Honey bee rescue nonprofit loses multiple hives, thousands in equipment in RV fire
Beekeeper loses hives, RV in fire
A beekeeper in Mustang Ridge is picking up the pieces after much of his equipment went up in flames.
MUSTANG RIDGE, Texas - A beekeeper is picking up the pieces after much of his equipment went up in flames on Friday afternoon.
He's hoping the community will step up and help him rebuild.
Fire devastates nonprofit bee rescue
What we know:
Around noon on Friday, May 2, plumes of smoke billowed into the sky in the Mustang Ridge area.
The smoke emanated from the 5th wheel RV of Walter Schumacher, CEO of the American Honey Bee Protection Agency (AHBPA).
"My neighbor right down the street, he called me and said, hey man, your place is on fire," Schumacher told FOX 7 Austin.
Photo of the devastation following a fire at the American Honey Bee Protection Agency
The RV wasn't just any RV, it was a key element of Schumacher's bee rescue operations. Multiple hives were lost in the fire.
"This was our queen-rearing facility that had little baby queen eggs in it, maybe 50 bees in each one with the queen, probably more like 20, that's all gone," Schumacher said.
Tens of thousands of dollars in equipment also went up in flames.
What we don't know:
It is currently unclear what caused the fire. However, Schumacher suspects it was power lines that fell and sparked.
What you can do:
Schumacher is reaching out to the community as he begins the long road to rebuilding.
"We could use some help. We're a nonprofit, so we live through donations and grants and stuff like that," he said.
A GoFundMe has been set up to help AHBPA recover from the fire.
The campaign also mentions that the nonprofit has been impacted by other losses this year, including flooded buildings, a car catching fire, and blown head gaskets on two of its bee-mobiles.
What is the American Honey Bee Protection Agency?
Dig deeper:
The American Honey Bee Protection Agency or AHBPA is a 501(c)3 nonprofit that works to save wild honey bees from extinction by integrating them into urban environments.
The nonprofit began as the Central Texas Bee Rescue in 2006 when Schumacher opened his property up to the bees of local citizens "seeking an eco-friendly solution to their unwanted honey bee infestation or swarm issues." says the AHBPA website.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: It’s bee season in Austin, so here's what you need to know
This spring, Walter Schumacher, who runs the American Honeybee Protection Agency, has been removing and relocating bee hives about 8 times per week in Austin.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: It’s bee season in Austin, so here's what you need to know
The AHBPA was formed in 2012 and has worked alongside Texas lawmakers to pass an ordinance "to provide for the relocation of wild or abandoned bees that do not threaten human or animal health or interfere with the normal use or enjoyment of public or private property".
The AHBPA also worked to help pass the statewide resolution making the western honey bee the state pollinator of Texas in 2015.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Austin 'Bee Czar' helps rescue bees living in abandoned Martindale house
An Austin bee expert who's often called the "Bee Czar" says after a neighborhood dog was killed by a swarm of bees this weekend.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Austin 'Bee Czar' helps rescue bees living in abandoned Martindale house
Schumacher and his organization provide rescue and removal services, hive adoptions to Texas homeowners, and education and advocacy programs.
To learn more about what AHBPA does, click here.
The Source: Information in this report comes from Walter Schumacher, the American Honey Bee Protection Agency website and reporting by FOX 7 Austin.