EMPORIA (KSNT) – A warning from local Emporia officials is urging people to “bee safe” following the arrival of a swarm of bees.

According to the Lyon County Emergency Communications Center, the spilling of a five-gallon bucket of honey has created a “golden buffet” for the local bee population. This has resulted in a massive amount of bees in downtown Emporia.

The site of the spill is an alley stretching from 600 Commercial Street to Merchant Street. Officials indicate that this could be ongoing for the next few days as the bees gobble up all of the honey. Any efforts to clean up the spilled honey have been regarded as unsafe due to the high concentration of insects.

However, a local community member has stepped forward to lay out traps to take care of the bees. Residents are advised to leave the traps alone when in the area.