A local beekeeper is asking for help to save a colony of honey bees from a junior high school.
Beekeeper Dustin Bayer was alerted to a swarm of about 30,000 bees congregating at the top of a second-floor window at Highlands School in north Edmonton. When he tried to get the bees into a temporary hive, he found that the swarm had started building honeycomb and nesting on the high ledge.
Bayer said the rescue would have been easy if not for the height. A tall ladder would work, but Baier said a bucket truck or assistance from the Edmonton Fire Department would be preferable and safer.
The bees are not a risk to the public, but the location of the hive is a risk to the bees.
A swarm usually rests on a ledge while looking for a permanent place to build a hive. However, Bayer said the bees were trapped on the ledge by the rain, huddled together for warmth.
“Honey bees are like us — they’re tropical organisms that have figured out how to live in colder climates,” Bayer said. “Things get a little rough here in Edmonton once fall rolls around. So it would be very difficult for them to survive our winter outdoors like this.
Bajer has a home for the bees at the John Janzen Nature Center — he just needs an elevator to get them there. Anyone who might be able to help is encouraged to contact Dustin Baier on social media.
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