Vandals Destroy Dozens Of Beehives In Brazoria County: Police Say

ALVIN, TX — Dozens of beehives containing more than 500,000 bees in a Brazoria County pasture were destroyed by vandals during a break in last weekend, police said.

The vandals targeted a pasture owned by the Brazoria County Beekeepers Association on Friday night, setting some of the beehives on fire, and tossing others into a nearby lake.

Members of the Brazoria County Beekeepers Association were horrified at the discovery Saturday morning, and noted that one of the frames found floating in the pond still had bees that were struggling to care for the hive

Officials said as many as 24 colonies were damaged or destroyed by the vandals. Bees, which have been on the decline in recent years due to the use of pesticides and herbicides, are a vital part of the ecosystem, when it comes to the production of fruits and vegetables.

Officials are unsure if the queens survived. The Brazoria County Beekeepers Association is offering a reward for information that leads to an arrest or conviction.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Brazoria County Sheriff's Office at (979) 849-2441.

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