50 stings? amateurs.
As a beekeeper, I just feel the need to point out that 30,000 isn’t really that many. A large hive can easily have over 100,000. If you know what you are doing, this is a reasonable number of bees to handle.
- approximately 100 bees per oz
- approximately 800 bees per cup
A little smoke and a calm demeanor would have gone a long way in pulling off this heist.
do you really need to rip a doob before gathering honey?
(god, i am full of awful jokes today)
No, but it helps with the calm demeanor 
Too bad it wasn’t on WASP-TV…
Karma’s a bee.
What’s with the autoplay video?
Those poor bees.
Why did authorities dismantle the hive afterward? The way I see it, those bees were just going about their business. Caveat ereptor. (Let the thief beware)
Or are once-enraged bees somehow considered to have become a permanent menace, so they gotta go?
Florida Men? Florida Mans?
Photo of one of the men:
Totally off the wall question–do bees pollinate hazelnut trees or collect from them? I am next to a 175 acre hazelnut farm and am thinking about getting a few hives for mead making.
As I understand it, hazelnuts are wind pollinated. They don’t require bees, and don’t ofter much nectar in return. However they are a great source of pollen - which is the primary source of protein for bees. Living next door would be a boost for your hives.
I can’t recommend keeping bees enough. It is really fulfilling and (once you are set up) quite easy. The honey (and mead) is also a nice bonus.
Bees will be bees.
I’ve been threatening to do it for years, and it kills me a swarm got away in 2011 before I could capture it. They were in my grandfathers 45 year old grape vines, and it was so. Flippan. Cool. Looking.
Bee strings hurt, but luckily to me they are like nettles. They elicit exactly one “CRAP!!” each.
(Which reminds me, I need to start on the nettle tinctures)
I never thought I’d use these together… But now I have. God bless america.
Swarms really are amazing. Over the past few years, I’ve trapped and caught quite a few.
Last year, I helped a neighbor pull a huge swarm out of a holly bush. There were well over 50,000 bees. Didn’t get stung once, but the holly sure did a number on my bare arms.
I have only tried once, but I was just too slow. When they are dripping down (for domestics) it is pretty obvious they are just calm and hangin out. It kinda feels like going up to a big cat you don’t know–just be cool. 
Not sure if he is the same guy from the CCTV recording of the incident.
