Someone deliberately set fire to approximately 50 beehives at Bedillion Honey Farm in Industry, Beaver County, Pennsylvania, resulting in the deaths of tens of thousands of bees, farm owners reported Thursday.
The fire, discovered during a routine maintenance check, destroyed not only the bee colonies but also the wooden boxes and pallets used to house them, according to Mark and Lily Bedillion, the farm’s owners. “They burnt where they sat. They moved hives into a pile to continue burning,” Fara Bedillion, co-owner, told local news outlets.
Bedillion Honey Farm, a family-owned business, operates a retail shop in Hickory, Washington County, selling honey, beeswax, candles and soaps produced from its hives. The Industry location, where the fire occurred, served as a primary production site for the farm’s products.
The loss is significant, both financially and emotionally, according to those connected to the farm. “Your stomach sinks,” Fara Bedillion said. “It’s heartbreaking. They were alive and we have a great affection for our bees. The thing that we say is we keep the bees and they keep us. It’s vital to us, we think about them all the time.” Store manager Lily Bedillion described a moment of stunned silence upon discovering the damage. “I could feel it,” she said. “My heart just dropped. We didn’t say a word for a few minutes. We had to sink it in and look at the loss.”
The Beaver County Police Department is investigating the incident. The farm is offering a $1,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the police at 724-747-4645.
Despite the devastating loss, the Bedillions have stated their intention to rebuild and continue operating the farm. The farm called the incident “a significant loss of animal life, as well as the principle of our livelihood” in a social media post that garnered widespread attention and support.
