Thousands of European honey bees paused last Wednesday to take a rest on the University of North Texas campus near the University Services Building where they created quite a buzz.
Looking to protect these flying friends, university staffers reached out to the Denton County Bee Keepers Association, which sent out David Morris to safely relocate the bees. The honey bees were taken to join others on his eight-acre farm near Sanger.
Morris says this is the time of year when European honey bees “swarm” and leave their
hive in search of another, often if their own hive doesn't have the capacity for all
its bees. He says that anyone concerned about a beehive can typically contact their
local beekeepers association for a safe, and often free, removal.
In 2016, Bee City USA designated UNT as a Bee Campus USA, making UNT the first university in Texas to receive that recognition. The acknowledgement
came in part for UNT's effort to be a bee-friendly campus and to ensure campus greenspaces
are friendly to pollinators, including honey bees and bumblebees.