In an unusual event today (Wednesday) in Netivot, southern Israel. residents and business owners were surprised when a very large swarm — described as tens of thousands of bees, suddenly appeared in the commercial center during the afternoon hours.

Videos and photos taken by locals show a cloud of bees flying through the air, covering parked cars including completely blanketing a car’s driver-side window and mirror like a “carpet”, landing on buildings, and even reaching nearby residential balconies.

Frightened shop owners quickly locked their doors and closed windows to keep the bees out. No injuries have been reported so far.

The Netivot municipality urged residents to stay away from the area and avoid approaching the bees until professional beekeepers or pest control experts arrive to handle the rare situation safely.

Speaking with N12 news, one local beekeeper said he received dozens of calls about bees appearing not only at the shopping center but also in homes and other businesses across the city.

It is unclear what trigered this cloud, but bee swarms like this can occur naturally when a colony splits and looks for a new home, especially in spring.

Experts often advise people not to panic honeybees are generally not aggressive when swarming unless provoked, but it’s still wise to keep a safe distance.