While investigating an unusual hum outside the office, the team uncovered a hive of approximately 23,000 bees hidden inside a manhole cover at the bottom of the car park.
The discovery was as fascinating as it was rare, honey bees typically make their homes in trees or above-ground spaces, not underground infrastructure.
Recognising the importance of handling the situation responsibly, the operations team at Warden contacted the British Beekeepers Association (BBKA) to remove the bees safely.
Once they arrived, the BBKA team removed the manhole cover and used a nucleus box as a mock hive to successfully gather and relocate the entire hive, ensuring the wellbeing of both the bees and Warden’s staff.
The colony has since been rehomed across several local bee farms, where they will continue their vital work producing honey, pollinating local plant life, and playing an essential role in maintaining healthy ecosystems.
Eric Hassall, member of the Blackpool & Fylde British Beekeepers association, said: “Honey bees typically make their homes in trees, so finding a hive in an underground manhole is highly unusual, and made for a particularly complex removal. Down to sheer luck, we were fortunate enough to capture the queen which encouraged the rest of the colony to follow into the nucleus box.
“The team at Warden handled the situation exactly as they should have, by contacting us rather than pest control. Bees are vital to our environment, and relocating a hive of this size helps preserve a pollinator population that plays a major role in sustaining local ecosystems.”
Ian Williams, managing director at Warden, said: “We’re incredibly grateful to the BBKA for their quick action and deep knowledge. It’s not every day you find tens of thousands of bees beneath your office, but we’re proud to have helped protect these important pollinators.”