Hello All,
I am giving an update on the I 55 bee wreck. Below are the words of our BEE-L member Grant Gillard. Grant showed up and stayed till the job was done. Three other local beekeepers also helped. I think if you look at each bee wreck which is worked by beekeepers you will see local beekeepers always show up to help. 

The owner showed up and would have worked the load by himself but it brings tears to the eyes when you see your fellow beekeepers climbing out of their pickups to help.

Grant kept me informed and said they had the problem under control as I was around 500 miles away. I do not think Grant would mind me sharing the email. 

I waited to see if Grant would tell on BEE-L how the local beekeepers helped the commercial beekeeper but I suspect all the praise they wanted was a simple "thank you" from the owner. So I am singing his praises! Thanks to those locals and Grant from the beekeeping industry!

Grants words:
"On Friday we restacked, by hand, all of the pallets of bees that fell off the truck.  It was just the owner, Mark Sunberg, another beekeeper and me.  We started at 6:30 am.  Two other beekeepers joined us for a couple of hours around lunch time."

  "These hives were all double brood boxes, four hive per pallet, two pallets high.  It was quite an experience.  As we were all suited up there were no stings or other problems.  The bees were buzzing in a dense cloud.  The other beekeeper noted, "This is a once in a lifetime experience," and I said, "Boy, I hope so!"

  "By evening, we had two borrowed trailers and hauled off about 240 to 280 hives to a temporary location about 5 miles away.  I roughly guessed we saved 60%, and if a full load was 400 or so, then that figure works.  The hives were loaded by a masonry forklift (and it was a MONSTER forklift).  The other beekeeper works full-time for a masonry company and was able to borrow this loader from his boss.  Had we not had that forklift and those trailers, it would have been a different story."

  "The rest of the wreck has been cherry-picked for questionable salvage.  I took some frames and brood boxes that need massive repair but as I looked at them today they are really only fit for the fire.  There were a couple of swarms hanging in the trees I knocked into fresh boxes.  As of today, there are just piles of broken pallets, smashed boxes and a lot of lost hopes and dreams."

  "Other than offering my help to clean up, I don't know anything about the insurance arrangements.  The hives are sitting until after the driver's funeral.  I also think they need to get the right sized trailer before heading back to Minnesota.  As of this evening, the remains have not yet been burned."

  "MODOT had a sign flashing "Angry Bees - Do Not Stop."  They closed one lane of traffic, for what, I'm not sure."

  Here are a couple of links.  

  http://www.semissourian.com/story/1213641.html

  http://www.kfvs12.com/ (look through the top stories for the video)

  Thanks for your offer to help.  I hope I never need to put your good advice into practice!

  Grant
  Jackson, MO

  Thanks again Grant! Also for taking the time to keep me informed!

  Sincerely,

  Bob Harrison



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