Approximately 50,000 honeybees were killed after several beehives at a family farm near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, were intentionally set on fire.
The owners of Bedillion Honey Farm in Industry said they discovered the devastation during a routine check on Thursday. According to the farm's Facebook post, “tens of thousands of bees have turned to ash, along with the boxes and pallets that were once their home.”
The family estimates that about 50 hives were burned in a remote wooded area, causing significant losses to livestock and livelihoods.
The farm owner's daughter, Lily Bedillion, told local media that she didn't initially understand what had happened when she arrived. Upon closer look, she saw squares of ash—remnants of the burned pallets.
“My heart just dropped. All of our hives were burned,” she said.
Bedillion Honey Farm operates a small shop in Hickory, selling honey, candles, and soaps made from the farm's products. The family described the incident as “a punch in the gut.”
The farm has filed a police report and is offering a $1,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person responsible.
An online fundraising campaign to restore the hives and equipment has raised over $23,500 toward a $35,000 goal as of Sunday evening.
The family said they are continuing to care for the remaining hives in their spring program and expressed gratitude for the community's support.
