In 2018, the Bruin Beekeepers club was founded. Working to maintain both native bee and honey bee populations on campus, they used education, habitat restoration and research to raise awareness about bee diversity and conservation. 

Every one to two weeks, club members suit up in protective gear and check on existing hives. These check-ins ensure that the bees have enough water and food, as well as giving the beekeepers an opportunity to check for any pests or diseases. Currently, Bruin Beekeepers has built and installed a house for native bees in the UCLA Mildred E. Mathias Botanical Garden. This is in addition to managing existing honey bee hives on the roof of the Life Sciences Building. In the future, UCLA plans to install more small native bee hives across landscaped areas of campus. 

Learn more about the club at UCLA Newsroom. 

Image Source: Teal Thomsen