Keeping Texas and its highways bee-utiful

TxDOT workers in beekeeper gear examining a tree

Nov. 21, 2024

By Alaisha Montanez

ABILENE — Bees, wasps and other stinging insects can sometimes be a nuisance, but TxDOT works to protect these critters that help keep wildflowers and crops thriving throughout the state.

Recently, TxDOT crews in Stonewall County learned that a colony of bees had made their home in the trunk of a live oak tree in a rest area on US 380. As they were situated, they posed a risk to the public and needed to be removed.

Presented with two options — removing the bees or exterminating them — crews swiftly closed the rest area to the public and began contemplating what route best served the situation.

Bees are pollinators, which means they help plants reproduce. Pollinators help produce roughly 70% of the world’s flowering plants and a major portion of our food crops. TxDOT prioritizes protecting pollinators and preserving their habitats..

Faced with this information, TxDOT decided to save both, the tree and the bees. This approach to the remove the bees was the most desirable option while still protecting the public and TxDOT Abilene staff.

Gary Shelnutt, vegetation specialist for TxDOT in Abilene, worked tirelessly to find a beekeeper to safely relocate the bees.

Ultimately partnering with Sadie Grace Farms, they formed a plan. After discovering them in August, TxDOT staff and Sadie Grace beekeepers hoped the bees may naturally leave their dwelling as winter drew closer.

But as October came around, the bees held steady and they set a date for removal on Oct. 29.

“Extermination was never the option, and though pursuing a partnership was initially difficult, it was important that every step possible was taken to preserve the life of the bees,” Shelnutt said. “With many species of pollinators in decline, it is more important now than ever to protect them.”

Protecting the bees ensures that the pollinators are available to propagate the wildflowers within our state right-of-way as well as crop production for Texas farming communities. Thank you TxDOT Abilene for maintaining TxDOT’s mission and for aiding in keeping Texas bee-utiful for years to come.