TikTok page ‘TexasBeeWorks’ goes viral for owner’s incredible beekeeping skills
Instagram: Erika ThompsonWhile TikTok is often awash with influencers dancing and entertaining people, one account has blown up recently for a remarkable reason: it gives people untapped insight into the world of beekeeping.
The TikTok account, which operates under the handle ‘texasbeeworks’, has amassed 3.7 million followers. Meanwhile, the account’s combined like-count stands at 49.7 million. While all the videos on the account are popular, with the average post getting around 5 million views, a few went viral recently, which helped to boost the account’s popularity.
Take a recent video, for example, which has already amassed 57.1 million views and 10.2 million likes. The post depicts a live bee removal done by Erika Thompson, beekeeper and owner of the viral TikTok account.
In the video, she explains in a gentle voiceover how she was called to a property to remove a beehive that was believed to be under the residents’ shed for the last few years.
While the landlord of the property wanted to call an exterminator, Thompson removed the hive without harming the bees.
Many TikTok users were entranced by Erika’s bee removal process, being shocked at the fact that she scooped bees with her bare hands.
In one comment that got over 600k likes, a user said, “Girl is braver than anyone on this app,” while another follower expressed similar sentiments, pointing out that Thompson has “no gloves, nothing.”
“And then there’s me booking it inside when I see a bee three backyards down,” the user quipped.
Who is Erika Thompson on TikTok?
Erika Thompson, 34, is the person behind the ‘texasbeeworks’ TikTok account. A native of Austin, Texas, she is the founder and CEO of beekeeping company Texas Beeworks. She first became involved with beekeeping after taking a class in 2011, which led to her keeping her first hive in her backyard.
In 2014, she founded Texas Beeworks, which involves placing and maintaining hives over the state. They also offer services like beekeeping classes and live bee removals.