Giant One-Meter Beehive Found in a Home in Xuzhou
A resident in Xuzhou, Jiangsu Province, discovered a nearly one-meter-long and half-meter-wide giant beehive hidden in the kitchen ceiling. Firefighters removed it, filling three large buckets and a bag. The homeowner had noticed increasing bee activity and called for help.
Wearing protective gear, firefighters dismantled the kitchen ceiling panels and were surprised by what they saw. The internal space of the ceiling had been completely occupied by bees, with the hive being enormous – nearly one meter long and about half a meter wide – forming a complete bee kingdom.
Firefighters first sprayed the hive with a solution, then carefully peeled and removed it piece by piece. The entire cleaning process took a considerable amount of time. Finally, the removed beehive was so large that it took three large buckets and a bag to contain it all.
According to the homeowner, the house had been vacant for two to three years and they rarely visited. They had occasionally seen bees before but hadn't paid much attention. It wasn't until recently, when the bee population clearly increased, that they realized the seriousness of the problem and discovered the bees had built such a large nest in the ceiling.
In fact, cases of bees building nests in long-vacant houses with unsealed doors, windows, or holes are not uncommon, and this isn't the only incident in Xuzhou.
For example, in Suqian, Jiangsu Province, a resident installing a water heater unexpectedly discovered a giant beehive in their kitchen ceiling, a sight that was shocking.
It is understood that the homeowner hadn't installed a water heater for four to five years. The original exhaust port for the kitchen water heater had been left open and unused, and the bees had entered through this hole, making a home and building a nest in the ceiling.
The fire department reminds people that long-vacant houses, with their unsealed doors, windows, and holes, are easily used by bees to build nests. People should pay attention to whether there is frequent bee activity in their homes, close doors and windows when going out, and promptly seal any holes in the walls.