URGENT action is being called for over a hive infestation involving up to one million bees plaguing residents in Worcester.
Coun Sarah Murray, Worcester City Councillor for St Nicholas Ward, is calling for urgent reassessment of a case involving 21 unmanaged beehives in Corfe Avenue after repeated reports of people, pets, and local tradespeople being stung.
Despite multiple complaints from residents, Worcestershire Regulatory Services (WRS) has so far taken no enforcement action.
Residents say they are now living in fear of going into their gardens or opening their windows. In one case, a swarm entered a resident’s chimney, forcing her to pay to have it capped. In another, window cleaners were stung midway through a job and refused to return.
Coun Murray said: “This has gone well beyond a private matter. We have families, pets, and workers being stung, residents unable to open their windows, and basic home maintenance being disrupted. I’ve asked WRS to formally reassess the case, and to explore the enforcement tools available to them under environmental protection legislation.”
The property is currently home to 21 unmanaged beehives, which at peak season could contain between 630,000 and over 1 million bees. Residents are reporting not only physical stings and fear of swarms, but an increasing reluctance of tradespeople to work in the area.
Experts also warn that such a high concentration of honeybees in a small, urban area can have negative effects on the wider environment. Honeybees in excessive numbers can outcompete wild pollinators — including bumblebees, solitary bees, and butterflies — for limited nectar and pollen sources, putting additional pressure on already vulnerable species and upsetting the ecological balance.
A neighbouring resident said: “It’s not just residents being stung — window cleaners and other trade workers have been stung too. Some now refuse to return once they learn there are hives nearby. We can’t open windows, can’t use our gardens, and can’t get work done on our homes. I’m absolutely fed up.”
Coun Murray added: “Residents deserve to feel safe in their own homes. I’m continuing to support them and have asked for a formal site inspection, a review under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, and the possible use of Community Protection Notices, as seen elsewhere in the country.”
A Worcester City Council spokesperson said: “Worcestershire Regulatory Services is investigating the complaint on behalf of the City Council. It is not appropriate to comment further at this time.”
