CARLSBAD, Calif. (KGTV)--A Carlsbad woman is accusing the city of killing bees along a popular bike trail.
Shannah Bennett says she was walking along Coastal Rail Trail on Tuesday when she saw a city contractor working near a beehive inside a city utility box.
She says the worker had taken the lid off and had pesticide in his truck. Bennett says it looked like he planned on using pesticides on the bees.
10News met up with Bennett the next day and she showed us dozens of bees flying slowly around the hive. Other bees were dead and looked frozen in place.
Bennett's concern is the declining bee population. She says the city should move them with a beekeeper instead of killing them.
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Several beekeepers told 10News that using pesticides on bees isn't illegal. They said sometimes that is the only option for safety reasons.
A city spokesperson told 10News over the phone that they received several complaints about aggressive bees along the trail.
The spokesperson said they understand the sensitivity about the bees. They said they use pesticides to get rid of the bees if safety is a concern. Removing them with a beekeeper is their last resort.