Here's what's happened with the bees that swarmed the Indianapolis 500

UPDATE: Harding posted Wednesday on his Instagram feed that the bees have been moved safely to their new home.

This year's Indy 500 really flew ... a tire, pieces of the championship ring and, of course, the bees.

After bees swarmed the stands right outside the media center, readers wondered what happened next. Were the bees exterminated? Was a beekeeper called?

Had the Indianapolis Motor Speedway announcer asked, "Is there a beekeeper in the house?" they might have found local beekeeper Ross Harding sitting only a few sections away, completely unaware of the situation. He'd later see it in a video on social media, and upon learning more through his network, he offered to help.

What happened to the bees after the Indy 500?

Assisted by IMS employee David Stennett, Harding climbed a tall later ladder Tuesday up to where the swarm — he estimated 12,000-16,000 bees — rested on a beam and began scooping the bees into a nuc box (short for nucleus box).

"I was able to find the queen — I should probably name her Speedway or Race Queen or something like that," Harding said. He moved the queen to a temporary cage, which he placed in the box. "Now we're just waiting for all the bees to signal and tell them all to come in. I should be able to successfully relocate the honeybees without harming them."

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Why do bees swarm?

Some racegoers might have seen the swarm as frightening, but Harding said the bees at the race Sunday weren't there to attack, they were just relocating.

"Their bellies are full of honey, and they're looking for a new home," he said in a phone interview Tuesday. He had left the box for the bees to collect inside and planned to return to collect them Wednesday morning.

Where will the Indy 500 bees go next?

As part of the Beekeepers of Indiana, Harding said he knows of several places around the state that the bees could go. He wasn't sure Tuesday where they'd be relocated, but said "they're going to go somewhere they're wanted and appreciated."

What to do if you see a swarm of bees

Harding said swarms like this one tend to be temporary. "It's natural for bees to swarm in the spring," he said. "They can be there as little as four minutes or four days."

If you come across a swarm, he said, "Don't panic. And don't swat. You don't need to swat."

You also can contact one of the many beekeepers around the state, who typically don't charge a fee for an outdoor rescue. "Once they're in a house, it's a little bit more complicated," he said, and fewer beekeepers are available for that situation.

Beekeepers of Indiana maintains call lists of keepers who can be contacted.