Queen Bee

Alecia Crauswell Keeps Business Buzzing at Lakeland’s Red Roof Farms.

- MARY TOOTHMAN

After 24 years in military service, it was quite a career switch when Alecia Crauswell found her way into the beekeeping life at Red Roof Farms. But once a family member got into beekeeping, she found herself drawn to the fascinating world of the honeybee. Now, she’s a walking encyclopedia of bee facts and lore, and she’s clearly loving her role.

“My dad’s much older brother-in-law had hives when my dad was a young’un,” she says. “When Dad retired from the Army and we started planning a move back to my parents’ home state of Florida, Dad mentioned his interest in bees from his childhood. Being a daddy’s girl, I became interested as well. We started attending beekeepers meetings together and I became smitten.

“Every single one of these bees is an organism, but together, they are a super organism,” she explains, as she tells details of how the bees live, work, and buzz through their busy lives.

“I am passionate about honeybees. They are incredible little bugs. A honeybee hive is a community of sisters working together. Each bee is an organism, but they will not survive alone.”