About 5 pounds of bees removed from Acrisure Stadium scaffolding ahead of Morgan Wallen concerts

Acrisure Stadium is buzzing with excitement ahead of the back-to-back Morgan Wallen concerts. Except it's not the fans generating all the excitement — it's about 5 pounds of honeybees. 

The Fine Family Apiary in Monongahela said it was contacted on Wednesday about a swarm of bees clustered on the stage scaffolding. The apiary put the swarm in a "nuc box" and took them home before moving the bees into full-size equipment.

Owner Al Fine estimates the swarm weighed about 4 to 5 pounds and consisted of 12,000 to 15,000 bees. All said, it took less than two hours to get the job done. 

Why do bees swarm? 

Swarming is how honeybees propagate, Fine explained. According to Penn State Extension, during swarming, the queen and about half the workers leave their home to establish a new nest. The bees will form a temporary cluster, hanging out while scouts search the surrounding area for a more permanent home in hollow spaces like tree cavities or, occasionally, the walls of a home. 

Swarms can stick around for several hours or days until they're ready to move, Penn State Extension says. Meanwhile, the colony left behind is temporarily without a leader until a new queen is established. 

With the swarm at Acrisure Stadium removed, Morgan Wallen's show is ready to go on. The country music megastar will bring his I'm The Problem Tour to Pittsburgh on June 5 and June 6, along with multiple acts like Brooks & Dunn and Ella Langley.