A swarm of bees was seen attacking the nose of a plane as it prepared for takeoff.

The AirAsia flight was scheduled to depart from the Phuket International Airport when the insects were seen circling aggressively around the aircraft's front section.

Footage shows the buzzing cluster covering the head of the Airbus A320 on September 16.

Some of the bugs perched on the aircraft, which was bound for neighbouring Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia.

Onlooker Siripong Boonyanukool said: ‘It was such an unusual sight. It was my first time seeing it.'

The swarm appeared to have a nest on the roof of a nearby building, which was disturbed as the plane passed by.

The insects were eventually dispersed when the aircraft flew away, returning to their nest on the rooftop.

While bee swarms may cause temporary disruptions on the ground, they rarely pose a serious threat to aircraft safety.