Morgan Freeman converts his Mississippi ranch into a honeybee sanctuary

CHARLESTON, MS (WLBT) – Morgan Freeman has converted his 124-acre Charleston, MS ranch into a honeybee sanctuary, reports Forbes.

The Oscar winner imported a total of 26 bee hives to the ranch and has planted bee-friendly Magnolia trees and lavender on the property.

Freeman obtained the bees from Arkadelphia, Arkansas and even said that he doesn’t use a bee suit while feeding the insects.

The 81-year-old actor, known for his roles in Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy and for playing God in Bruce Almighty, discussed his foray into beekeeping in an appearance on Jimmy Fallon in 2014.

“There’s been a frightening loss of bee colonies, particularly in this county,” Freeman said in a separate interview with Larry King. “To such an extent that the scientists are now saying ‘this is dangerous.’”

A study by the University of Vermont found that wild bee populations in the United States have declined by 23 percent from 2008 and 2013.

Freeman was sent to live with his grandmother in Charleston as an infant, and purchased the family land from his parents in 1991.

He also owns Ground Zero Blues Club in Clarksdale.