Madison Square Garden is abuzz: The home of the Knicks and Rangers just added another quick, high-flying squad to their roster.
The building is now housing two beehives on the sixth floor rooftop — and the action will be visible to fans from the official team store windows on that same level.
Each hive has a queen bee and approximately 40,000 worker bees between them.
“It’s the world’s most famous arena,” MSG general manager Clinton Neils told The Post. “And we will now be the world’s most famous beehive.”
The new tenants come courtesy of a collaboration with Best Bees, a company that installs and maintains hives in urban areas to preserve and grow the honey bee population.
“We have fewer bees and insects in our environment than ever before, so we are on a mission to save the bees,” Best Bees co-founder and CEO Noah Wilson-Rich told The Post.
The company is in 14 cities and also services hives on other iconic Big Apple rooftops, such as the MetLife and Chrysler buildings, but this is their first arena.
“We were intrigued by the opportunity, and after understanding the impact on the environment, it was something we wanted to do,” said Neils, adding that they will look for creative ways to utilize the bees going forward, such as potentially using the honey they produce in the food sold at the concession stands.
“But right now, we want to make sure the fans know they are there. We have the Knicks, the Rangers and now the honey bees,” said Neils.
Two weeks ago, a beekeeper from Best Bees — which has an operation center in Long Island City — transported the locally bred stingers to the loading dock and up to their new abode on the sixth floor rooftop overlooking Moynihan Train Hall and Eighth Avenue.
Wilson-Rich said landing one of their hives at the Midtown landmark was particularly special.
“I was born in Manhattan, so MSG is near and dear to my heart,” he said. “The rooftop is a great home for them. They are behind glass, and it’s where kids and adults can watch these fascinating insects. Honey bees are not aggressive like wasps, hornets or yellow jackets. It’s a great way to connect with nature in the city.”
He added that the bees will be living there all year-round, cuddling in the winter for warmth. The hives will serve as a home base, and they will spend their days buzzing around NYC — flying as much as five miles — pollinating flowers and collecting nectar to make honey.
“They work like a 9 to 5, so they go out, put in some hard work and come back with the nectar and pollen and all that good stuff,” said Wilson-Rich.
Team black-and-yellow — who will make its debut to the public during the Rangers preseason match up against the Islanders on Sept. 26th — will be regularly monitored by Best Bees, who will also keep track of honey production.
Neils and Wilson-Rich hope the honey bees will become a stop-off for swarming fans, and an important part of the building.
As for the insects themselves, they’re enjoying living in the legendary venue.
“I know the bees are looking to cheer on the Knicks when they face the Hornets this November, so there’s a lot of fun to be had,” Wilson-Rich joked.
