Bees at Rock Creek

bees in the gardenThe Rock Creek Campus is dedicated to promoting pollinator health and has established an on-campus apiary serving as an educational tool for campus programs and to promote education and research about bees and their habitats and threats to pollinator persistence. PCC is also certified as an affiliate of the Bee Campus USA program. Read PCC’s Bee Campus USA annual 2017 report [pdf], 2018 report, [pdf] 2019 report [pdf], and 2020 report [pdf].

Take a class in Backyard Beekeeping!

Students in beekeeper suits pose for group photo behind beehives.

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Rock Creek Campus Apiary

Rock Creek Campus ApiaryIn an effort to increase the bee population on Rock Creek Campus, the Sustainability office established the first hive in our apiary in April 2014.  This Langstroth-style hive and its bee colony sparked much campus interest and led to subsequent apiary expansion.  The next two hives, Warre and Top Bar styles, are viewing hives, designed with transparent panels to view the work of the bees without disturbing them.  The apiary has been relocated to an area adjacent to the campus greenhouses and expanded to eight hives, including a Flow Hive which allows honey to be harvested with minimal disruption to the bees.  Plans for the apiary include additional Flow Hives and a bee hotel supporting native bee populations including mason and bumblebees.

Meet the Beekeeper

Kids in the gardenBee hivesImage of bumble beeBee on a flowerFlowers and a bee

The Rock Creek campus is home to a Master Beekeeper.  This critical staff member of our Landscape Technology program, oversees the health of the bee colonies, harvests the honey, and provides bee education to our students, stakeholders, and partners. We currently are looking for a replacement beekeeper to continue our bee programming. Stay tuned!

In the meantime, please contact sustainability@pcc.edu [opens in new window] for more information about the Bees at Rock Creek.

Getting involved