30,000 bees swarm Sparks Street, break tree branch

A swarm of 30,000bees split from a hive on the roof of a downtown Ottawa office building Tuesdayand moved intoa tree onSparks Street.

According to the Sparks StreetBIA, the bees are part of a colony that livesin hives on top of181 Queen Street, the office buildingthat houses the CBC.

Kevin McHale, executive director ofSparks Street BIA, told Radio-Canada that Morguard, the real estate company thatowns the building,called abeekeeper to get the situation under control.

McHale said the colony,estimated by the beekeeper to be about 30,000 strong, was so heavy thebees broke abranch off the tree in which they had taken uptemporary residence.

Although the colony piqued the attention of numerous passersby, no injuries were reported and the BIA received no complaints.

The beekeeper installed a box near the tree with the intention of capturing and relocating the bees, McHale said.