A man on Reddit shared that his sister-in-law demanded he get rid of his bees so her son, who is deathly allergic, could come over for a summer holiday BBQ.
The man, who refused his sister’s bold request, explained he and his wife live in a “very rural area” on a large plot of land he inherited from his father.
“My family has had this land and managed it for generations at this point and we have kept bees on the land for just as long. There are [three] permanent, managed colonies that we collect honey and other products from and anywhere from [two to six] wild colonies depending on the year,” he wrote via Reddit.
The man noted his sister-in-law recently married a man who has a 12-year-old son. The boy “apparently has an extreme allergy to bees” and could potentially “die” if he is stung and doesn’t receive immediate medical care.
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“Every year [my wife] and I host the family 4th of July party since we have the space both inside and out. Mary called last week to tell us we needed to get rid of the bees so that her son could be there. I told her I’m absolutely not doing that. She got really angry and told me I’m excluding my nephew over some insects and that family matters more than them,” he recalled.
The man offered two solutions: Either his sister-in-law could host her own party, which they would attend, or her son could stay safely inside the house during the party, away from the bees.
“She got huffy and hung up on me. [My wife] is on my side with this and tried to suggest that maybe my [brother-in-law] who’s an EMT could try and prepare in case something happens. This issue has split my wife’s family and now my [mother-in-law] is trying to convince my wife and I to just get rid of them to keep the peace,” he shared.
“I get that the kid could die but I don’t think it’s fair to demand that I give up my bees over a kid who I’ve known for less than a year,” the man concluded.
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Users in the comments section rallied behind the man, with many sharing just how important bees are for the planet.
“Those ‘insects’ are becoming an endangered species and we need them to keep this planet alive… I completely understand her concerns of course. But to demand you get rid of something your family has had and done for generations is a big (and rude) suggestion to me,” one person wrote.
“3 permanent (long established) managed colonies, 2-6 wild colonies — managed year round for generations. [Sister-in-law] wants you to ‘get rid of the bees’ for a 1-day 4th of July party or they won’t come. Sounds like an easy solution. She can host the party or she can choose to not attend,” another weighed in.
“That’s what EpiPens are for. A person can get stung by a bee walking across a school playground. Or down a leafy street. Or standing in their yard. Does the kid live in a bubble? I doubt it,” someone else commented.