Over 10,000 Bees Swarm Under Bike

A swarm of about 10,000 to 15,000 bees settled under the saddle of a parked bicycle outside Palais Royal–Musée du Louvre in central Paris on Saturday. (leparisien.fr) The bike’s owner, identified by Le Parisien as Jérôme, said the cluster formed within minutes after he locked his bicycle to the metro station railings. Witnesses alerted RATP staff, who set up a safety perimeter before a specialist arrived. (ouest-france.fr) (leparisien.fr) Beekeeper Ahmet Tanaci told French outlets he removed the mass by capturing the queen, which caused the rest of the bees to follow into a collection box. He then transferred the colony into a hive. (leparisien.fr) (connexionfrance.com) This was a swarm, not a permanent nest. In spring, when a hive becomes crowded, a queen leaves with part of the colony and the bees gather temporarily around her while scouts search for a new home. (connexionfrance.com) (ouest-france.fr) That helps explain why the insects chose a bicycle saddle near the Louvre: the swarm was following the queen, not selecting a long-term hive site. France 24 said the scene looked unusual, but noted that swarming in Paris is not rare. (france24.com) (connexionfrance.com) Authorities kept passersby back, but Tanaci said swarming bees are generally less aggressive because they are focused on protecting the queen and have no brood or honey stores to defend. (connexionfrance.com) (ouest-france.fr) After the removal, the colony was relocated to a rooftop in Paris’s 13th arrondissement, where it had already begun foraging on acacia flowers, according to Connexion France. (connexionfrance.com) The bicycle was left rideable again, and the bees ended up with a new hive instead of a metro-side perch in front of the Louvre. (leparisien.fr) (connexionfrance.com)