Tourists fled a beach in fear after thousands of bees descended on a single parasol.
The insects turned the umbrella into a temporary hive under the command of their queen.
Eyewitnesses described a low-flying cloud of insects suddenly appearing overhead before the queen selected a parasol in the second row from the sea.
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Within minutes, the rest of the swarm followed, blanketing the umbrella and its sunbed.
Hundreds of holidaymakers abandoned their sunloungers in alarm as the dramatic swarm unfolded on Sunday morning (7 Jun).
Beach workers quickly evacuated nearby sunbathers and cordoned off the area with tape to keep curious onlookers at a safe distance.
The encounter took place at Zone 31-32 in Cattolica on Italy’s Adriatic Riviera.
One witness said: “The queen bee chose to land on the parasol and, in no time, bees started arriving from all directions, settling on the sunbed as well.”
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Another added: “The queen bee chose to settle there and the whole swarm followed her.”
The phenomenon is a natural part of swarming season, when a colony splits and the queen leads workers in search of a new home.
They often pause temporarily before scouts find a permanent site.
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A local beekeeper arrived on the scene and performed a controlled removal, as reported by Whats The Jam.
He located the queen, placed her in a special hive box, and the worker bees followed in an orderly fashion.
The operation concluded without incident, allowing the beach to return to normal.
Similar swarms have been reported nearby in recent days, including one in Riccione, highlighting heightened bee activity in the area this spring.
Experts note that while alarming in crowded public spaces, such temporary stopovers are generally harmless if the bees are left undisturbed, as the insects are focused on relocating rather than attacking.
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