One ordinary afternoon in Haverfordwest, UK, Carol Howarth parked her car outside a local shop to run some errands and pick up a few essentials. It was a regular routine, nothing out of the ordinary. She finished her shopping, got back into her car, and drove away, unaware of the strange scene unfolding behind her. When she returned later that day, her jaw dropped in disbelief. There, at the back of her vehicle, was an enormous swarm of bees—hundreds of them, gathering and buzzing around in a frenzy. It took her a moment to process what she was seeing, but soon her heart started pounding with alarm. It wasn’t a regular sight like a few accidental stowaways or a lone bee; this was a full-blown invasion.
Nearby, Tom Moses, a fellow resident of Haverfordwest, happened to witness the strange spectacle. He was on his way home from the pub and saw Carol’s stunned face as she stared at her car. Curious, he slowly approached and looked over her shoulder. What he saw was a mass of bees covering the entire rear bumper and spilling over onto the boot. “It was quite a sight,” Tom remembers. “People had already started gathering around, taking photos and videos. It was definitely unusual for our small town.” But even as the crowd grew, Tom’s concern deepened. He was worried about what might happen next.
He recalls thinking, “This isn’t just a natural phenomenon. Someone should do something about this before someone makes a foolish move.” His mind immediately went to the worst-case scenario—someone might panic and do something dangerous. Having some knowledge about bees, Tom knew the dangers of provoking them. He worried that if someone threw boiling water or tried to attack the swarm, it could go terribly wrong. Bees can become aggressive when threatened, and attacks can be painful—or worse. So, rather than standing around and hoping it would resolve on its own, he decided to take action.
Tom contacted a local group of bee experts, knowing that professionals were the best hope for safely removing the swarm. The team arrived swiftly and assessed the situation carefully. They used protective gear and gentle tools to contain the bees and transfer them into a large box. It was a delicate operation, as they needed to handle hundreds of tiny, flying creatures without causing harm or provoking a swarm attack. Thanks to their expertise, the bees were safely relocated and released into a nearby field where they could continue their vital role in pollination.
What made this story even more unusual was what happened the very next day. Carol was surprised to find her car parked outside her house—and the exact same swarm of bees was once again buzzing around the back of her vehicle. She stared in disbelief, wondering how this could be happening twice in a row. It was as if the bees had a mind of their own, unwilling to give up their newfound shelter. That day, she decided to call the beekeepers again, seeking answers and hoping someone could help figure out what was drawing the swarm back to her car.
Roger Burns, one of the local beekeepers, arrived at her house shortly afterward. He carefully examined Carol’s car and explained that the queen bee had likely been attracted by something inside or around the vehicle—possibly a sweet scent, a sticky residue, or even leftover nectar. The queen had somehow become trapped or drawn into a small crack or crevice in the car, and the worker bees instinctively followed her, forming a massive swarm. This behavior is typical for bees—if the queen is in danger or in a new location, thousands of worker bees will follow her in a single file, often for miles, to protect and support her.
In this case, the swarm, about 2,000 strong, had followed the queen and was now circling her car again. The beekeepers managed to carefully locate the queen, remove her from the situation, and guide her safely back on the right path. Their precise work ensured that the queen was unharmed and could continue her role in her hive, far away from danger.
What puzzled the experts most was why the bees kept returning. It’s normal for a swarm to follow its queen, but it’s quite unusual for them to do so over two consecutive days, especially to something as mundane as a car. It’s a reminder of just how instinctual and resilient bees are—always driven to care for their queen and hive, even in the most unlikely circumstances.
This strange, buzzing saga left everyone involved with questions and a newfound respect for these tiny, yet fiercely dedicated creatures. It was a vivid example of how nature can surprise us in the most unexpected ways, turning a simple parking lot into a scene of tiny, winged warriors on a mission. And for Carol, it was a bizarre yet fascinating chapter in her life—one she won’t soon forget.
