A swarm of bees had to be safely removed from a gate at Gatwick Airport after settling around it on Sunday afternoon, according to multiple reports. The gate was closed for six hours before the bees were removed, major media reported, citing Gerry James of the Reigate Beekeepers Association. James, who gets around four or five calls a year from Gatwick due to bees, used a nuc box—a mini-hive for storage and transportation—to collect the insects. The bees will now be housed at one of the association's training apiaries, BBC News reported. James expressed his enthusiasm: "I was like a little child in a sweet shop when I am called to the airport." He added, "You are under pressure until you finish because you know the gate is out of action." James also praised the airport's approach: "Gatwick is to be congratulated for what they do with the bees. They are very concerned about nature."
Meanwhile, in Paris, a swarm of at least 10,000 bees settled under the saddle of a bicycle outside the Palais Royal-Musée du Louvre metro station on Saturday afternoon, major media reported. The metro entrance was closed while a local beekeeper collected the insects. According to BBC News, urban beekeeper Volkan Tanaci described the location as unusual, right next to the metro entrance. He noted that it was a real cluster of bees, likely with a queen bee in the middle. The bike's owner, speaking via Instagram account @ma_pauvre_lucette, said: "Granddad's old bicycle had barely been parked for half an hour when the swarm arrived." The fate of the Paris swarm after removal remains unknown.
It was certainly in an unusual place, right next to the entrance to a metro.
What caused the bee swarms at both locations is unclear. The number of bees in the Gatwick swarm has not been confirmed, nor the reason why the Paris swarm chose that bicycle. The owner of the bicycle in Paris has not been publicly identified beyond their social media handle.
It was a real cluster of bees, and probably there was a queen bee right in the middle.