MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A fallen tree in Bartlett “bugged” some folks Tuesday.
That was because the tree the storm knocked down was home to thousands of bees.
The tree fell on a cable company’s line on Elmore Road.
“Found out when we got here; got stung a few times,” said Greg Seelig with Tennessee Tree.
He did not know tree removal would entail dodging the critters.
Officials were able to guess why the swarms were so big.
“There were at least two queens. We’re suspecting that there’s even more; several hives inside this hollow tree,” Bartlett Mayor Keith McDonald said.
Seelig said he got stung, “back of the head, back of the neck, my back, legs, everywhere.”
The bees stung crane operator William Dobson too.
“Yeah, right there on the back of the head right when I was pulling it [tree] off the telephone line. So, yeah, kind of gave me a little wake up call,” Dobson said.
Crews temporarily shut down Elmore Road during the clean-up.
That understandably took longer than normal because of the bees.
During that time, a Bartlett city employee, who also happened to be a beekeeper in his spare time, came to the scene.
He told WREG he planned to take the bees to his farm to produce honey.
Elmore Road has since been reopened.
