Thousands of bees in car park

[Lucky Bee]

Had a call from Environmental Health today about a car park in town with "bees everywhere." I went to have a look and have never seen anything like it. There is a hedge which I think is an Escallonia that is about 20 meters long and there were literally thousands of bees all around it, around the cars and on the ticket machines. There were honey bees, hover flies and solitary bees all over the place. Not settling on the hedge but buzzing frantically around it. Apparently they have been there for a few days and some members of the public have felt intimidated by them. I hunted around everywhere to see if I could find a nest site to no avail. I said I thought perhaps the hedge was either secreting an attractant or perhaps there was honeydew on the hedge. The hedge is not in flower. I have no idea what to advise. The council do not want to call in pest control thank goodness and are going to advise the owners to close off that side of the car park until the bees disperse. Does anyone have any ideas please.

 

[rje66]

Had a call from Environmental Health today about a car park in town with "bees everywhere." I went to have a look and have never seen anything like it. There is a hedge which I think is an Escallonia that is about 20 meters long and there were literally thousands of bees all around it, around the cars and on the ticket machines. There were honey bees, hover flies and solitary bees all over the place. Not settling on the hedge but buzzing frantically around it. Apparently they have been there for a few days and some members of the public have felt intimidated by them. I hunted around everywhere to see if I could find a nest site to no avail. I said I thought perhaps the hedge was either secreting an attractant or perhaps there was honeydew on the hedge. The hedge is not in flower. I have no idea what to advise. The council do not want to call in pest control thank goodness and are going to advise the owners to close off that side of the car park until the bees disperse. Does anyone have any ideas please.

Some hedges like pittosporum and lonisera will have tiny flowers that you may not see.
Just a possibility. A pic would be great.

 

[Lucky Bee]

Sorry, yes I should have taken a photo.

 

[SDM]

Some of the prunus and other plants have extra floral nectarys.

 

[Swarm]

Sounds to me like your council has acted very responsibly, fair play to them. I reckon it will last for just a short time so enjoy the spectacle and take plenty of photos.
I'm assuming you didn't suit up and showed there was no real threat?

 

[Lucky Bee]

Yes I was just wandering around in a t shirt the bees were not a bit interested in me

 

[abm]

I would have advised "this is nature"