Mango flights run ‘bee-hind’ schedule at King Shaka airport

King Shaka International Airport was a hive of activity on Monday after a swarm of bees decided to move into an aircraft engine.

Shortly after landing, a swarm of over 20 000 bees landed on top of a Mango airlines aircraft before moving and settling on the engine.

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Owner of ABeeC Bee Removers in Westville, Melvyn Dawson, received a call late that afternoon before rushing out to assist.

“It’s not just a case of driving in and driving up to the aircraft,” said Dawson.

“I had to get permits and go through security. After all the paperwork, a representative from the airport’s pest control department came out to assist me.”

When Dawson arrived at the aircraft all the bees were huddled in the front part of the engine. The flight had already been delayed for two and a half hours.

“When I arrived there was a pile of bees on the floor which I first put into a box.

“I could not use any smoke because I was working right next to the engine and jet fuel, so I climbed up the ladder and started to scoop some bees into a box.”

He used a palm frond which ruffles them up and encourages them to fly.

There were about 20 000 bees in the swarm and the process took about half an hour.

https://www.facebook.com/FlyMangoSA/photos/a.216775245033354/2030124927031701/?type=3&theater

Once it was all clear the plane was up and off, as three flights had been delayed.

Dawson, who has been in the business for 50 years, said he had never removed bees from an aircraft, but he suspects they settled there while looking for a new home.

“Every April and September bees swarm, so the main colony must be somewhere near the airport.”

Swarms of bees leave the nest and zoom through the air, searching for a new home.

“These bees are basically in transit to their new home, and suddenly Mango airline seemed like a good spot to settle, but they didn’t know that the plane had to fly off!”

“They landed on the roof, but because it was quite late they would have felt vulnerable all spread out on top of the airplane, which is why they then clustered on the engine, keeping warm.”

The bees were safely transported to Dawson’s brother’s home, Gavin, who also owns a bee removal company.

“We settle the bees into proper boxes.

“Once they have been settled these bees will be taken to macadamia nut farmers for pollination.”

ABeeC Bee Removers covers the whole of KZN and can be contacted on 031 2663402.

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