84-Year-Old Beekeeper Fights to Recover 20 Stolen Hives in Citrus County, Florida

Title: Citrus County Beekeeper Fights to Recover 20 Stolen Hives, Faces Financial Ruin

HOMOSASSA, Fla. — An 84-year-old beekeeper in Citrus County is grappling with the loss of his livelihood after 20 of his active beehives were taken from his property earlier this summer. Richard Marquette, who has dedicated decades to beekeeping, discovered the hives missing in late July, leaving him without his primary source of income and potentially removing up to 2 million bees from the local ecosystem.

Marquette, who was on medical leave from his job at Walmart due to an injury, found his hives absent when he went to tend to them on July 26. “How can somebody come on my property and take my bees and not return them and not be sorry?” he lamented.

The situation unfolded when Marquette encountered a contractor clearing trees on his property. “I asked about the missing bees, and the contractor said they had been moved by the landowner,” he recounted. Confused and frustrated, Marquette clarified, “I’m the owner of the land. And I didn’t move them.”

The Citrus County Sheriff’s Office later identified Joseph Denick, the new owner of a neighboring lot, as the individual responsible for the missing hives. According to the deputy’s report, a miscommunication led to the land clearing company mistakenly removing Marquette’s property. Denick admitted to instructing a friend to take the hives and expressed a willingness to return them, but more than 90 days later, the bees remain unaccounted for.

Denick even made a Facebook post offering the hives to anyone willing to relocate them, but he has since declined to provide details about their whereabouts. “The sheriff’s department closed the case, and I’m out my money and my work and the honey crop and future honey crops,” Marquette said.

The financial implications of this loss are staggering. Marquette typically sells his honey for $20 per quart, with each hive capable of producing 20 to 40 quarts. With 20 hives, he faces a potential loss ranging from $8,000 to $16,000 per harvest, and in Florida, some hives can yield three honey crops per year.

“I can’t figure out why they won’t bring them back or at least pay me for the bees or whatever, but I haven’t been able to get anything,” Marquette expressed. He has since hired attorney Andy Lyons, who sent Denick a demand letter requesting the return of the hives.

“This has destroyed his ability to earn a living for an entire year or more,” Lyons stated. “The damage to the bees themselves, the queens that were in the hives, and the whole ecosystem that surrounds them was wiped out in a day.”

The missing bees represent more than just a financial loss; they play a crucial role in pollinating up to a third of food crops and are facing threats from various environmental factors. Marquette estimates that the stolen hives contained around 2 million bees, each clearly marked with his initials and state registration numbers.

For Marquette, beekeeping is not merely a hobby; it’s a way of life. “Same thing as gold. Especially when you need it,” he said, emphasizing the importance of his honey production. He plans to file a lawsuit against Denick if the hives and equipment are not returned.

Authorities are urging anyone with information about the missing hives to contact the Florida Department of Agriculture Bee Inspection Program at 1-800-435-7352 or through their website.

As Marquette continues to fight for his bees, the community watches closely, hoping for a resolution that restores not only his livelihood but also the vital role these bees play in the local ecosystem.