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Save the FL Hurricane Bees!

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On Oct 10, 2018 Hurricane Michael came ashore in the panhandle as a category 4 storm and one of the most powerful storms to ever hit the gulf coast.  Bay, Gulf, Franklin, Liberty, Washington, Wakulla, Gadsden, and Calhoun counties were the hardest hit.

These counties in the panhandle are a unique ecosystem and a prime beekeeping area. It is the only place where white tupelo trees grow in sufficient quantity to make world famous Tupelo Honey.  There are several hundred beekeepers who manage about 50,000 bee hives in this remote and rural part of Florida.  In addition to the devastation to their homes and property the storm turned the area into a landscape devoid of forage for honey bees.   Beekeepers from around the state are working to bring relief and help keep bees alive.  Not only do bees need sugar syrup , they also need pollen substitute.    We estimate that 25,000 gallons or 5 tanker loads of sugar syrup and 20,000 lbs of pollen are needed to meet the critical and immediate needs.  The same amount will be required in another 10-14 days. 

The Florida Bee Research Foundation is registered as a non profit corporation  in the state of Florida .  Recognition by the IRS as a 501(c)(5) is pending.  Our primary mission is to identify and fund  research relevant to beekeeping in Florida.   Considering the magnitude of Hurricane Michael,  we are working to meet immediate needs for keeping bees alive.    The total cost to provide feed for 4 weeks is estimated at $190,000.  Many of these bees are the foundation stock that ship to California for almond pollination and to orchards for fruit pollination.  We can not afford to lose this many bees. 

Our goal  is to raise enough money to purchase 10,000 gallons  of syrup and 6000 lbs of pollen.  This will be distributed to beekeepers in the impacted area at no cost to them.    There is a 3-5 day lead time on syrup delivery so time is now critical for us.  If there is a concern for honey bee health we need to meet this goal within 48 hours in order to keep as many bees alive as possible.
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  • Anonymous
    • $25 
    • 5 yrs
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Organizer

Tony Hogg
Organizer
Monticello, FL

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