The United States Air Force Academy's (USAFA) Beekeeping Club is managing hives with more than 60,000 bees to help pollinators and the environment.
More than 60 cadets at USAFA are gearing up to harvest the honey. The bees are located in a hive in the natural resources office near Falcon Stadium.
When the weather gets colder, disease control become the priority. The hive will come back in the spring.
“When we take care of the bees, it’s a perfect example of cadets developing into leaders of character,” Cadet 1st Class Almendra Vega, a Biology major, said. “Beekeeping Club members care for the bees right here at the academy where we live. We are giving back to the environment, helping flowers bloom and contributing to the health of our bees.”
USAFA said the cadets meet regularly to educate each other on beekeeping and to test their skills. Through the year, the club organizes events to raise awareness of the importance of pollinators in Colorado.
When temperatures are consistently in the 50s in the spring, the club returns to the hive, hoping their efforts to protect the hive in the winter allowed the bee colony to survive.
The club's leadership said they have a strong group of members they hope stay throughout the school year. They also want cadets to know that not every member joins for an interest in bees. Some join because of a desire to help the environment.