North Norfolk Council remove 18,000 bees from local building
In summer, the colony would grow up to 65,000 bees
North Norfolk Council has helped to safely remove a colony of 18,000 bees from a building in North Walsham.
The colony of bees had been living at Cedar House, on New Road in the town centre, for roughly eight years.
Hiding behind some wooden panelling on the first floor, the colony's hive had expanded throughout the Grade II-listed building.
However, the 18,000 bees was only the number of bees settling in winter; in summer, the colony could swell to up to 65,000.
With the help of North Norfolk Council, the bees were safely removed from the building, along with their hive in order to best protect the building and not harm the animals.
The extraction took place while the bees were still hibernating, and the hive was taken apart in sections in order to keep the insects as calm as possible.
After being removed, the colony was taken to the home of Tim Wylie, who had carried out the transfer, in Cambridgeshire.
Speaking about the extraction, Mr Wylie said it was not the best conditions to remove the colony from their home.
"Usually an extraction like this would be undertaken between late spring and late summer. However, protocols were put in place to minimise the risk to the colony and to keep the bees as unstressed as possible to allow the emergency extraction in February to allow the restoration of the building to progress," he said.
"The stores are transferred first and framed up, followed by the brood and comb, kept warm by a covering of bees.
It was quite a long extraction, but it's thrilling to get another colony of bees successfully relocated, especially at what is a challenging time of the year for the colony."