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Killing honey bees a big mistake

2 min read

To the editor:

Recently we found a hive of honey bees living in our water meter box. I called several pest control companies requesting that the bees be saved. Every one that I contacted would charge $150 to destroy the bees and would not even consider saving them.

I tried to remind them how very valuable honey bees are and how vital the bees are especially in Florida with all the fruit trees. I explained that it is a well known fact honey bees are dying around the world and everyone should be trying to save every honey bee.

I did find one honey bee keeper who was too busy to respond for quite some time.

As luck would have it, the next morning the water meter reader from Pine Island Water Department knocked on my door. Complete with a bee keeper outfit, he said he would remove them from my yard and save them.

He encouraged the queen and a pile of bees into a portable hive that he had placed next to the original. Within three days, he had taken the transplanted hive to safety.

I thanked the Pine Island Water Department and John, the meter man, for their understanding and concern for the environment and protection of an insect species that is critically vital to our fruit production in the USA and around the world.

Jim Cherfoli

Cape Coral resident