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Swarm of bees floods Greifswald: Beekeeper saves city incident!
On June 13, 2025, a swarm of bees swarmed at the Greifswald market square; Beekeeper Thomas Bartels secured the bees and educated passers-by.
Swarm of bees floods Greifswald: Beekeeper saves city incident!
The market square in Greifswald currently has a very special spectacle to offer. An impressive swarm of bees, made up of around 4,000 to 5,000 bees, has made themselves comfortable on the outdoor furniture of the popular “Café San Marco”. The bees also swarm around a nearby street lamp with a flower pot, which amazes passers-by and coffee lovers alike. As nordkurier.de reports, the situation initially causes some uncertainty among the guests.
Luckily, Thomas Bartels, an experienced beekeeper from Greifswald Zoo, is on hand to capture the swarm and relocate them properly. As he goes about his craft, Bartels explains that swarms are not dangerous and are completely normal behavior when bees want to expand their colony. They are looking for a new nesting site to start a colony. “Around 30 bees are looking for a suitable nesting hole,” explains the beekeeper.
A fascinating process
But how do such swarms actually come about? This natural form of reproduction for honey bees occurs primarily in the months of May and June when the weather conditions and food abundance are right. A swarm is formed when a colony of bees divides - the old queen takes some of the workers with her to found a new colony. This usually happens around midday, which perfectly explains the time frame of today's observation, as bienenjournal.de points out that bees often swarm during this time.
A swarm has a special dynamic: “In the first few minutes to an hour after moving out, the bees gather in a new place before they finally move,” says Thomas Bartels. Passers-by who were initially a bit anxious can now relax and enjoy their coffee while the beekeeper continues to work with great skill and dedication.
The social behavior of bees
The behavior of bees can be very fascinating; a lot is known about the biology of these small creatures. Honey bees live in a complex social structure called a eusocial community. This explains why they live together in such a form and work together almost perfectly. They share the tasks of procuring food, caring for the brood and defending their state. This highest form of social behavior ensures the survival of the colony, as described on welt-der-biene.de.
Safety precautions are also very important when moving bees. In certain situations, especially when there are aggressive swarms, the fire department should be called in if in doubt to ensure the safety of everyone involved. Thomas Bartels has up to ten missions a year, not only for bees, but also for hornets and wasps - which shows that nature in this region can sometimes provide exciting challenges.
With careful handling by the beekeeper and knowledge of the bees' way of life, the situation at the market square in Greifswald could end completely peacefully. After this little moment of shock, guests can concentrate on relaxing and enjoying their food and drinks and perhaps learn a little more about the fascinating creatures behind it all.