Beekeeper moves beehives 80 kilometers after a dozen people bite

A beekeeper had to move his hives nearly 80 kilometers after bees stung around ten people.

Worcestershire County Council told the beekeeper in August he had to remove his hives from the Countryside Center in Worcester, where he had kept them for 15 years.

After several weeks of emails, calls and meetings, the beekeeper has now removed his hives, taking them 45 miles, to Herefordshire.

The beekeeper said: “Relocating the hives at this time of year is possible but far from ideal and certainly not the best practice, for a number of reasons.

“I am grateful to Worcestershire County Council for allowing me to set up my beehives at the Countryside Center for the past 15 years, just sad that this is over.”

“I have moved the beehives 45 miles in Herefordshire to the only available location I have, in the time available.”

On Monday October 18, the beekeeper met with the board where he was told to leave the Countryside Center by the end of the week and he claims he was promised three nearby locations that never materialized.

The council said its decision to evict the hives came after a dozen people were stung after the beekeeper broke certain rules.

A spokesperson said: ‘Worcestershire County Council has been in communication with the beekeeper for several weeks following several incidents in which members of the public, staff and volunteers were stung as a result of the refusal of the beekeeper to follow the agreed site rules.

“There have been at least 12 people stung on multiple occasions and due to the severity of some of these incidents the decision has been made that the hives should be moved from the Countryside Center to another location. ”

Despite the incident, the council reaffirmed that it was working hard to support the bee population in Worcester.

The spokesperson added: “Worcestershire remains a ‘pollinator friendly’ county and undertakes the management of its rural sites in a manner which is beneficial to native pollinators such as bumblebees and solitary bees and wasps, as well as honey bees that live in managed hives. ”

About Sherri Flowers

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