‘Bee Czar’ removes feral beehive at Llano’s Badu Park

LLANO — Walter Schumacher, known as the “Bee Czar” of Central Texas, not only catches bees. He knows what they’re thinking.

“If they bump into you like this, they’re telling you that you have 30 seconds to leave them alone or they’ll sting you,” he said while standing just inches away from a feral beehive containing an estimated 250,000 bees in the trunk of a giant oak at Badu Park.

On July 19, Schumacher inspected his bee trap or “box,” surrounding the main entryway of the hive, located three feet off the ground adjacent to a sidewalk and a parking area.

The City of Llano invited Schumacher, who operates Austin-based Central Texas Bee Rescue, to offer solutions about the growing hive.

Over several years, the hive has stretched farther into the large oak. Concerns include damage to the tree as well as a growing number of bees.

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