Swarm of 15,000 bees rehabilitated in Kingston

KINGSTON, N.Y. (NEWS10) — The Kingston Fire Department responded to a swarm of honey bees on Tuesday, April 30. They got a call about the bees at 2 p.m. and contacted a rehabilitation specialist to have them removed.

The fire department cleared the area and put up caution tape near the intersection of Liberty Street and Broadway. Next, Hudson Valley Bee Supply owner Jorik Phillips arrived and removed the bees. The fire department said that clearing the scene protected both pedestrians and bees.

Though bees can sting, their vital role in the ecosystem as pollinators means that exterminating a bee colony does much more harm than good. In 2023, Gov. Kathy Hochul signed the "Birds and Bees Protection Act" that banned certain pesticides that confuse or sicken bees.