A swarm of bees gathered yesterday outside the GameStop in Union Square, possibly to demand a higher trade-in value for their games. Store employees were trapped inside for hours and eventually hung a sign reading: “Look! … closed due to bee infestation.”

In fact, it took two hours to get some help…and that was only after Eyewitness News called the police department…who said, call the fire department…who said, call 9-1-1…who said, call 3-1-1..who said, call the mayor’s office.

In the meantime, a Good Samaritan — tried to remove the immediate hazard out on the sidewalk. He lured about a thousand bees into a bag — which was later placed inside a box. But pedestrians were still at risk, and the bees continued to filter out of the building.

Eyewitness News: “What were people doing when you approached this??”
Good Samaritan, Edward Albers: “I don’t know…they were laughing…some of ’em…”
Eyewitness News: “Was anyone stung??”
Albers: “Not yet…”

And finally, at around 4 p.m. the NYPD’s bee specialist arrived — but removing the hive was no easy task…

“I’m probably gonna be relying on scent…the queen bee’s scent…it could take a half hour, an hour…two hours…I don’t know,” NYPD bee expert Tony Planakis said.

The NYPD, which apparently has bee experts on staff, successfully lured the hive into boxes, which they plan to ship upstate.

Bees swarm store in NYC [ABC via Gothamist]

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