Mickey The Beekeeper Faces Danger On A Daily Basis In Brooklyn

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Every day is buzzing with danger for one Brooklyn beekeeper who specializes in removing swarms and hives.

The job often puts him in peril, but it did so even more so than usual on Thursday.

As CBS2's Dave Carlin reported, Mickey the Beekeeper was hanging on for dear life for a removal process that was very hot and very dangerous.

If you're scared of bees, heights, or tight spaces then you don't want this man's job.

On Thursday, Mickey was in Flatlands, Brooklyn at a house being renovated top to bottom. Roofers called him a panic after being stung by bees.

Honey bees were spotted along the roofline, but there weren't any in the attic when Mickey went in to check, nor could any be found near the third story windows.

"We couldn't find them in the walls, we couldn't find them in the ceiling, inside the house, we couldn't even find them in the overhang," he said.

This was troubling for Mickey because there was only one place left and it was dangerous, at the top of a shaky ladder.

Mickey strapped on a harness as he headed up to the roof to remove the hive.

He finally found the hive and removed every bit of it.

"I was scared being up there. It was quite the slant, it's an old roof, there are nails sticking out everywhere, I can see through what I'm standing on and look over the edge 30, 40 feet," he said.

The workers sprayed the bees before Mickey got there, so many were already dead.

Removing the hive is crucial because leaving wax and honey behind will mean a feast for rats and insects.

Mickey had two more removal jobs after that one, but luckily both kept his feet on the ground.