Postal service damages man's package filled with honey and demands he return it as evidence for a claim, man returns it swarmed with bees: ‘Chaos erupted’

Author image for Lana DeGaetano
Lana DeGaetano • "Show me to me please."
Dec 21, 2025 7:00 AM EST

"Maybe don't send honey in the post."

The international postal services exist to ensure that the packages and letters we send out into the ether are safely delivered to our intended recipients. Delays are inevitable, and packages are somehow "lost" every day with little to no explanation, but that's just the name of the game. The post is not a perfect concept, but it's the closest we have to a working network for deliveries.

Typically, your post office is willing to work with you on lost or delayed packages, correct? A component of a postal service worker's job duties is to troubleshoot and resolve customer concerns, particularly for employees working in customer-facing positions. You always take a risk when you send something out into the world, but you just need to hope everything will work out. It usually does. The post doesn't work out for everyone, though.

In the story below, a man decides to send his son some pure honey via the post, and ensures the package he is sending out is wrapped and taped up to protect the honey containers from breaking or leaking. Some time later, the post office claims the package isn't in the system. They find it a week later, but it's completely damaged. Even still, for a lost claim, the post office requests the damaged box back. I hope they don't mind bees.

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    Cheezburger Image 10588703232
    via Getty Images For Unsplash+

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 02

    "[Break] my package, enjoy betting bees"

    This story happened to my dad a few months ago so I decided to share it on his behalf.
    via Wild_Wonder7777
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    To set the scene, my dad lives in a small village abroad, where many of his friends grow their own organic food.
    via Wild_Wonder7777
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    Fresh vegetables, fruits, even homemade cheese you name it. But one thing that's surprisingly tricky to find is real honey.
    via Wild_Wonder7777
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    In my country, unless you know the right beekeeper, you'll often end up with honey that's mixed with sugar syrup, at best only 70-80% of the mixture genuine honey.
    via Wild_Wonder7777
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    Luckily, my dad has a friend who's a beekeeper the kind who produces 100% pure honey but usually keeps it for family and close friends.
    via Wild_Wonder7777
  • 07
    One day, this friend gifted my dad a few jars, and my dad swore it was the best honey he had ever tasted.
    via Wild_Wonder7777
  • 08
    Naturally, he wanted me to experience it too. So he asked the beekeeper if he could buy a few jars from him to send my way.
    via Wild_Wonder7777
  • 09
    The beekeeper hesitated at first but eventually agreed. My dad proudly packed jars of golden honey, wrapping each one in many layers of bubble wrap, filling the box with packing peanuts, and sealing it with what seemed like an entire roll of duct tape.
    via Wild_Wonder7777
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    The box looked indestructible - like it could survive a hurricane. My dad took the armoured box to the post office, filled in the paper work and explained that the box contain 6 jars of honey.
    via Wild_Wonder7777
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    The clerk jokingly asked, "Shall I put down five euros for the value?" My dad laughed and explained that it was honey worth much more than that.
    via Wild_Wonder7777
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    He even asked if he could pay extra for a "fragile" label, but the clerk just smirked: "Good luck with that." Weeks passed, and I received nothing.
    via Wild_Wonder7777
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    My dad went back to the post office, only to be told that the package wasn't even in their system.
    via Wild_Wonder7777
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    Instead they said that they will start a procedure to try and locate the package. One week later they eventually "found" it and asked my dad come and collect it.
    via Wild_Wonder7777
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    What he received barely resembled a package. He described it as completely spherical ball, soft to the touch, barely holding itself by the huge amount of duct tape.
    via Wild_Wonder7777
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    The jars of honey were clearly destroyed. The workers wanted him to sign that he accepted the package, but he refused and demanded compensation.
    via Wild_Wonder7777
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    After some arguing a friend of my dad, that was there with him at the time, offered to take it instead so my dad don't have to sign the paper work.
    via Wild_Wonder7777
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    My dad's friend took the package to his house and out of curiosity decided to open it.
    via Wild_Wonder7777
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    As expected it was a sticky mess inside. He left the box in his yard, planning to throw it away the next day.
    via Wild_Wonder7777
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    The next morning, when he went to dispose of it, he found the box swarming with bees, happily feasting on the spilled honey.
    via Wild_Wonder7777
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    Cheezburger Image 10588703488
    via Eric Ward for Unsplash
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    Too scared to touch it, he left it there. That same day, the post office called my dad, insisting they needed the package back as "evidence" for the compensation claim.
    via Wild_Wonder7777
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    Apparently their manager didn't believe the honey disaster was real. Finally the malicious compliance. The next morning before sunrise, when the bees were inactive, my dad and his friend carefully bagged the bee-filled package and carried it back to the post office.
    via Wild_Wonder7777
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    The workers asked to see the destroyed package but my dad warned them not to open the bag as there are bees inside.
    via Wild_Wonder7777
  • 25
    They didn't take him seriously and preceded to open the bag - out flew dozens of bees, buzzing angrily around the room.
    via Wild_Wonder7777
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    Chaos erupted. Clerks ran outside, waving their arms, while others tried to chase the bees out.
    via Wild_Wonder7777
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    Thankfully, no one was stung. The entire time my dad stood there enjoying the show and told them "I warned you not to open the bag".
    via Wild_Wonder7777
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    My dad ended up getting his money back a few weeks later. I hope you enjoyed my dad's story and maybe don't send honey by the post.
    via Wild_Wonder7777

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Tags

malicious compliance petty revenge honey bees postal service delivery karma
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