Wellington Bay brings beekeeping to senior living

Beehives are maintained on the grounds of Wellington Bay through a partnership with urban beekeeping company Alvéole. [Photo by Wellington Bay]

Some of the newest residents of Wellington Bay are bringing a little sweetness to senior living.

The Wellington Bay senior living community has welcomed a colony of honeybees through a partnership with urban beekeeping company Alvéole. The hive is sparking curiosity among residents and inspiring plans for honey tastings, workshops and honey-themed cocktails.

Wellington Bay’s grounds offered a natural setting for the hive. The community occupies 46 acres with four lakes, abundant trees and landscaping, and a small preserve next door. Campus Director Jay Mikosch saw an opportunity to bring in bees to help pollinate the surrounding plants while giving residents something new to explore.

For some, the enthusiasm came naturally. Several residents belong to the Wellington Gardening Club, and others helped establish a butterfly garden in a courtyard. A hive offered another way to indulge their interest in the outdoors and the environment.

Others needed a little convincing.

“There were some who had a little apprehension,” Mikosch said, but the program is catching on.

Staff worked with Alvéole’s beekeeper to choose a location away from residential entrances and living spaces. Residents can see the hive from a distance and observe when the beekeeper visits to check on the colony.

With the bees settling in, curiosity is spreading. One resident recently left Mikosch a voicemail asking where she could find the hive. She had missed the town hall announcement but heard about it from a neighbor and wanted to take a look.

“I was excited that residents are talking about it,” Mikosch said.

A contest to name the queen bee has added to the fun, drawing nearly 60 suggestions from residents and staff.

The first workshop, “What’s the Buzz,” is planned for this month and will include a

honey tasting. Mikosch also hopes to offer a beeswax candle-making workshop for independent living residents early next year.

The culinary team is joining in, too. Executive Chef Joshua Crane plans to incorporate honey into dishes throughout the year, and a monthly honey-themed drink program pairs cocktails with facts about bees. Mikosch said the first selection was expected to be the bee’s knees, a vintage gin cocktail.

The hive offers an outlet for residents’ curiosity.

“They are always wanting to learn,” Mikosch said.

Wellington Bay is set to receive 100 jars of honey produced by its colony. Mikosch plans to share them with residents who take an active interest in the hive and workshops. An additional 100 purchased jars will serve as gifts for prospective residents.

The honey from Wellington Bay’s hive will offer residents a taste of their surroundings. Not all honey is the same: The flavor and color vary with the plants and flowers the bees visit.

The initial partnership lasts a year, extending into 2027, and Mikosch hopes it will continue. For him, the appeal includes the fun of the activities and the opportunity to help residents learn about bees’ role in the environment.

“There’s so much more to this than just simply bees and honey,” he said.