Waxwing-one:Haunting-of-Applegate-Apiary

Item #: SCP-XXXX

Object Class: Safe

Special Containment Procedures: SCP-XXXX is to be used for the housing of retired Foundation employees, with the stipulation that they never re-establish an apiary within the grounds.

Description: SCP-XXXX is a fenced area comprising of a thatched cottage with a small front garden and a large garden to the rear. This area is located within the rural county of Somerset, England, and was formerly the site of Applegate Apiary, a small-scale enterprise operated by a single enthusiast. Any bees hived within these grounds exhibit anomalous behaviour in accordance with a daily routine which commences at 13:12 and persists for around 40-50 minutes. Outside of this event, the bees exhibit no anomalous properties.

Following commencement of a daily swarming event the worker bees are joined by an anomalously large population which issue from the hives, soon landing to form a dense cluster around their queen. Instead of forming a spherical cluster as is typical of the species, the bees cluster into a humanoid form which can be observed to approximately emulate human movement. The cluster proceeds to perform a clumsy routine of basic maintenance upon the hives before eventually taking a seat on the wooden bench situated beside the house. The cluster’s extremity resembling a left hand adjusts to form a mug-shaped protuberance, from which it mimics a drinking action, transferring bees from the appendage to the main body via a mouth-like orifice. This behaviour continues until the form of the mug has been completely reintegrated into the body. Shortly afterwards the humanoid form stands and stumbles along the lawn with an awkward motion resembling flailing, as its extremities pat at its body and the cluster begins to disperse. The form then drops to the ground and begins to roll, thrashing until the entirety of the cluster has dispersed, leaving only the queen behind.

The considerable energy expenditure involved in this routine leads to progressive colony collapse, with the decreasing swarm size resulting in the formation of incrementally more hunched and less mobile humanoid clusters each day, until its maintenance actions become directly detrimental to the hives, and finally the queen perishes.

Addendum:

An engraved plaque upon the bench to the rear of the cottage reads as follows:

In memory of Abraham Applegate.
He loved this place.