Erika Thompson

Erika Thompson (born 1986) is an American beekeeper with more than eleven million followers on TikTok. She posts videos of herself handling bees with her bare hands and wearing no protective gear. She lives in Elgin, Texas and keeps almost 50 beehives in her backyard.

Personal information
BornErika Thompson
1986
Katy, Texas, US
Followers11.4 million
Likes166 million
Page direct URLTexas Beeworks
Last updated: 25 March 2023

Early life

Thompson was born in 1986 and grew up in Katy, Texas.[1][2] She attended the University of Texas at Austin. After college Thompson worked as a communications director for a nonprofit. She lived in the Austin Area until 2019.[2]

Career

Thompson worked for the Texas Hotel and Lodging Association and the Austin chapter of American Institute of Architects and her hobby was beekeeping.[2] In 2016 she founded Texas Beeworks in the Austin, Texas metropolitan area.[1][3] She has stated that her mission is to put "hives before honey", She also claims that the mission of her company, Texas Beeworks is to promote public awareness about bees and beekeepers. Her organization removes bees for free.[3]

In 2018 the television quiz show Jeopardy! recorded video clue about bees for an episode of the show. The videos featured her organization Texas Beeworks. The show aired on Memorial Day in 2019, and by that time Thompson had already left her job to become a full-time beekeeper.[2]

She typically posts videos of herself relocating beehives; she scoops up handfuls of bees with her bare hands. She wears no beekeeping equipment while handling the bees. By 2021 she had amassed 6 million followers on TikTok.[4] By 2023 she had 11.4 million following her account which she named, Texas Beeworks.[5][1] One of her TikTok videos quickly amassed 60 million views.[6] She finishes each of her TikTok videos by saying "It was another great day of saving the bees".[7]

Controversy

In 2021 some TikTok followers questioned whether the videos of her handling bees using no protective equipment were fake. There were questions about whether or not she had sedated the bees. She was also accused of staging bee rescues. Thompson responded on Instagram by saying it was a "series of untrue and hurtful attacks".[7][8] In 2021 CNN interviewed a rival beekeeper who stated that said Thompson's videos set a "dangerous precedent" on how people should interact with bees safely. To respond to the controversy Thompson released a statement to the cable news network.[9]

As a professional beekeeper, it's my mission and my purpose to help people understand how important the work of bees and beekeepers is to our world. The content I share is real, and shows how beekeepers help people and bees in need every day—wearing protective gear when necessary. Only experienced beekeepers should be handling bees and performing bee removal services.

Personal life

She married Andrew Hollister in October 2020 and she lives in Elgin, Texas. She has an apiary with two rows of boxes at her home.[10] Her backyard has approximately 50 beehives.[6]

References
  1. Cristiano, Brittany (19 August 2022). "This Texas Beekeeper Has 11.2M Followers On TikTok & She's The Real Queen Bee". Narcity Media Inc. Archived from the original on 4 October 2022. Retrieved 25 March 2023.
  2. Sayers, Justin (15 September 2021). "Journal Profile: Erika Thompson of Texas Beeworks escapes TikTok fame at Elgin home". Austin Business Journal. American City Business Journals. Archived from the original on 16 September 2021. Retrieved 25 March 2023.
  3. "Texas Beeworks". Texas Beeworks. Texas Beeworks. Archived from the original on 24 December 2022. Retrieved 25 March 2023.
  4. Andrade, Sofia (4 June 2021). "What Beekeepers Really Think of the Viral TikTok Bee Lady". The Slate Group LLC. Archived from the original on 9 October 2022. Retrieved 25 March 2023.
  5. "Texasbeeworks". TikTok. TikTok. Archived from the original on 22 March 2023. Retrieved 25 March 2023.
  6. Andrews, Travis M. (18 March 2021). "TikTok's viral beekeeper is getting a lot of ... buzz". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 18 December 2022. Retrieved 25 March 2023.
  7. Haylock, Zoe (7 June 2021). "TikTok Is Buzzzzing With Sweet, Sweet Bee Drama". VOX MEDIA, LLC. Vulture. Archived from the original on 15 February 2023. Retrieved 25 March 2023.
  8. Hill, Clara (4 June 2021). "Viral TikTok beekeeper sparks outrage over lack of safety equipment". The Independent. Archived from the original on 22 December 2022. Retrieved 25 March 2023.
  9. Asmelash, Leah (7 June 2021). "TikTok is abuzz after beekeeping influencer is accused of not practicing correct safety protocols". CNN. Archived from the original on 17 January 2023. Retrieved 25 March 2023.
  10. Larson, Lauren (18 September 2020). "How Texas Beeworks's Erika Thompson Became the Queen Bee of Pastoral TikTok". Texas Monthly. Archived from the original on 20 January 2023. Retrieved 25 March 2023.
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