Thousands of bees removed from New York tree

NEW YORK, June 3 (UPI) -- Authorities in New York said they removed thousands of bees from a tree outside a Brooklyn grocery store.

Detective Anthony Planakis, who serves as the New York Police Department's bee expert, and beekeeper Tom Wilk were called to the store around 5 p.m. Sunday and they removed about 17,500 of the insects from the tree, the New York Post reported Monday.

Wilk, a member of the New York City Beekeepers Association, said the insects were likely out looking for a new home.

"Odds are they outgrew the hive," Wilk said. "So they go to the tree and wait until they find another home."

Wilk said he took the bees to a hive in Queens.