LINCOLNTON, N.C. -- They wanted a swarm at St. Luke Episcopal Church in Lincolnton, but not like the one they got.

Exterminators had to be hoisted 75 feet in the air Monday to remove a giant bee hive inside the church’s steeple.

Exterminator Jose Prieto said he and his colleagues found the largest hive they've ever seen, possibly more than 20 feet long, when they went up to investigate

“If it hadn't been for the honey, we still wouldn't know it was there,” said parishioner Roy Drinkwater.

He said about a month ago they found honey dripping down the walls of the foyer.

“Somebody went up and tasted it and said, 'Oh my God, it's honey,'” Drinkwater said.

The bees may have been with the church longer than some worshipers.

“We’ve had some members that say, 'Oh my God. I've been seeing bees here for 30 years up around the bell tower,” Drinkwater said.

The bees are not the problem, said exterminator John Greene.

“Most likely the hive is getting big enough that they have abandoned part of it, and when bees do not work a hive the honey will start to run,” he said.

Greene said that will attract other insects that might disrupt service or threaten the historic building constructed more than 170 years ago.

The plan is to exterminate the thousands of tiny churchgoers, pull off the point of the steeple and clean out the inside.

Parishioners said they didn't want to kill the bees. They were looking for a bee keeper who would go inside and pull out the queen bee, but they couldn't find one brave enough to be lowered down a steeple.

IMAGES: Swarm Of Bees Cause Honey To Drip Down Walls Of Church