Flybee flight now boarding: Extraordinary pictures show massive swarm of BEES attacking passenger plane in Moscow
- Bees covered the fuselage and windows of the Airbus-319
- Passenger plane was delayed for an hour while staff removed the insects
- So called 'killer bees' are increasingly causing havoc at airports
Thousands of bees staged an extraordinary attack on a passenger plane at a Moscow airport.
They swarmed an Airbus-319 as it was about to start taxiing ahead of taking off from Vnukovo Airport bound for St Petersburg.
The bees flew from under a wing, said eye witnesses reporting the incident. Some attached themselves to the wing, while others covered windows of the Rossiya airline's plane.
Clinging on for dear life: The bees swarmed onto the fuselage but didn't get inside the plane
Two ambulances were called to the plane amid fears that the bees might get inside the cabin. Stings from bees can cause anaphylactic shock in people with an allergy, and honey bee stings release a pheromone which prompts other nearby bees to attack.
Airport staff then 'efficiently and quickly' removed the from the plane's fuselage. Although reports do not explain how this was done, the usual method is to smoke the bees out and vacuum them up.
The flight was delayed by slightly under an hour.
It's not the first time a swarm of bees have caused problems for air passengers.
Bee warned: An increasing number of swarms of bees are interrupting flights
In April 2015 a massive swarm of bees managed to ground a Minnesota-bound Allegiant airlines flight after first clouding the windshields and then getting sucked into the plane's engines.
Last October a swarm of angry bees attacked a drone as it flew over Miami Beach in Florida.
The drone quadcopter, fitted with a camera, had been launched to capture a stunning aerial view of the coastal resort city, but as soon as it soared above the surrounding trees and homes, it was attacked by a large swarm of male honey bees.
The plane in Moscow was soon cleared of the bees and the flight was only delayed by one hour
Africanized honey bees, or so called 'killer bees', are increasingly causing havoc at airports, particularly across the Southwest of America.
The insects exhibit certain behavioral traits that make them a threat to people and other animals, including excessive defensiveness and swarming.
The aggressive bees, which entered the U.S. from Mexico in the early 1990s, like to travel across open spaces and have to stop to rest whenever the queen gets tired.
Because airports have so few trees or other obvious rest stops, planes, baggage-loading equipment, terminals and garages are the only option for the swarm and airplane staff sometimes report that they have found thousands of bees in engine covers, on cockpit windshields or swarming in the luggage compartment of a plane.
Un-BEE-lievable! Swarms of bees find homes in the most unusual places
-
40,000 BEES FOUND UNDER BEDROOM FLOOR
A Queens bedroom was buzzing for all the wrong reasons for the past few months,...play video
-
MOTORISTS TERRIFIED DISCOVERS SWARM OF...
Kelly-Marie Knowles, 26, arrived back from a walk to see her red Peugeot 206...play video
-
20,000 BEES SWARM AROUND A CAR
20,000 BEES swarmed around student George Neal's trusty Nissan Micra.play video
-
BEES SWARM AROUND PARKED MINI
Beekeepers desperately tried to a remove swarm of bees from a parked Mini in...play video
-
UN-BEE-LIEVABLE! SWARMS OF BEES INVADE A...
Un-BEE-lievable! Swarms of bees invade the town of Farnham in Surrey.play video
-
HUGE SWARM OF BEES SCARE THE LOCALS ...
Leeds shoppers flee swarms of bees as thousands of the stinging insects bring...play video
-
A SWARM OF BEES ON THE WINDOW OF TOPSHOP
A swarm of bees settle on the window of a Topshop next to Victoria station in...play video
-
ANGRY SWARM OF BEES ATTACK DRONE
Skymark Productions were flying one of their quadcopter drones in Miami Beach,...play video
-
RIDICULOUS AMOUNT OF BEES DESCEND ON...
Incredible footage was caught before the match between Ponte Preta and Atletico...play video
-
40,000 BEES FOUND UNDER BEDROOM FLOOR
A Queens bedroom was buzzing for all the wrong reasons for the past few months,...play video
-
MOTORISTS TERRIFIED DISCOVERS SWARM OF...
Kelly-Marie Knowles, 26, arrived back from a walk to see her red Peugeot 206...play video
- Beach goer captures aftermath of beach explosion
- Horrifying moment slingshot ride cable SNAPS
- Solar cycle: The sun's 11-year heartbeat explained
- First look behind the scenes: Star Wars: The Force Awakens
- 'Just take the f****** picture': Prince Philip loses his...
- 'What the f***?' Can you hear McDonald's Minions swearing?
- 'Let's go upstairs' dog reacts to owners command with guilty...
- Bicycle thief rips woman's phone out of her ands
- Couple parody Shut Up and Dance to announce pregnancy
- Innovative Tangle Teezer blow-drying brush is hugely popular
- Cat is secretly filmed by his owner using the toilet!
- Shocking moment taxi refuses to stop after hitting pram
- Holidaymaker banned from morning flight and escorted out of...
- Thought economy class couldn’t get any worse? The horrifying...
- Barcelona residents say tourism is a bigger problem than...
- Access all areas: The mindblowing 360-degree photographs of...
- Thought the Swiss were just good at clocks? Revealing the...
- Love ALL: At the world's best hotels for playing tennis you...
- Whale of a time! Incredible video shows humpbacks in Alaska...
- Mammoth bones, ancient rock carvings and a million acres of...
- Noteworthy dedication: Man quits 9 to 5 job to travel the...
- EasyJet flight from Newcastle to Spain is forced to make...
- Finally! Minibar snacks and drinks in Chicago's new Virgin...
- Wine and design: The quirky boutique vineyard in Chile that...