IIn a quiet corner of South San Diego, tucked away from the hum of city life, a small sanctuary buzzes with life. It’s not a park or a zoo. It’s a haven for bees, rescued from power poles, electrical boxes and walls across the county. And at the heart of this effort is a man known simply as Dan the Bee Man.
Dan’s journey into beekeeping began two decades ago in Escondido, when a swarm of bees moved into his shed. “It was illegal to keep bees there,” he said. “The city came by, slapped me on the wrist, and eventually threatened jail time or a $2,000 fine.”
But instead of backing down, Dan leaned in. A friend introduced him to the art of bee removal, and from that moment, he was hooked.
“Over time people started calling me for help."
“I just wanted to play with bees and bugs,” Dan said. “But over time, people started calling me for help. One day, an elderly woman told me someone had smashed open her wall and left her with a hole, and the bees. That was my turning point. I realized if I could help and didn’t, I’d be just as guilty.”
Today, Dan leads “We Save Bees,” a local company dedicated to humane bee removal and relocation. His work is as much about people as it is about pollinators.
One of Dan’s most impactful partnerships is with SDG&E. Bees, drawn to the hollow spaces in utility poles and underground boxes, often build hives there creating potential safety risks for workers and those who happen to live near them. Rather than exterminate the colonies, the company calls Dan.
Collaborations like this one reflect a growing recognition that even small-scale efforts like saving a hive can have a big impact on the local ecosystem.
“When SDG&E field teams need to do work on a pole or a meter box, we come in,” he said. “We open up the cavity, gently remove the baby bees, and the rest follow. Then we relocate them to a sanctuary SDG&E helped sponsor.”
That sanctuary, located on a remote portion of an SDG&E property, now houses up to 10 thriving colonies. It’s a place where bees can recover, rebuild and continue their vital work, pollinating crops, supporting biodiversity and producing honey.
The partnership with Dan is just one example of SDG&E’s broader commitment to sustainability and environmental stewardship. From supporting pollinator habitats and biodiversity to investing in renewable-energy infrastructure and wildfire mitigation, SDG&E is working to protect the region’s natural resources while keeping communities energized with cleaner, safer and more reliable energy. Collaborations like this one reflect a growing recognition that even small-scale efforts like saving a hive can have a big impact on the local ecosystem.
Dan’s connection to bees runs deeper than biology. A longtime practitioner of kung fu, he sees beekeeping as a spiritual extension of his training. “There’s a big emphasis on harmony with nature,” he said. “The bees have taught me patience, awareness and how to center myself. They’ve become part of who I am.”
That reverence for bees is matched by a deep concern for their future. In San Diego County, bee populations are borderline struggling and surviving, he said. Pesticides, habitat loss and poor beekeeping practices all take a toll.
But there’s hope. The sanctuary in South Bay is a small but powerful example of how thoughtful intervention can make a difference. By monitoring hive health and avoiding over-saturation, Dan ensures the bees don’t outcompete native pollinators. For Dan, the solution starts at home.
"Plant a garden. Grow something you’ll eat. When people reconnect with where their food comes from, they stop doing harmful things. You won’t spray pesticides if you know your kids are going to eat that zucchini.”
It’s a simple message, but one that resonates across generations. From teenagers learning about pollination in school to retirees tending backyard citrus trees, everyone has a role to play. And thanks to Dan the Bee Man, San Diego is buzzing with possibility.
“If I don’t have bees, I don’t get avocados. And that’s when people realize, bees matter,” Dan said.
To learn more about SDGE’s sustainability efforts, visit sdge.com/sustainability.