Thieves have stolen more than 800,000 bees in Queensland, Australia. Beekeepers lost 44 bee colonies from three different farms. A colony is a group of bees that live together in a wooden box called a hive.
The thieves knew how to handle bees. They brought trucks and special tools. They took out the main boxes that hold young bees and left the honey behind. Because they put the rest of the hives back together, farm owners did not notice the theft immediately. Police believe other professional farmers carried out the theft because bee colonies are very valuable.
Farmers pay to rent bees to help their crops produce fruit, such as avocados. This process is called pollination. Without these bees, fruit growers lose money and get fewer healthy crops.
This theft happened at a very difficult time for local beekeepers. They are also trying to protect their bees from a dangerous parasite called the varroa mite. Beekeepers say facing both insect theft and disease at the same time is a major challenge for their industry.