BROWARD COUNTY, Fla. \u2014 Before there\u2019s honey on the shelf, there\u2019s nonstop work inside the hive.<\/p>\n
Inside wooden boxes tucked away in Broward County parks, thousands of bees buzz nonstop \u2014 building, feeding, protecting, producing. It\u2019s nature\u2019s busiest workforce.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019re our friends. It\u2019s very important that we have bees around \u2014 for our food, for our flowers, for our ecosystem,\u201d said Julie Mongerson with the Broward Beekeepers Association<\/a>.<\/p>\n Behind the buzz is a group of volunteers on a mission \u2014 focused on helping the hives thrive while turning fear into fascination.<\/p>\n The Broward Beekeepers Association manages three micro-apiaries, where members gather to share knowledge, care for the hives and help protect the bee population.<\/p>\n The club also opens its apiaries to the public once a month \u2014 giving visitors a chance to see the work up close, learn about beekeeping and get a taste of life inside the hive.<\/p>\n \u201cThe cohesion of a colony. Everyone has to put in the work and do their job and do their role for the colony to be strong and to work,\u201d Mongerson said. \u201cWhat\u2019s good for the bee is good for the colony. What\u2019s good for the colony is good for the bee and I think we can all learn a little bit about that.\u201d<\/p>\n During a recent open house, club member Dale Kern walked visitors through what sometimes looks like chaos \u2014 from identifying drones to breaking down the different ways that bees communicate, select a queen or even ventilate the hive. <\/p>\n Beekeepers also demonstrated how smokers are used to safely calm the hive during inspections, giving visitors an up-close look at the organized chaos happening inside the box.<\/p>\n \u201cIf I\u2019m going through their hive, imagine it\u2019s their house. I\u2019m taking off the roof, I\u2019m rummaging through their rooms, their pantry, everything,\u201d Mongerson said. \u201cThey might be a little like, \u2018Hey, what\u2019s happening here?\u2019 What we use the smoke for is just to kind of mask the scent of any kind of danger pheromone that they might be feeling.\u201d<\/p>\n The monthly events continue drawing visitors of all ages \u2014 many looking to reconnect with nature and better understand the tiny pollinators playing a major role in the environment.<\/p>\n Club members can keep their own hives at the park, help maintain the apiaries and connect with others who share an interest in bees, honey production and conservation.<\/p>\n Click here<\/a> to join the club or attend an open house. <\/p>\n To submit an idea for What Connects Us, email whatconnectsus@wplg.com<\/a>. <\/p>\n \ud83c\udfe0 News From Your Neighborhood<\/p>\n Copyright 2026 by WPLG Local10.com – All rights reserved.<\/p>\n