Chandigarh: Day after, experts blame gusty winds for honeybee attack

The tree on which the beehive was damaged on Thursday due to gusty winds adjoins a traffic police booth near the light point, Sector 17-18.

The damaged beehive on a broken tree branch at Sector 17-18 light point

Although Thursday’s honeybee attack on Ludhiana siblings at Press light point in Sector 17/18 was an isolated incident, the possibility of such attacks increases in windy weather, say experts. Reason: gusty winds damage beehives, agitating the bees.

“Honeybees collect maximum honey during spring between March and April. During summer, they are very defensive about their collected honey because there is less availability of flora in this season. Gusty and fast winds damage beehives these days. It naturally agitates the bees. The bee attack in this season is an isolated incident but the possibility of more such attacks cannot be ruled out due to fast winds. Honeybees usually attack human beings in defence or when these are disturbed,” said Dr Neelima Kumar, a professor at Zoology Department, Panjab University, who researches on honeybees.

Debendra Dalai, Director Environment, UT, said, “The siblings might be close to the tree when the beehive was damaged and the bees got agitated. People should prefer to lie on the ground in such a situation. Bees do not shift their base. They settle again near the same place confirming their queen is safe and alive. If the queen is no more, they will not be able to make another beehive.”

Story continues below this ad

The tree on which the beehive was damaged on Thursday due to gusty winds adjoins a traffic police booth near the light point, Sector 17-18. A traffic policeman posted there said, “Honeybees shifted their base to an upper branch on the same tree. The damaged beehive is still there. As the winds were blowing yesterday, we knew the beehive would be damaged. Unluckily, siblings became victims of agitated bees.”

L R Budaniya, an environmentalist, said, “People should be careful about such attacks, though these are isolated incidents.”
The weather department has predicted gusty winds (speed 40-50 kmph) with thunderstorms/lightning likely in Chandigarh along with isolated places in Punjab, Haryana from June 18 to June 21.

Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram

Tags:
ludhiana