Massive 1m-wide beehive found on Yishun roof, resident dons helmet to tackle swarm

Some Yishun residents could not bee-lieve their eyes when a beehive measuring over one metre wide was discovered on the rooftop of a HDB block.

The humongous structure was found at Block 431D Yishun Avenue 1 after residents began noticing bees in their homes on July 10, reported Shin Min Daily News.

A 63-year-old resident who lives at an opposite block said he was shocked to see the beehive beneath the rooftop solar panels.

"The first bee that flew in landed on my face and I instinctively killed it with my hands," said the man surnamed Li.

"After that, two or three bees would enter my home every day," he said. 

Another resident, who wished to be identified only as Nora, told the Chinese daily that she had also been dealing with the unwelcome visitors since July 10. 

As more bees gathered along the corridor and continued entering the flat over the days, the 42-year-old said her husband would take extra precautions before leaving home.

The man once donned a motorcycle helmet, draped a towel over himself and armed himself with insecticide to spray the bees in the corridor.

On another occasion, the couple found between 70 and 80 dead bees outside their front door and along the corridor.

"We kept all our windows tightly shut and didn't dare to hang our laundry outside," she added.

Following reports from residents, the town council arranged for a pest control company to remove the hive on July 15, according to Shin Min.

Growing number of bee cases in residential spaces

Sundowner Bee Rescue founder Clarence Chua told AsiaOne there has been a noticeable increase in bee-related cases.

"These cases usually come from houses, industries and other areas where bees find suitable places to build their hives," he revealed. 

Factors such as sheltered spaces, availability of food sources and suitable nesting conditions can contribute to bees forming colonies in HDB blocks and other buildings.

Chua said that while bees are generally harmless when left undisturbed, members of the public should avoid touching or attempting to remove hives on their own.

"It is best to get an expert to humanely relocate the hive, as disturbing a colony could cause bees to become defensive and potentially attack," he said.

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