesterday morning, sending students from a nearby school and residents running for cover while stinging several persons and leaving one dog dead and two others injured.
Two persons including a security guard were forced to seek medical attention yesterday.
The hive which was hidden in the thick bush on an abandoned plot of land next door to World of Flowers was subsequently removed by apiculturist Linden Stewart.
The bees, estimated to be around 60,000, were in an old gas stove and were disturbed by some dogs playing about. Residents yesterday stressed the need for the land to be cleared immediately. Stabroek News understands that it has been in that state for several years.
Within the last year or so there have been several bee attacks. In each of the cases the hives were well hidden in thick bush and persons were oblivious to them.
Reports are that that around 7:30 yesterday morning, students from the Monar Educational Institute located next door, were seen running down the road as they sought cover from the swarming bees. Persons living close by and those passing were subjected to stings.
Several dogs were also attacked. One died while another two were taken to a veterinarian and another ran away.
When Stabroek News visited the area yesterday afternoon, a sense of normalcy had returned and there were no signs of bees.
A teen who lives in the area said that his dog was badly bitten by the bees and pointing to the animal he said that this was the first time she was moving around since the incident. He said that the hive was found in the middle of the deserted plot of land.
Bonita Sammy who lives just off the corner of Lance Gibbs and Oronoque streets said that she was also a victim of the bees.
The woman said that around 7:30 students were seen running along the street in an attempt to escape the bees which had converged on their building, adding that she was stung in the head while her grandchildren suffered a similar fate.
Dogs bled
She said there were “plenty, plenty bees” and after the dogs were stung, they were bleeding.
The resident recalled that a while ago, bees were in her home and she killed about twelve of them. The woman said that she dismissed the bees as nothing and never entertained the thought that a huge hive might be nearby.
Sammy called on the owner of the property or the relevant authorities to remove the thick bush.
“They need to move that bush urgently because someone could have been killed,” the woman said.
Contacted last evening, Stewart told Stabroek News that the hive was of a reasonable size and contained around 60, 000 bees.
He said that it would take 6-7 months or even a year to build a hive of that size. Stewart said that he was called by a resident who was stung by the bees, adding that at the time the man was returning home after exercising.
Honey found
The beekeeper informed this newspaper that when the hive was found there were honeycombs inside. He said that it had about three or four pints of honey inside and that number of bees had the capacity to produce about two pints of honey.
He said also that a guard at a building nearby had suffered over 100 stings.
Stewart told this newspaper that the bees were captured and are at present on a pineapple farm at Kuru Kururu Linden/Soesdyke Highway. He said that would be a safe place away from people where they can produce honey.
The bee keeper urged persons not to be afraid of bees since they are useful to the environment and would not trouble anyone unless they are disturbed.
He said in yesterday’s instance, the dogs disturbed them and they were only trying to protect their hive and honey.
Late last year a swarm of bees attacked residents on Hadfield Street, Lodge and passers-by, leaving two dogs dead and two school-aged children and an elderly man with countless bee stings. The elderly man had to be admitted to the Georgetown Hospital. The hive was later found in the thick bush at the side of the road and it had been disturbed by persons carrying out utility works nearby. The bee and the hive were later removed from the area.
