ALVIN, Texas – A Brazoria County beekeeper says mosquito spraying operations have taken a devastating toll on his business, claiming millions of bees have been killed this year.
Dane Beito, owner of Gulf Coast Honey Bee Farms, manages between 200 and 400 bee boxes each year. He told 2 Helps You that he has lost 96 hives in 2026.
A typical hive can contain between 60,000 and 80,000 bees, meaning the losses could represent millions of bees according to Beito, “They do what is called nuisance spraying and it is wiping out bees.”
The loss equates well into six-figures for not only the boxes and bees, but also future operations.
Beito contacted 2 Helps You asking for us to help secure better transparency for the residents of Brazoria County, “What I need is for the county to post these labels, to get the information out to the people with what they are being sprayed with,” Beito said.
2 Helps You spoke with other beekeepers who also questioned Brazoria County Mosquito Control’s spraying operations in recent years. One of the central questions raised is what exactly the county is spraying.
The issue also came up during a recent Pearland City Council meeting, where a council member questioned what chemicals are being used, “I really am curious about the chemicals used being accessible?” one council member asked.
Beito said he has asked the county to make information about the products being used more readily available.
“The county flat out refuses to post these labels to their website,” Beito said, then added, “They don’t want people knowing what they are being sprayed with.”
Brazoria County’s website does not list the chemical labels for its mosquito-control operations, according to a review by 2 Helps You. Neighboring counties, including Harris and Fort Bend counties, provide information about mosquito-control products on their websites.
Beito said greater transparency would allow residents and beekeepers to better understand what is being applied in their communities.
The concerns come as Brazoria County’s mosquito-control operations are being investigated by the state.
Beito said he and others have filed complaints and have spoken with inspectors and investigators.
2 Helps You reached out to the Texas Department of Agriculture who has been asking questions to determine where the investigation stands.
The state’s investigator and Brazoria County Mosquito Control would not comment on the investigation.
2 Helps You will continue pressing Brazoria County for more transparency as well as for updates on the state’s investigation.