Officials: Owner Of Bees Swarming Woman's Property Complying With The Law
SUTTER COUNTY (CBS13) – Millions of bees invade a homeowner's property and she tries to take action, but it turns out the bees are protected.
"I'm mostly disappointed in the owners and my next door neighbor," said Heather Phillips.
After 12 years of arguing with her neighbor and owners of a bee farm on the property, Phillips was stung one time too many. She contacted CBS13 as a last resort.
"Why, why do I have to live like this? You know, they're not my bees," she said Monday.
But the bees like her water.
On hot summer days, millions of bees buzz 1,200 yards across the yard, carpeting Phillips pond, filling her horse troughs, and harass her chickens. She says the owner's of the bees, who do not live next door on the property, are unfazed.
"I've tried talking to them, I've put signs up, I've talked to them face-to-face over the years and they just look at me and say, 'Yes it's hot,'" she said.
The Sutter County Agricultural Commissioner, Lisa Herbert, said a county worker checked in with the beekeeper after the story ran on CBS13 and found the bees are being watered.
"The beekeeper is in compliance at this time," Herbert said.
Phillips has lived off of Moore Road for 25 years and while she was there first, turns out the bees are protected.
"The beekeeper at this time is not doing anything wrong. Bees are allowed in Sutter County and in most rural county ag areas. We have a right to farm ordinance that allows apiaries. The zoning codes allow apiaries in ag districts and that's what we have now. It's very unfortunate," said Herbert.
Phillips says this home in the Sutter Butte Mountains was their dream and as it stands, they'll be sharing it with millions of bees.
"They don't live with their bees. If they live like this they'd be getting a fat paycheck. I just have four months of the year that I can't walk around my house," Phillips said.
The county attorney also said it doesn't appear any laws are being violated.
Phillips' only recourse is to file a civil suit.
The owner of the bees did not respond to our phone calls.