POCATELLO, Idaho (AP) — Beekeepers and maintenance workers have removed roughly 30,000 bees that built a massive hive inside an Idaho State University campus landmark.
The Idaho State Journal reports the bees were safely transported from the stone-and-wood Swanson Arch to a hive box at a nearby farm on Friday.
Beekeeper Sarah Hofeldt says the bees were surprisingly docile, and no one was stung during the extraction. Hofeldt was safely able to remove the queen bee from the hive by hand without the use of smoke. She says the smokers can calm the bees but also can make it more difficult to move the bees into a transport container, which can increase bee fatalities.
ISU facilities manager Dee Rasmussen says the hive was first discovered earlier this month. The bees likely entered the walls of the arch through knotholes, building the hive behind the wood ceiling.
ISU students traditionally walk through the arch upon entering and graduating from the university.
