Bees in Trouble: A Sweet but Tough Business

In York County, a man named Cameron Spath turned a small beekeeping hobby into a big business. Honeystrong, his company, grew quickly. It started with removing bees from homes. Then, people needed more help. Soon, Honeystrong became the largest beekeeping business in South Carolina.

But now, the biggest problem isn't running the business. It's saving the bees. Honeybees are dying fast. Many beekeepers are going out of business. This is a big deal. Why? Because many crops need bees to grow. Without bees, there would be fewer almonds, blueberries, and cherries.

Bees also make honey. But most honey in the U.S. is imported. This is because there are fewer bees. For years, bees have been dying. New pests and diseases are the main reasons. Two mites spread sickness in bee hives. A new threat, the yellow-legged hornet, arrived in South Carolina. It's very dangerous for bees.

Keeping bees alive is expensive. Beekeepers have to spend more time and money. They also need to find other ways to make money. Honeystrong sells bee supplies and teaches classes. They also take bees to California. There, bees help almond trees grow. The U.S. government helps too. It gives money to beekeepers who lose bees.

Spath used to work at Wells Fargo. He loved software engineering. But he also loved bees. He became a full-time beekeeper after being laid off. Now, he hopes his business will keep growing.

South Carolina is a good place for bees. There are many plants for them to eat. Big beekeepers like coming here. They say the state has great food for bees.