Workers uncover 40-year-old beehive at Richmond elementary school

RICHMOND, Va. (WWBT) - Roofers working at Bellevue Elementary School in Church Hill uncovered a decades-old beehive while repairing a section of the roof.

The roofers contacted Richmond Bee Supply, who came to remove the hive in order to save the bees.

Crews used a smoker to calm the bees down, then removed the queen bee and honeycomb and placed them in a box.

The hive is estimated to be at least 40 years old and contains about 60,000 bees, with half of the population out foraging for nectar and pollen during the day.

Richmond Bee Supply will return after dark when all of the bees are asleep in the box to take the hive to one of their bee yards.

Richmond Bee Supply says it’s a good thing to find a hive like this in the wild. Most bees that are purchased are mass-produced from bee farms, and their genetic quality is lacking. Wild bees do not need chemical treatment to survive.

Bees are an important part of our ecosystem, as they are responsible for pollinating two-thirds of the food supply.

If you find a wild beehive on your property, you are encouraged to contact a professional company like Richmond Bee Supply.

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