CAPE CORAL, Fla. -- A lawn maintenance guy was swarmed by bees when experts say his weed wacker caused them to leave their hive and go on the defensive in a Cape Coral neighborhood.
Cape Coral Police and Lee County EMS were on the scene at the 900 block of Cape Coral Parkway West, near Skyline Boulevard.
Emergency crews kept neighbors away from the hive so pest control could get the situation under control.
"I was afraid my building was on fire or something, but then I heard it was about a swarm of bees," said Vernon Eck, who returned home to see all of the emergency vehicles outside his building. "There's a lot of children here because there's a bus stop here," he added.
Bee keepers took care of the bugs inside the LCEC power box. A local bee keeper told 4 In Your Corner the bees reacted to the lawn worker's weed whip. The sounds from the equipment made the bees try to defend their nest.
"We know the bees have been there for several years," said B. Keith Councell, from Councell Farms. "Generally a hive of that size is about 60,000 bees," he added.
A LCEC spokesperson says they have a bee keeper on call to handle situations when bees find their way into their equipment. The electric company is aware bees find the conditions inside to be favorable when they construct a hive.
Councell says it's a good idea for you to be aware of potential hives around your home.
"First thing you need to do is walk around your house, if you see bees flying in and out of somewhere, don't try and take things in your own hands," said Councell. "Get a hold of someone who does this for a living," he added.
