Man's Hobby Saves 6 Mllion Bees by Relocating them to Safer Places

For many people, seeing a bee nest near their home can feel dangerous. In tropical Singapore, most residents usually call pest control teams to remove the problem quickly.

However, 42-year-old Mr. Clarence takes a different approach. He doesn’t destroy nests, he rescues and moves them.

He picks up bees from nests with just a bandana and his hands and brings them to wooden boxes. The aim is to protect the entire colony before the bees are relocated to safer areas, including young bees, worker bees and the queen bee.

Saving Millions Through Relocation

For the last six years, Mr. Clarence has been rescuing approximately 100 bee nests each year. This adds up to about 6 million bees saved through humane relocation efforts.

Instead of exterminating nests, residents can pay him between S$100 and S$500 for a rescue service. The bees are then moved to three apiaries he manages, including one located in his backyard.

His rescue missions have taken him to unusual places, including condominium “spirit houses” and even a plane engine. In one case, a flight could not continue until the bee swarm was safely removed.

As awareness grows, more communities are supporting bee rescue. Local town councils in Singapore have also started using his services to manage bee nests in public housing areas.

Respecting Nature’s Balance

Bee rescue is not without risks. One time, he underestimated the swarm, was attacked and got stung about 100 times but still managed to get away safely. It made him realise that he can never take nature lightly.

Even with the dangers, Mr. Clarence is still doing his rescue work online. His videos, with first-person footage from his Meta Glasses, have garnered approximately 20,000 followers.