Bee swarms have started popping up throughout the Philadelphia region, making a lot of people with stinging insect phobias very nervous and creating plenty of work for the swarm removers and beekeepers from Philadelphia Beekeepers Guild, writes Victor Fiorillo for the Philadelphia Magazine.

Sharif El-Mekki, a guild board member and former Philadelphia school principal, recently rescued a bee swarm from his neighbor’s home in Elkins Park.

“Our neighbor was very anxious,” said El-Mekki. “And so were the utility workers on the street. They saw tens of thousands of bees looking for a new home and jumped right back into their truck!”

El-Mekki and other members of the guild are always happy to help remove a source of anxiety for people while at the same time saving the hard-working insects. Anybody who notices a swarm can find a willing remover through the guild’s website. The beekeepers will do the removal for free since the bees themselves are usually payment enough.

They also urge people not to call exterminators, considering the importance of bees both for the communities and the environment.

Read more about bee swarms in Philadelphia Magazine.