Erika Thompson

With her slim frame, blonde hair, and brown eyes, Erika Thompson looks more like a typical Texas professional than a woman who handles thousands of bees with her bare hands. She is an American business woman and content creator from Katy, Texas, though she now lives in Smithville. Thompson attended the University of Texas at Austin and later worked as a communications director for a nonprofit before founding Texas Beeworks in 2016.

The mission of Texas Beeworks is to promote public awareness about bees and beekeepers, and her organization removes bees for free. She keeps almost 50 beehives in her backyard and posts videos of herself handling bees without protective gear. Her goal is to put "hives before honey." Since starting in 2016, she has built a large following across Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube, where she shares her educational and often mesmerizing content.