MOBILE, Ala. — The Environmental Studies Center on Girby Road is dealing with thousands of dollars in damage after intruders broke onto the property one October evening and destroyed several of its beehives.
According to the center, the vandalism happened around 6:30 p.m. on a Wednesday when a group of people cut through a gate and entered the grounds. Multiple hives were destroyed, with the bees killed and burned in the process. The center shared word of the incident in a social media post that has since been deleted.
“Someone came home that night with many bee stings and smelling of fire and smoke,” the center’s post said. “Someone knows who did this heinous act.” The organization said the matter had been turned over to the authorities and announced a $100 reward for information leading to an arrest.
The incident drew particular frustration because of what the hives represented. The Environmental Studies Center, a longtime outdoor-education site serving Mobile County students, has used its apiary as a hands-on teaching tool, giving children a close-up look at pollinators and their outsized role in Alabama agriculture and ecosystems. Replacing destroyed colonies is neither quick nor cheap, since established hives take years to mature.
When reporters followed up with the center, employees were directed by the superintendent not to discuss the incident while the investigation was underway. Anyone with information was encouraged to contact law enforcement.
About the Environmental Studies Center
The Environmental Studies Center at 6101 Girby Road is part of the Mobile County Public School System. Its roughly 500 acres of woodlands serve as an outdoor classroom where students study plants, animals and ecosystems, and the center is also open to the public.
