A devastating incident occurred at a Pittsburgh-area farm where tens of thousands of bees were killed after their beehives were intentionally set on fire. The family-owned Bedillion Honey Farm in Industry discovered the aftermath of this deliberate destruction during routine checks on Thursday.
The owners, Mark and Sarah Bedillion, shared on Facebook that “Tens of thousands of honey bees turned to ash, along with the boxes and pallets they were once housed in.” The arson attack resulted in a significant loss of animal life and impacted the livelihood of the farm.
Lily Bedillion, the couple’s daughter, expressed her shock at the scene, stating, “My heart dropped, my dad’s heart dropped — a pretty long moment of silence until it set in that all of our hives were caught on fire. It was heartbreaking, to say the least.”
The farm, known for selling honey, candles, and soaps, has faced a major setback with the destruction of approximately 50 hives and the loss of tens of thousands of bees. A GoFundMe fundraiser has been set up to help the farm recover from this tragedy.
In response to the incident, Bedillion Honey Farm has filed a police report and is offering a $1,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the responsible party. Despite the challenges, the farm is grateful for the outpouring of support from the community and is determined to continue caring for their remaining hives.
