Almost every student finds themself at the Student Union Building to study, grab a bite to eat, stop by the information desk or enjoy a game of bowling. What those students may not know, however, is that the building rooftop is home to a colony of bees.
The Bee Team, a group of students dedicated to taking care of this colony, aims to create awareness on campus of the positive environmental impact bees have on the environment. The team receives their hives and beekeeping necessities from the Treasure Valley Beekeepers Club, a local group centered on educating and supporting local beekeepers.
“Bees are sometimes taken for granted,” Financial Officer Lillian Massie said. “They really are the framework for our environment and climate.”
The Bee Team led The Arbiter into their hive to learn more about some of campus’s hardest workers — with wings, of course.
At the first Bee Team meeting of the semester, attendees were zipped into beekeeping suits while bees buzzed behind the glass of the lookout room. The weight of the suit added to the feelings of excitement and anxiety, with the group sharing a collective disbelief as they lifted the netted hoods over their heads.
The sweet aroma of honey filled the air as the group approached the wooden hives. The colony was whirring with activity as members of the Bee Team tried to calm the crowd’s nerves, noting the durability of the suits.
“Our mission is to make everyone safe and comfortable,” Bee Team President Krystal Sosa said. “We aim for the highest level of accommodation and really ensure everyone’s feeling okay. It’s 100 percent judgement free here.”
As the group surrounded the hives, Sosa revealed hundreds of the honey-making insects within honeycomb-shaped frames. Visitors moved in closer as she brought the first bee-covered frame into view. The group watched the honeybees work frantically, their fuzzy bodies moving faster than the speed of light throughout the honeycombs.
The team taught new attendees about the bees’ patterns and society. Attendees learned the majority of the hive consists of females. Male bees, also known as drones, are responsible for mating with the queen and temperature regulation as wintertime approaches. The drones lack stingers and have rounder, larger bodies.
Sustainability is an important part of the beekeeping process. The Bee Team purifies beeswax for a variety of uses, from skincare to candle making. The group also harvests gallons of honey each month to fill the shelves of the Bronco Shop.
Sosa added that the team gets “first dibs” and receives a free share after each session.
“After each honey harvest, everyone gets a free jar,” Sosa said. “If you bring your reusable jar, we’ll fill it up.”
The Bee Team is open to all interested in honeybees. Whether you’re scratching beekeeping off of your bucket list or tending to the hive, the club prioritizes inclusivity.
“It’s a super welcoming community,” Sosa said. “I feel like a lot of students don’t even know we’re here, and it’s great to take the lead of such an amazing team.”
Members of the team come from a variety of backgrounds. Many of them, like Massie, joined as beginners.
“I came in without any experience other than loving bees,” Massie said. “As you go, you learn everything about beekeeping, and how to do it with the team. It’s very inclusive.”
While the experience may have been intimidating at the start, the team’s professionalism melted away nerves and created a highly educational experience for visitors.
“It was super exciting,” freshman attendee Siena Walker said. “I was too fascinated to be afraid, and it was the coolest thing to watch.”
The Bee Team has been a tradition for student beekeepers for over a decade, with members who buzz with as much passion for the hives as the pollinators themselves.
“I can’t wait to come back,” freshman attendee Janeli Baez said. “This was one of the best days of my year so far, and everybody should take the opportunity to try it out.”
