Published 2006-04-24T00:00:00Z”/>

Brian Kennedy

April 20, 2006

A writhing heap of bees looking to create a new hive in front of Plumas Hall were taken down by a beekeeper Wednesday.

Rick Scott, Adventure Outings director and backyard beekeeper, happened upon the brooding nest and called in for a box, a roll of tape and backup. Rick got a glove-covered hand from student Zach Scott, who held the box while Rick shook the tree and the mass of bees was flushed out.

The box was quickly closed up, bagged, knotted and sealed shut with packing tape. The box vibrating in Rick Scott’s hands held an estimated 10 pounds of bees. Hundreds of bees swarmed through the air after the shakedown.

Rick said the bees probably outgrew their previous hive and the queen settled in this tree to form a new home. Students walking by the tree in front of Plumas Hall near Warner Street said the hive had materialized in just a few hours.

If Rick trapped the queen in the box, the bees will create a new hive at his house and produce about 20 pounds of honey a year, he said.

But the queen probably wasn’t captured because on Thursday morning a new hive was being formed in the same spot and Chico State employees were out to remove the bees again.

Brian Kennedy can be reached at<a href= “mailto:[email protected]”>[email protected]</a>