Thousands of bees rescued after creating buzz at Putnam County school

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — There was quite the buzz at an elementary school in Putnam County when thousands of bees set up shop on campus.

“The bees came to visit one day last week and we contacted our maintenance supervisor,” said Park View Elementary School Principal Dr. Mel Presley. “By the time they showed up, the bees were gone and everybody thought we were crazy.”

Dr. Presley said after the first sighting on Thursday, she received word Saturday morning the bees were back. The swarm set up camp on the school’s sign and Presley quickly sent word that they needed a beekeeper.

Rarely-seen ‘species of concern’ captured on cam

“I actually have taken a beginning beekeepers course so I know just enough about bees to not get nervous about them,” she said. “Our students have enough anxiety and nervousness about state testing that I knew they wouldn’t be in any harm’s way with the bees but we didn’t need that buzz to go on before they came into school on Monday morning. So my big thoughts were we need to, you know, get this the swarm in a nice home somewhere else.”

That’s where local beekeeper Megan Hastings came in.

“There’s a lot of different equipment that you need so I had to go home and get all my stuff, my suit, and loaded up in the car and get out there,” Hastings recalled. “We just understand the importance of saving them, right. They have a bad stigma. So I don’t want anything happening to them. I don’t want somebody you know, killing them. And then another thing is to it aids to our apiary. I get to add more hives to my apiary here, which I have about 10 hives already.”

Hastings got involved with beekeeping about four years ago after her aunt did first.

Luxury golf course backed by Justin Timberlake coming to Nashville

“Just over the last four years, it has been one of the most fascinating hobbies I’ve ever done in my life and I would definitely recommend it to anybody who’s interested,” said Hastings.

Hastings explained that she first had to find the queen in the colony of bees. Once the queen was captured with a special clip, Hastings set up the hive on top of the sign. Then, the worker bees and drone bees marched in behind her. She also noticed there were two other swarms setting up nearby, adding they possibly migrated from another beekeeper.

“(On) two of them, I think it was a virgin queen who had not been mated because I think she had left the hive. And then I think the other, the old queen, left as well,” said Hastings. “I think two of them were probably one hive that split and left the home. Sometimes the home is not meeting their needs, right. So if the size is too small, and they’ve outgrown it, they’re all going to leave and try to find another place.”

She was also thankful for help from other members of their local beekeepers group who provided a special contraption to help get one colony that was up in a tree. There were a total of three swarms that were rehomed to Hastings’ apiary.

Dr. Presley said she was grateful for the support of local beekeepers in removing the swarms before students returned to class.

“I think the lesson is to respect all creatures on earth and understand their role and their importance on creating this beautiful planet that we are a part of. And yes, bees can appear to be scary, you know, because people have stories of being stung. But really, they are such a help to our our beautiful earth. And if we love and respect them and take care of them, they will take care of our planet and take care of us,” said Dr. Presley.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRN News 2.