INVADED BY BEES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22611, 26 December 1936, Page 8

INVADED BY BEES

SUBUBBAN KITCHEN CHRISTMAS COOKING HAZARD RADIO CALL FOR HELP APIARIST SAVES SITUATION Intrigued, possibly, by the appetising smell of roast lamb or plum pudding, a large and persistent swarm of bees caused untold worry in a Parnell house yesterday during the most critical stage in the pieparation of Christmas dinner. The bees invaded and practically took possession of the kitchen until a radio broadcast appeal for assistance brought to the rescue an expert apiarist who, not without difficulty, collected the intruders for transport to a new home. The scene of the invasion was the residence of Mr. and Mrs. fc,. Ramsa.v, of 27 Garfield Street, Parnell. Actually the bees descended on them as unwelcome Christmas guests two or three days ago. They entered under the eaves of the house and swarmed in a space behind the kitchen wall. They advertised their presence in no uncertain manner, but yesterday morning, when Mrs. Ramsay was cooking the Christmas dinner, the bees managed to make their way through the scrim knd wallpaper and began to pour out in a continual stream into the kitchen. Air Thick with Bees "The air was absolutely thick with bees," Mrs. Ramsay said. "They were buzzing all round me. I did not want to bp stung, and I did not want my Christmas dinner to be spoiled, so finally, in desperation, I. went to a neighbour's place and telephoned the broadcasting people, asking them if they could send out an appeal for some expert in bees to come to our help. It was almost impossible to stay in the house, although the only one of the family to be stung was the baby. Mr. Ramsay was absent from home when the invasion of the bees occurred, but within a few minutes of the appeal being broadcast a man arrived, eager to remove the bees in a large sack. However, when he found where the swarm was located he decided that a more expert touch was needed. Smoke Apparatus Used

Later, salvation arrived in the person of Mr. F. Johnston, a Sandringham apiarist, and owner of 75 hives. With the aid of a special smoke apparatus he lulled the bees into a state of coma and then commenced to transplant the whole swarm into a large packing case. The queen bee was successfully removed and the others followed, although it took Mr. Johnston some time to remove all the bees from behind the kitchen wall. The incident ended without any great harm being done. Mr. and Mrs. Ramsay and their family were able to eat their Christmas dinner, and Mr. Johnston now possesses 76 hives of bees.