The couple attempted to combat the situation by spraying the bees with bug spray and covering the fireplace with tape as they awaited assistance from an expert.
"They were flying around everywhere, inside the window," neighbor Holly Davis told the Orange County Register. "It was a shock."
Bee keeper Izak Kharrazi of All Valley Honey & Bee came to remove the remaining bees, most of which had taken up residence in the chimney, but said most of them had left overnight.
"[Most] flew away and there was about the size of my fist of leftover bees up there," he said.
Kharrazi managed to locate and capture the hive's queen and plans to relocate the bees to a new home.
He said there was no hive in the home and there were no reports of anyone being stung, but added it was good McLaughlin and her husband had the swarm removed before the situation worsened.
