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Downtown Bee Swarm Finds A New Home In Back Of The Yards

CHICAGO (CBS) -- A swarm of bees stopped people in their tracks in the Loop on Monday, and today those bees have a new home, CBS 2's Marissa Bailey reports.

Of all the city sounds, the buzzing of bees around two bicycles near Michigan Avenue drew a crowd, many who were in a state of wonder and disbelief.

But for beekeeper Jana Kinsman, it was just another day--and another swarm.

"I got one phone call, and then I got multiple phone calls," said Kinsman, owner of Bike A Bee.

She and her apprentice, Cheyanne, cleared the scene yesterday.

"As soon as the queen changes location, all of the workers follow into the hive," said Kinsman.

The swarm was harmless because the bees were just looking for a new home and have nothing to defend, and no reason to sting.

"They're very gentle right then," Kinsman said. "They don't have babies; they don't have food; they don't have their property, so they're harmless."

The bees, about 7,000 of them, were carefully collected into a portable hive.

They now have a home on top of an old meat-packing facility in the Back of the Yards neighborhood.

While Kinsman is happy to add to her bee-keeping collection, she is more excited that bees are finally getting some position attention.

"They sting, but people fight, people hit one another, they shoot people, bees just sting," Kinsman said.

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