House Design

These days there’s a new buzz going around Naples Botanical Gardens. Operations Supervisor Adam Davis and his partner, Trish Elser, have gotten the thumbs-up from the garden decision-makers for another project — honeybee keeping.

You’d think Adam had more than enough to do just keeping up with the ordinary, and sometimes not so ordinary, daily happenings at the nearly 90-acre facility. In addition to opening three well-received new attractions — the Asian garden, the Florida garden and the water garden — Davis and Elser took up beekeeping. They took classes at the Bee College in St. Augustine, joined the Beekeepers of America, and did extensive research into the subject. As a result, they have become true apiarists.

After getting the initial OK for the project, the two determined the number and placement of the hives. They agreed on three or four hives to start, placed around the gardens in areas where they will not interfere with the day-to-day activities of the staff and visitors. This also ensures that the bees will have a tranquil and secluded setting to do their “bee thing.”

Next they determined that Italian honeybees would be the best choice. These are real stars in the bee world and will provide the best possible flower pollination for the gardens.

Of course, beekeeping equipment is essential. In addition to protective clothing like gloves and veils; smokers, feed, feeders, honey extractors and wax processors are also necessary.

A really fun part of this venture is that the honey will be processed and sold in the gift shop as Naples Botanical Garden Wildflower Honey. Since there is no shortage of flowers, keeping the bees busy will be no problem.

Aside from indulging the sweet tooth, eating locally created honey will help diminish allergic reactions to the pollen of local plants, and provide a healthy, organic indulgence. It’s bound to become a favorite among honey lovers and the demand should be high. Bee’s wax products will also be available in the gift shop.

In addition to the honey and beeswax, new educational programs such as beekeeping and honey making will be offered in the near future at the garden.

Davis and Elser want to educate the public about honeybees. The two say they want everyone to understand bees are not aggressive and prefer being left alone. They don’t want to be around humans any more than humans want to be around them. Bees generally are very docile, loner insects that are an integral part of the billion-dollar American food industry. They certainly don’t deserve the “evil bee” reputation they have with some people.

Although much of this project has been accomplished through donations, there have been some expenses that Davis and Elser have covered out of their own pockets. Above all, they share the enthusiasm and passion to make this new undertaking as successful and rewarding as all their other endeavors.

Keep butterflying!

Mike Malloy, Naples’ “butterfly guy,” is a landscaping consultant and butterfly gardener who is a familiar presence at the Third Street South farmers market on Saturday mornings. See some of his work at www.naplesbutterfly.com

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