Flight delayed for 3 hours due to bees swarming on plane's wing

May 4 (UPI) -- A flight from Houston to Atlanta was delayed for about three hours when thousands of bees swarmed on the wing of the airplane.

Passenger Anjali Enjeti posted photos of the bees to Twitter and documented the experience of the delayed Delta Airlines flight at Bush Intercontinental Airport.

"My flight leaving Houston is delayed because bees have congregated on the tip of one of the wings. They won't let us board until they remove the bees," Enjeti tweeted.

Enjeti said the plane's captain announced a beekeeper would not be removing the insects due to not being allowed to touch the plane, and pest control would not be allowed to spray the bees. The airport was also unable to use a hose to spray the wing with water.

Enjeti said the bees finally dispersed when the plane's engine was turned on so it could make way for another flight to use the gate.

"Bee-lieve it or not, Delta flight 1682 from Houston-Bush to Atlanta took a delay this afternoon after a friendly group of bees evidently wanted to talk shop with the winglet of our airplanes, no doubt to share the latest about flying conditions at the airport," Delta officials said in a statement to CBS News.

Delta said the flight was delayed for about three hours before departing for Atlanta.