LA urban beekeepers are up in arms about protective gear after online beef

Texas beekeeper Erika Thompson posted a video of her removing a swarm of bees from an umbrella and moving them into a box — all with her bare hands. No protective gear whatsoever.

A lot of people in the beekeeping world, including in LA, claim that Thompson was irresponsible in touting the ease of bee removal, when in fact bees can sting and aren’t that safe to be around without protective gear and equipment. It’s dangerous for people and for the bees.

So what is it actually like to be an urban beekeeper? What gear do you need to get started? Was there a pandemic boom of beekeeping? And can you really pick up a swarm of bees with your bare hands?