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Deputies in Stafford County were called to Rock Hill Honey Bee Farms on Pinto Lane around 4 p.m. Monday, April 14, after the property owner made the gruesome discovery.
Officials confirmed that at least 50 hives had been hit and said the investigation is active and ongoing. Farm officials say that 500,000 bees were killed.
The farm says the attack happened late Sunday night into early Monday morning.
The suspects allegedly entered the property, locked the gates with steel chains and Master Locks, and then poisoned dozens of Nucleus colonies—also known as “Nucs”—effectively wiping them out.
Photos posted online by the farm show toppled hives and dead bees scattered across the property.
The owners called it a targeted, malicious act—and they’re now offering a $2,500 reward for information that leads to an arrest, indictment, and conviction.
The destruction couldn’t come at a worse time.
With bee populations already in crisis across Virginia and the country, the loss of so many pollinators at once is a devastating blow to both agriculture and local ecosystems.
“This is an intentional and senseless act,” wrote one supporter on Facebook. “I hope whoever did this is found and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
Both Stafford County deputies and Virginia State Police are investigating. Anyone with information is asked to call the Stafford County Sheriff’s Office at 540-658-4450 and reference incident number 25-3463.
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