The buzzing sound from a high-voltage Georgia Power substation at DSM Chemicals turned out to be more than electricity.
Engineers making a routine inspection discovered honeybees had built a hive in the 115,000-volt switchyard -- which presented a dilemma for workers.
"From a safety standpoint, it wasn't good to have these bees in this kind of area," said Walter Dukes, Georgia Power's regional vice president. "We wanted to find someone who could remove them, but we also wanted to do the right thing and not kill them."
After a few calls to the Georgia Extension Service, they connected with local pediatrician and part-time bee wrangler Tracy Middlebrooks, who was delighted to help evict the bees from the high-voltage equipment.
"It's highly unusual to see them like this," Dr. Middlebrooks said of the exposed honeycombs, which dangled in linear sections from beneath a steel beam. "The hives are usually enclosed and almost never out in the open like that."
On Wednesday, accompanied by safety officials, plant managers, electrical engineers and security personnel, the bee rescue commenced with a cursory misting with sugared water, followed by puffs of light smoke.
"This calms them down a little," Dr. Middlebrooks said.
The honey-laden combs were cut away and placed in a more typical wooden beehive, which will be left in the switchyard for a week or more to allow the bees to become accustomed to their new home.
After that, the group will be moved to a safer place.
Reach Rob Pavey at (706) 868-1222, ext. 119, or rob.pavey@augustachronicle.com.
The Augusta Chronicle ©2010 Morris Communications, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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I am so glad the bees were not destroyed..........we need them!
:)
I'm glad someone at DSM finally thought to get some good press out of these bees. They have actually relocated 3 or 4 other hives in recent years. Kudos DSM.
clap clap clap clap clap
I wish some hornets would have gotten to that hive before DMS they would have got rid of the bees within 10 min flat
Popie, you're a hoot. You'd rather have a hornet nest than a honey bee nest? What do hornets produce? Isn't that like Section 8 housing (using a comparison)? Maybe not a good one, but that's what came to mind. Replace something that is productive with something that does nothing (not all, mind you, refering to Section 8). But from the hornets perspective, exactly what do they produce? Besides painful stings, welts & anaphalactic shock?
Popie there is already a shortage of bees. 1/3 of all our food comes from bee activity.Watch the video.
Funny part about this is there is a beekeeper that works at PCS Nitrogen which is located on the same property as DSM! He runs his own Apiary and has removed several hives from the complex before! I guess the folks at GA Power didn't know about him!
Govols, DSM and PCS are two TOTALLY separate entities.
BEE-Careful!
Way to go Dr. Middlebrokks! He is my kid's doctor. Awesome pediatrician and apparently bee keeper.