Up to 15,000 honeybees covered part of a former post office in King's Lynn following a recent spike of the insects in the area.

A swarm of honeybees congregated on the side of the building in Baxter's Plain before they were collected and rehomed by a local beekeeper.

Heath Farmhouse, which specialises in bees and wasps, was called to deal with the swarm on Wednesday, June 22, in what was the 40th report of swarms they have been called to between King's Lynn and Wisbech since April.

Eastern Daily Press: Between 10,000-15,000 bees were rehomed after being collected from Baxter's PlainBetween 10,000-15,000 bees were rehomed after being collected from Baxter's Plain (Image: Heath Farmhouse)

Gary Hipperson, the owner of Heath Farmhouse, admitted his firm has been busier than usual this year.

"The number is slightly higher than usual due to the hot weather," he said. "Colonies will build quickly and as beekeepers we try and control swarms but they are a natural part of bee life."

Most swarms happen on warm, sunny days from May until the end of July.

Bees swarm when an existing colony becomes too large so a second queen is produced.

The original queen will then leave with part of the colony and the new queen will remain with the rest.

Mr Hipperson said honeybees could look frantic and scary because they have no home but people should leave them alone and call a beekeeper.

He added: "They're just worried about their queen and trying to find a suitable place for a home.

Eastern Daily Press: There has been a spate of similar incidents in the area recentlyThere has been a spate of similar incidents in the area recently (Image: Heath Farmhouse)

"If you leave them alone and contact us, we will collect them free of charge and will place them in a new home on an organic farm which is part of Fring Estate.

"But if you leave them to fly off, they usually find a home that people find worrying such as chimneys and cavity walls."

It comes after a large swarm of wasps were seen hovering in Blackfriars Street opposite King's Lynn Mobility Centre.

Eastern Daily Press: A swarm of wasps on Blackfriars Street in King's Lynn.A swarm of wasps on Blackfriars Street in King's Lynn. (Image: Pia Johnson)

The large group of insects appeared at about 11.50am on Thursday, June 16, and remained on the street for an hour, settling on a pedestrian crossing in the town, before a beekeeper was contacted to remove them.