A large basswood tree in my Des Moines backyard was recently cut in half by a storm, toppling the upper trunk to the ground, leaving a standing 15-foot stump. At its breaking point, a newly exposed mass of honey bees churned like popcorn tumbling in a popper, along with a huge honeycomb.

The tree service team on scene the next day didn't want any part of fighting off bees to cut down the stump.

Who ya gonna call? Within minutes of my online plea, friends were urging me to save the bees, and I was put in touch with members of a Facebook group called the Des Moines Backyard Beekeepers.

Read the full article and see photos on the Des Moines Register website.