Molly Earl has turned her childhood memories of catching honey bee swarms with her dad using just cardboard boxes into an incredible mission that has established 250 rescued hives across Cornwall since 2020. Through her company Bees Off, Molly and her team of five travel throughout Cornwall saving honeybees that would otherwise face extermination by pest controllers, achieving an impressive 98% survival rate. Using thermal cameras, probe equipment, and specialized bee vacuums, she carefully removes entire colonies from challenging locations like chimneys, rooftops, hot tub pumps, and even electricity substations. After each rescue, Molly moves the bees to her quarantine site where she checks for diseases and pests, then relocates healthy colonies to her various apiaries when they’re ready.
Her innovative approach includes partnering with unexpected locations like former quarries, power stations, and incinerators, proving that bees thrive in these overlooked spaces with scrubland and hedgerows rather than requiring vast fields. The honey produced by her rescued bees recently won a Gold Taste of the West award, selling for £10 per pound at local markets where customers love the finely filtered, hedgerow honey. Molly’s work has grown so successful that pest controllers now regularly refer cases to her, choosing bee removal over extermination. Her dedication shows how one person’s passion can create a network of thriving bee colonies while producing award-winning honey that proves rescued bees can flourish when given proper care and suitable homes.