More Than 15,000 Bees Swarm A Car In A Grocery Store Parking Lot

More Than 15,000 Bees Swarm A Car In A Grocery Store Parking Lot

You think that having your vehicle stolen while you’re shopping is a nightmare? Here’s something almost as disturbing: an invasion by thousands of bees.

Firefighters in Las Cruces, New Mexico, responded to a report on March 28 that a swarm of bees had occupied a car at a grocery store. Turns out that a shopper who had parked at an Albertsons returned to the car with a load of groceries and while driving away noticed something weird going on in the backseat. A swarm of bees had gathered in the car, entering through a window that was left open.

More Than 15,000 Bees Swarm A Car In A Grocery Store Parking Lot
Photo: Las Cruces Fire Department

The driver called the fire department, and as luck would have it, an off-duty Las Cruces firefighter with experience as a beekeeper was able to help.

Firefighters blocked off the area while the firefighter/beekeeper, Jesse Johnson, used a hive kit, lemongrass oil, gloves and a beekeeper suit to relocate the bees somewhere more suitable. Johnson’s operation to remove the bees took about two hours.

More Than 15,000 Bees Swarm A Car In A Grocery Store Parking Lot
Photo: Las Cruces Fire Department

The fire department says that an estimated 15,000 bees were removed from the car and taken to Johnson’s property. A security guard at the Albertsons was stung, but no major injuries were reported.

The Las Cruces Fire Department says that it doesn’t normally deal with bees, but it felt that removing them from the busy area was the best course of action.

What isn’t clear — and what I’m super curious about — is why the bees were in this Buick in the first place. It isn’t the first time this has happened — bees have taken up residence in cars before. One explanation offered up by a pest control company is that bees may see cars as a warm place to hang out or as a source for dead bugs for dinner.

A swarm of bees in my car would definitely make me want to Uber home. Hell, I jumped out of a slow-moving car once because of a lowly spider.


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