‘Holy Cow’: Man finds 15,000 bees in his car after he parks to buy groceries

Firefighter who keeps bees as a hobby arrived at the scene to save the day

Jesse Johnson, 37, a 10-year member of the Fire Department who keeps bees as a hobby in his free time contained the swarm (Las Cruces Fire Department)

A man in New Mexico was left stunned over the weekend when he was confronted by thousands of bees in the back of his car after a trip to buy groceries, prompting an unusual rescue by an off duty firefighter.

Las Cruces firefighters were dispatched to the report of a swarm of bees that took temporary residency in a car on Sunday, the department said in a release on Facebook.

The driver, who has not been identified, had just finished shopping at a local grocery store, placed his shopping in his vehicle and started to drive off before noticing the massive swarm in the backseat.

“Then he turned back and looked and was like, ‘Holy Cow,’ ” Jesse Johnson, the off-duty firefighter, paramedic and amateur beekeeper who responded to the call told The New York Times.

“He called 911 because he didn’t know what to do,” Mr Johnson, 37, a 10-year member of the Fire Department who keeps bees as a hobby in his free time.

Read more:

• George Floyd news live: Derek Chauvin trial to resume
• Teacher’s ‘racist zoom rant’ overheard by student’s family after she forgets to end call
• Friend in car with George Floyd will refuse to testify
• Seven-year-old boy charged with rape, report says
• Alabama fails to reverse ban on yoga as conservatives say they fear rise in Hinduism

Mr Johnson had just finished a family barbecue when he got the call from the Fire Department and decided that he could retrieve the bees safely.

“I’ll do anything to keep people from killing the bees,” he told the newspaper.

“Johnson arrived with the proper tools for the trade – a hive kit, lemongrass oil, gloves and proper attire,” the fire department said.

Authorities confirmed that Mr Johnson was successful in removing the bees from the car and relocating them to his property.

The bees, which are said to have collectively weighed about three and half pounds could have strayed from a parapet, gutter system or home in a nearby neighborhood, Mr Johnson said.

The Fire Department estimated that 15,000 bees were removed and said no major injuries resulted from the encounter (Las Cruces Fire Department)

“Luckily, when bees are swarming, they’re pretty docile,” he noted. “They don’t have a home to protect for a moment. It’s much more intimidating than it is dangerous.”

The shook up driver “didn’t want to have anything to do” with the rescue, the firefighter added, and watched him capture the bees from a safe distance in the car park.

The fire department estimated that 15,000 bees were removed and said no major injuries resulted from the encounter, bar a few bee stings.

“A security guard at Albertson’s was stung and it is possible a few patrons may have had close encounters,” they said. The Times reported that at least one firefighter was also stung.

“One guy got stung on the lip, and we made fun of him the next morning,” Mr Johnson explained.

Mr Johnson said he owns four hives at his home and has at certain points has managed as many as 12.

The fire department stipulated it ”does not regularly remove bee swarms” but that in this case it was best for Mr Johnson to step in to ensure a safe ending to the unbelievable situation.