C O L L E G I AT E S P O T L I G H T
Helping the Honeybees Florida Delta EMILY FUHRMAN has been beekeeping since she was 15 years old. In high school, she joined the honeybee club with no prior knowledge of beekeeping and discovered a passion for helping bees. After enrolling at the University of Florida (UF), she became a part of The UF Honeybee Club. In her four years, she rose from member to social media director to Vice President. Through the Honeybee Club, she was able to take part in an internship her junior year at the UF/IFAS Honeybee
Research and Extension Lab. While interning, Emily worked on “Two Bees in a Podcast,” which aims to educate the public on honeybees, beekeepers and research. While interviewing experts, she broke down some of the misconceptions that people have about bees. “Many people have expressed their fear of bees, but I have never been stung while beekeeping,” she shared. She explained that the mission that drives her beekeeping efforts is educating people and spreading awareness. Bees are dying at record rates, and many people aren’t aware that they play a crucial role in agriculture as they pollinate one-third of the food we eat. Emily’s favorite part of beekeeping is honey extraction. This involves using a smoker to mask the bees’ fear of pheromones, so they remain calm when their hive is opened. After pulling out the frames and cutting off the caps, the frames are spun, and fresh honey is flowing in a matter of minutes. She shared that nothing is more rewarding than harvesting the honey from a hive that she has been monitoring closely for months. Being in Pi Phi has given Emily the opportunity to share what she’s passionate about and inspire other members to get involved. Emily encourages everyone to learn more about honeybees and what they can do to help them.
Emily working with honeybees as part of the University of Florida’s Honeybee Club.
SPRING 2022
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