CENTRAL TEXAS (KXXV) — A Central Texas beekeeper is on a mission to save the bees, and she’s taking her fight to the Navasota Valley Electric Cooperative hoping for some solutions.
“I was looking under the lid for the queen," said Melinda Richardson Sheffield with Richardson Bee Farms during a video of her interacting with a colony of bees.
"I usually talk to them and sing to them."
Melinda rescues the honey bees, relocates them, and gives them a new home — this also makes honey.
However, she says she’s losing hives and will have to purchase bees for the first time ever.
“I’ve lost 50 percent of my hives — I also have signs of colony collapse disorder and it’s all within a few miles of where they sprayed and they sprayed last year for the first time" Melinda said.
"In six other counties I have the regular 22 or 23 percent percent loss and that’s normal.”
She’s referring to Navasota Valley Electric Cooperative.
"I’m not saying this is what caused it but there are several factors, multiply factors that’s causing colony collapse disorder and pesticide and herbicide use is one of them — so why do we want to hurt the problem even more?"
Melinda not only wants to protect her business and the bees but safeguard their importance to our ecosystem as pollinators.
“Just cut the trees down under the power lines — there’s no need in spraying the poison. That’s just cutting corners," she said.
"They never did this until last year and this is when all the problems started."
Melinda took her concerns to a members only Navasota Valley Electric Cooperative meeting Thursday.
While media was not allowed to attend, 25 News Bobby Poitevint was given the following statement:
Media Statement: Responsible Herbicide Use and Pollinator Protection Navasota Valley Electric Cooperative, Inc. is dedicated to responsible land management within our designated easement areas. As part of our ongoing maintenance, we conduct vegetation control within our 20-foot right-of-way easement, which is necessary to ensure safe access to our lines and prevent overgrowth.
In carrying out this work, a licensed contractor uses herbicides specifically selected to target unwanted vegetation while minimizing harm to pollinators such as bees.
The licensed contractor carefully applies these products within the 20-foot easement area and takes additional precautions such as avoiding peak pollinator activity times and preserving beneficial plant species to support a healthy ecosystem. In addition, all members are notified by mail prior to any spraying activity in their area to provide them an opportunity to take further precautions.
We are committed to balancing safety, regulatory requirements, and environmental stewardship in all our operations.
A spokesman for the co-op didn’t want to go on camera bu says what’s sprayed is not harmful to the bees.
Melinda said she does plan to send some comb off for testing so she can get more of a clear understanding to what’s going on with the bees.
After the meeting, Melinda said she doesn't feel any better than before the meeting.
