He was not wearing armor and he did not have a weapon to defendhimself, but Marvin Jolley says the robber bees were not interestedin him – only the honey left in an old vacated beehive.

Elaine Rancifer, of 419 East Choctaw St., called Jolley toremove bees that have made it into the side of her house. Jolleysaid there were roughly 5 pounds of bees.

“I went around the house and it scared me half to death, therewere so many bees,” Rancifer said.

She said the bees were starting to make their way into thebathroom, upstairs and even into her bedroom.

“I don’t want them nesting in my house,” Rancifer joked. “Letthem go to someone else’s house and nest.”

Jolley began removing the bees Monday and returned Tuesday tofinish the job.

Jolley said the dry weather left the hive abandoned and that’swhen the robber bees moved in for the honey. But once he was ableto remove the old honey from the house the bees should be gone.

Jolley, who has been beekeeping for over 20 years, moved aroundthe flying insects like they were old buddies.

Jolley said he began beekeeping after watching a televisionprogram about a Chinese remedy that included treating arthritiswith bee stings. He says the stings have kept him pain free.

However, Rancifer is excited about cutting down on the number oftenants in her home.

“I’m looking forward to relaxing more because I’m plumbjittery,” Rancifer said. “Every time I see something, I think it’sa bee.”