Associated Press

SIOUX CITY, Ia. — The owners of a Sioux City bee and honey operation fear vandals may have cost the couple their business.

Justin and Tori Engelhardt own Wild Hill Honey, and they found the damage Thursday morning when they went to dust snow off their 50 hives in a grove on their west Sioux City property.

Justin Engelhardt says all the hives were knocked over, killing at least 500,000 bees. The vandal or vandals smashed any equipment they could reach but didn't steal anything. He estimated the damage at $50,000 to $60,000.

He says "this probably sunk us," because insurers don't offer beehive coverage.

No arrests have been reported.