A swarm of bees made a surprise appearance at Edinburgh Airport.
The unusual passengers were not looking to board a plane for warmer climates, but instead they landed on a grit bin in a car park earlier in September.
Airport bosses described it as an ‘unauthorised landing’ and joked that the airport was a ‘hive of activity’ during the summer holidays.
However, the concrete car park was deemed unsuitable for the swarm, so the local beekeepers were called to the rescue.
Beekeeper Stephen Readman, president of Edinburgh and Midlothian Beekeepers’ Association, said: ‘I thought beekeepers were finished with swarms this year, so it was a surprise to hear about the unauthorised honeybee landing at Edinburgh Airport.
‘Swarming usually occurs in late spring and summer when the queen leaves the colony with the adult flying bees. They leave behind enough young bees, larvae, eggs and prepared queen cells to keep the previous colony going.
‘A swarm will travel to a new location and may land on trees, bushes, walls, posts or anything convenient to wait while the scouts find a new permanent home.’
