Times Square street shut down after bees swarm hot dog cart
NYPD's 'Bee Guy' vacuums the swarm into a bucket for relocation after the flying insects made a home atop the umbrella of a hot dog stand in the middle of New York City.
Even New York City bees can’t resist the Big Apple’s dirty water dogs.
A swarm of thousands of bees made their home atop the umbrella of a Sabrett hot dog stand in the heart of Times Square, prompting a police response and the closure of a city street Tuesday afternoon.
The horde gathered on top of the yellow and blue umbrella at the corner of Broadway and West 43rd Street.
NYPD Sgt. Sheldo said at the scene that “a bunch” of the flying insects were initially spotted “swarming” around the pedestrian plaza at nearby Military Island.
“People were just swatting in front of their faces,” Sheldo said.
Officer Michael Lauriano – known as the NYPD’s “Bee Guy” – donned protective gear, including a netting over his face, as he stood on a ladder and sucked up the bees with a special vacuum device.
Lauriano, an 18-year NYPD veteran, had the majority of the bees collected in a matter of minutes.
“We try to get as many as we can,” Lauriano said. “We like to keep the families together.”
Lauriano couldn’t immediately say where the massive group of bees would be taken, but noted that officials will find them a hive.
“We’ve got to determine [where to take them], but definitely in a hive,” Lauriano said.
The bee scene turned into a tourist attraction, with passersby snapping photos and shooting videos.
“Look at all those darn bees!” David Volger, 45, said as he live-streamed the incident on his cell phone.
Faith Beech, 31, said: “This is absolutely crazy!”
“I wish I had a phone right now – this is too cool,” Beech said.
Larry Gonoez, 70, a vendor selling hats across the street said of the bees: “They make their house – sometimes it breaks. That’s nature.”
“You can’t go against nature,” he said.