Bee visitors have library humming

There was a real buzz in the Rotorua Library on Saturday - both in sound and vibe as the Rotorua Honey Bee Club brought bees to the city.

The club brought more than 1000 bees to the library, giving the public a close look at the insects that keep fruit and vegetable gardens growing.

Club secretary Jude Thomas said people "made a beeline" for the display as soon as they walked through the doors.

"We were busy straight through from 10am to 12pm," she said. "Bees appeal to people but there's that fear factor too because they have a sting. The kids would stand back but we encouraged everyone to get as close as they could without worrying about being stung."

She said children had studied bees at school and were able to describe the behaviour they were seeing. There was also honey tasting from hives kept in the Rotorua suburbs and Ms Thomas said they expected to increase membership as a result of the session.

She said they found the queen bee and were able to point her out to people. "The whole event was a buzz."