Welcome to the Apiary

Champlain Apiary Photos from 2013

The Champlain Apiary was established in the Spring of 2013 to provide experiential learning opportunities for our students and community members and to support the college's commitment to sustainability.

This living laboratory gives us a window into the fascinating lives of a uniquely social organism that teaches us about the intricacies of group decision-making, communication, and community.

In addition to experiencing the bees through their biology and role in the ecosystem, bee products (honey, wax, pollen, propolis, even the bees themselves) provide a unique opportunity for students in business and marketing to create a profitable endeavor out of the apiary. The honey produced by our bees is bottled and marketed by our students, and all proceeds benefit the educational mission and material support of the apiary.

At a time when both feral and managed bee populations are in decline, our bees benefit Champlain's campus and the surrounding landscape through the pollination services they provide.

Thank you to the many faculty, staff, students, and community members who have supported the apiary and special thanks to the Class of 2013 for making this endeavor possible.

Commitment to SustainabilityNWF's Campus Pollinator Pledge

The apiary supports Champlain's commitment to sustainability by: 

  • sharing valuable campus space to house the bees, which will in turn support the surrounding ecosystem
  • enhancing the current curriculum by giving students the opportunity to experience and interact with an organism that humans are intimately dependent upon, yet rarely consider

In a way, the apiary expands our collective consciousness, making us aware and appreciative of the interconnectivity that supports us.

Visit the Apiary

Located behind Perry Hall, the apiary is open for organized tours at various times from May through September. If you would like to bring your class to the apiary, or involve the apiary in your course or program curriculum, contact Kristin Wolf at kwolf@champlain.edu.