A swarm of bees which turned up on the Penryn university campus has been allowed to stay.

The honeybees arrived at the University of Exeter’s campus at Tremough last week and, after causing a brief buzz, they were re-homed in a research apiary on site.

Swarming bees could cause chaos outside the average workplace, but the campus is a hive of world-renowned bee experts so Dr Pete Kennedy soon had things under control.

“The swarm arrived outside the Environment and Sustainability Institute,” said Dr Kennedy said. “The bees were successfully removed and relocated to our research apiary on campus, where they are settling in to their new home.

“Swarming is a natural part of a honeybee colony's seasonal cycle, although it is typically managed by beekeepers to minimise disruption to the general public.

“The origin of this swarm remains unknown, but it will help support our research efforts into bee behaviour and factors affecting their survival.”