Who you gonna call? Beebusters!?

Don’t let bee experts fool you – they can help with more than just honey-makin’.

Earlier in the week, a Wake County master deputy was called to respond to 50,000 honeybees swarming a disabled tractor trailer. However, upon seeing the police vehicle, the bees found a new place to swarm… and quickly covered the cruiser, trapping the deputy inside. The bee-leaguered deputy then called for assistance in getting the bees to buzz off.

The 911 dispatcher was pointed to NC State University entomology research technician Jennifer Keller, and Charles Heatherly, past president of the N.C. Beekeepers Association.

From The News & Observer:

Heatherly said that when he arrived, five or six sheriff’s cruisers were on the scene, but the deputies were in their cars, out of stinging range.

It’s common for bee-carrying trucks to use that route, traveling to Eastern North Carolina where melons and cucumbers are being pollinated, Heatherly said. But it was highly unusual for bees to swarm in such a large group.

“I’ve never seen that before, spread all over the car,” Heatherly said. “They usually spread in small groups about the size of a basketball.”

He said the bees were probably hot, thirsty and looking for their queen.

Since it was past lunchtime, the two bee specialists sprayed the swarm with sugar water.

“They started licking it off each other,” Stephens said. “That distracted them.”

Keller and Heatherly then used smoke to calm the bees and usher them into a box. A relieved Jenkins emerged from his patrol car unscathed and, best of all, un-stung.

Now that, my friends, gives the term “sting operation” a whole new meaning!