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How do you safely get thousands of swarming honey bees down from the side of a building? 

The staff at Minnesota Public Radio headquarters in downtown St. Paul found themselves asking that question Friday afternoon when they spotted a massive bee swarm on the brick wall of a neighboring church. 

There was concern about passersby who might be allergic to the bees — and they were a little closer to the ground than 

 — so the plan was to find a way to get them to a better home.

Luckily, an MPR employee is a hobbyist beekeeper and she knew who to call. 

Removing thousands of bees is a tricky venture

That's where Chris Pesklo comes in. The second-year beekeeper arrived armed with two cardboard boxes, a brush and a net to keep the creatures away from his face. 

Pesklo estimated the swarm at between 7,000 and 10,000 Italian honey bees, all in a fairly calm mood.

"They are very passive, very docile," he said of the bees. "They're loaded up with honey. They're not in a mood to fight."

Pesklo guessed the bees had left one colony and were looking for another. In transition between homes, they took up residence about 12 feet off the ground on the south wall of Central Presbyterian Church.

After one trip up a ladder to survey the situation, Pesklo got to work. He assembled a box and attached it to a pole, placing it right below the swarm. 

Then he got back up on the ladder, brush in hand. 

Turns out it's simple to get 7,000-plus bees to do what you want — you just need to control the queen.

Pesklo took some gentle swipes with his hand at the swarm to start. Then he got the brush. 

While he never saw the queen, Pesklo knew he'd knocked her into the box when the other bees began descending en masse toward the box. 

This swarm likely has great genetics, given its ability to survive a harsh winter and destructive varroa mites, so it's crucial to keep them alive, Pesklo said. 


After about 30 minutes, most of the bees were boxed up, ready to go to their next home: A hive in Pesklo's 

 backyard in St. Paul's Hamline-Midway neighborhood. 

They'll join his other two hives after about 24 hours in the box. 

"I have everything that the bees need. I have a pond in my backyard. I have a woodshop. I can even make my own hives if I want to," he said. "I hate mowin' my lawn, so I got just forage paradise for the bees."

Gallery

Cody Nelson

Author

A beekeeper on Friday afternoon successfully got a large bee swarm down from the side of a church in downtown St. Paul so they can be transported to a safer new home.

Honey bees fly on and off an exterior wall.

Lacey Young | MPR News

Thousands of honey bees crawl around on an exterior wall.

Second year beekeeper Chris Pesklo stands for a portrait.

Honey bees swarm together above an entrance.

Honey bees pile on a wall around the queen bee.

Second year beekeeper Chris Pesklo holds one of the bees.

#MPRbees? Thousands of bees swarm by our St. Paul office

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