Vandals topple Prunedale beehives, kill 200,000 bees

PRUNEDALE, Calif. -- A California man says vandals toppled 100 beehives and killed hundreds of thousands of bees after dousing them with diesel fuel.

Mike Hickenbottom told KSBW-TV that the Italian and Russian honey bees on his property in Prunedale were attacked on Saturday.

Hickenbottom says the bees are stored on his property during the winter, and beekeeper Alfonzo Perez leases the hives to pollinate almond trees growing on farms across the state.

Hickenbottom says neighbors have complained about the bees in the past, but the bees are not aggressive. An estimated 200,000 bees died.

The Monterey County Sheriff's Office is investigating, and authorities say no arrests have been made.

Prunedale is about 100 miles (160 kilometers) south of San Francisco.

A GoFundMe has been set up to help the Perez family and has so far raised $35,000. If you would like to donate click here.