A bee keeper in California who re-located his bee hives to a warmer location to save them from the cold winter was devastated when he found out someone had killed his hive.
Alfonso Perez had his beehives stored at Mike Hickenbottom’s Prunedale property, but on Saturday someone knocked over 100 hives and then poured diesel on them, killing an estimated 200,000 bees.
‘Somebody came here, and tipped over all the boxes, and sprayed them with diesel fuel. It killed a whole bunch of bees,’ beekeeper Alfonzo Perez told KSBW.
The bee killer also destroyed the Perez’s main source of income, putting the father of three- with a baby on the way- out for $50,000.
Alfonso Perez (left) and Mike Hickenbottom go through what is left of the beehives on the Prunedale property after someone toppled 100 hives and doused them in diesel
Poor bees: An estimated 200,000 bees were killed during the destruction on Saturday that Hickenbottom suspects could have something to do with an irate neighbor
Perez’s main source of income are the bees and the hives and with the massive damage he is out around $50,000 which he uses to support his growing family
The beekeeper’s business seemed to be a labor of love for Perez as he proudly shares shots of his business and his bees on the Perez Generation Honeybee Ranch Facebook page
In warmer months the beekeeper maintains his hives in Central Valley and only moved them to the Prunedale location to keep them safe from the cold and to allow them to continue feeding on the eucalyptus trees that flower on the Central Coast during winter months.
Perez leases the hives from his company, called Perez Generation Honeybee Ranch, to pollinate almond trees growing on farms across the Golden State.
The bees, which are Russian and Italian honey bees, are not known to be aggressive.
‘I go up around the bee boxes without any protective clothing on. I’ve never been stung,’ Hickenbottom said.
However, he says, his neighbors complained three times that their children were afraid to play outside with the bees buzzing around the property.
He says he believes that the vandalism and susquent bee killings may have to do with his irate neighbor.
A police report was filed with the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office, but no arrests have been made yet.
‘I just feel really bad for Alfonzo because he work so hard to support his family. Then somebody goes and does something like this,’ Hickenbottom added.
He set up a GoFundMe page for Perez, who he says works so hard maintaining the hives to support his family.
The beekeeper’s business appears to be a family affair as he shares lots of shots of them with the bees on the Perez Generation Honeybee Ranch Facebook page
Perez’s son (pictured) helping his dad with the important task of beekeeping before the vandals struck
In the page, Hickenbottom writes: ‘Due to someone’s senseless act of vandalism, Alfonso has lost his income to provide for his family for an entire year! Alfonso is not only a beekeeper but a husband, father to three small children (soon to be four) with an additional blessing due next month.
‘Alfonso is very devoted to his responsibilities and has now suffered a tremendous loss of his very hard work.’
He added an assurance to those who are donating, ‘All money raised will go directly to Alfonso Perez to replace all beehives, honeybees, family obligations and endless hours of hard work.’
Astonishingly, he’s raised more than $37,000 for Perez in just one day, though the goal is set for $70,000.
People from around the world have donated, sending their support and kind words along as well.