Taking Care of Bees-ness

By Leah Aulisio-Sharpe ’22, August 14, 2020

The college’s apiary thrives under a professor’s guidance.

Hannah Whitehead ’12 (left) and Jason Hamilton examine bees at the Ithaca College apiary.

(Photo submitted)

Jason Hamilton, professor of environmental studies and sciences in the School of Humanities and Sciences, has been celebrating the honey bee at Ithaca College since 2010, when he was approached by Hannah Whitehead ’12, about starting an apiary on campus. But Hamilton’s particularly abuzz with excitement on the third Saturday of each August, which is World Honey Bee Day.

Hamilton currently serves as the manager of the facility, which officially began in 2011.

Taking care of bees is a very seasonal process. The needs of the apiaries shift depending on where they are in their life cycle. In the winter, while the bees are dormant, beekeepers are regulating possible issues, securing the bees’ food storage and creating more space for colonies. The spring and summers are spent actively supporting the bees and extracting honey from the hives.

“A lot of our students are interested in education and environmental outreach. So even if they don’t want to be a beekeeper necessarily, they are learning how to conduct scientific outreach and scientific communication for the general public, as well as farmers and children.”

Jason Hamilton, professor of environmental studies and sciences

“We are trying to work with the honey bee’s natural biology in order for it to thrive,” Hamilton said.

The apiary has also created numerous opportunities for student involvement. Hamilton works with a head student beekeeper, who helps to oversee all activities going on in the apiary. There are courses offered on beekeeping, and students are also involved in independent research and off-campus outreach to help others understand the vital role bees play in our environment and food supply.

“A lot of our students are interested in education and environmental outreach,” he said. “So even if they don’t want to be a beekeeper necessarily, they are learning how to conduct scientific outreach and scientific communication for the general public, as well as farmers and children.”

In August, the nectar flow is typically lower than it is in mid-summer, and bees begin preparing for the winter ahead. At IC, Hamilton will begin doing the same, ensuring the college’s apiary is a hive of activity year-round.