BOTETOURT COUNTY, Va. – Busy bees are out and about, literally. Warmer temperatures mean bees have become active again, and one woman is working to save the bees one swarm at a time.
It might be a scary sight for some, but for Vasilia McCrady, when the bees are buzzing, she’s right at home.
“I, on average, like to manage up to 14 to 16 hives,” McCrady said.
Each of those can have 40 to 60,000 bees inside.
Some of those come from rescue calls. McCrady collects bees found swarming in public, or somewhere they shouldn’t be.
“I just hope to encourage others to learn a little bit more, fear less, and if they’re interested in learning, they’re welcome to join me,” McCrady said.
10 News joined McCrady on a swarm call at a Roanoke City park.
“It would be better for us to collect it and give them a chance to thrive than spray it or kill them,” McCrady said. “It’s super important that we acknowledge our pollinators, protect our pollinators, and do what we can to save them.”
McCrady is hoping you’ll think twice next time you see a swarm of bees and give her a call.
“We get people that call, and sometimes they’ll be like, I’m going to stay inside, I just know that bees are important, and I didn’t want to kill them,” McCrady said.