Atlanta, GA – Millions of bees bound for Alaska died after an airline “mishap” in Atlanta. An estimated 5 million honeybees died from the heat after they were routed through Atlanta and their crates were placed in a cargo area by Delta Air Lines.
The bees were supposed to be going from California to Sarah McElrea, who runs Sarah’s Alaska Honey. But the 800-lb shipment was rerouted. In a Facebook post, McElrea expressed frustration and dismay after learning about the unexpected change of plans:
The horror continues…..
They sent our bees to ATLANTA GEORGIA!!!! Then, they delayed the connection by ANOTHER 24 HOURS.
McElrea was able to contact a beekeeper in Atlanta who rushed to the airport to try and save the bees, but the majority had died. She told the New York Times the magnitude of the loss:
“People don’t grasp just how dependent we as a species are on honeybees for pollination, and this is just such a waste, an absolute tragedy.”
Delta has apologized to McElrea, but declined to provide a spokesperson for an interview, reports USA Today.
