Rick Bunyard’s Honey removed four beehives from the Elk County Courthouse in Howard last Tuesday and Wednesday, April 20-21.

Rick, who lives at Severy, along with Billy Bunyard of Howard and Gary Bert Jr., Severy, climbed to the eves of the courthouse to transfer the bees to a new home.

Rick explained that his process is to get the queen bee out and into a box, and the rest of the bees will follow.  Bunyard then takes the bees out into the country to pollinate in a new area.

“Without bees, there would be no flowers, no fruit trees, or vegetables, therefore no human life,” Rick said.

The hives measured anywhere between the largest at 6’ x 2’ x 1 ½’ to the smaller being 2’ x 3’ x 1 ½.”   Billy said there is no way to determine how many bees were captured.  Two swarms were found in the bell tower, and two more in the second floor soffits.  They extracted almost 13 gallons of eatable honey with comb, and at least 25 gallons of old comb.

The county had to rent a man-lift in order to reach the hives.  These particular bees will be released in rural Elk County.