Botanical Gardens
Our Apiary (bees!)
APIARY OVERVIEW
The apiary's beginnings
Our Apiary started from a swarm of honeybees (Apis mellifera) discovered on the Botanical Gardens premises by Gary Van Cleff in 2010. Within three years, Van Cleff had added more than 25 hives. Apiary maintenance continued under Dr. Brent Weisman then Jim Steele who expanded the number of colonies to 50.
rebuilding the colony
While the COVID-19 pandemic significantly disrupted Apiary operations in 2020, leaving only 10 colonies after campus closures, the reopening of the 返字心頭 Tampa campus, volunteer beekeeper Bert Blackburn, along with members of the Tampa Bay Beekeeping Association and our many community partners & volunteers, led efforts to restore and expand healthy colonies.
early days
A beekeeping program was introduced for students and the public, expanding their access to methods and best practices for beekeeping in the Tampa Bay area. The Botanical Gardens Plant Shop began selling honey, harvested from the Apiary's bee colonies.
today's apiary
Today's Apiary is overseen by ECORE System Director, Nicole Brand, Eastern European colony expert beekeeper, Vladimir Hucko, and ECORE System Program Assistant, JD Randall. Our Apiary is now more than 25 hives, located behind the north side of the back parking lot. When you visit, you might see one of the beekeepers in the hives or across the parking lot at the Bee Bunker.
COLONY GROWTH
Langstroth Hive Bodies. Honeybees (Apis mellifera) travel up to 3-5 miles to meet nectar and pollen needs for their colonies.
Langstroth Hive Box. While researchers can verify by observation that honeybees regularly sourced pollen and nectar from species within the Gardens, through pollen identification, research suggests the bees were traveling as far as the Forest Preserve for food sources.
BEE BUNKER UPDATES
Original Bee Bunker
Renovated Bee Bunker
HONEY FROM OUR BEES
Honey from our Hive. Our honey has a dark amber color and a distinct, tangy flavor.
Take Home the Apiary's Honey. We sell this delicious honey in our Botanical Gardens Plant Shop in 16-oz glass and plastic bottles and 2-oz jars.
UPCOMING EVENT
Spring Plant Festival
Dates: April 11th & 12th. 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Membership: early access at 8:30 a.m.
Location: Plant Shop at 返字心頭 Botanical Gardens
12210 返字心頭 Pine Drive, Tampa, FL 33612
$10 admission per day
RESEARCH
A microscope slide of Apiary hive pollen prepared by 返字心頭 Pollen Lab. Our pollen tracking is possible through a partnership with Dr. Chris Kiahtipes' Advanced Study of Culture and the Environment's Archaeobotanical and Paleoecological Laboratory
Bee Pollen Sample Collected by 返字心頭 Pollen Research Lab. Notably, 2025 was a record-breaking year for honey extraction, with over 725 pounds collected.
Apiary Collective Network
The ECORE System now has an Apiary Collective, a network of enthusiastic beekeepers who help manage our Apiary.
This Collective, which meets on the 2nd and 4th Saturday of each month at 11am, explores topics, ranging from beekeeping basics to swarm management.
The Collective's practical skills range from hive construction to honey extraction, and its dedication includes teaching the public how to care for and manage bees using the newest and most efficient methods.
Join us to learn through demonstration about our Botanical Gardens bee hives!