Advancing bee science and pollinator conservation

Welcome! Housed in the College of Agriculture’s Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, we are the AU-BEES (named after Auburn’s world-famous mascot Aubie). Our outreach, extension, and research activities benefit our local community while educating the public on our vital work.

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Bee Center Team

Our impact

Au-Bees outreach coordinator, Noah Crockette speaks to a group during Student for a Day.

Outreach

We actively engage the public in honey bee and native bee stewardship by hosting hands-on workshops, publishing educational content online and visiting with community groups and schools.

Are you or your organization interested in learning more about Alabama pollinators? We would love to tell you all about the Bee Center and what we do! All event requests go through a short form. We look forward to hearing from you!

Questions about outreach? If you have submitted the form and still have questions, you can email bees@auburn.edu and we'll get back to you.

Bee Center Event Request Form

A bee keeper pulls out a hive frame for observation.

Research

Through interdisciplinary research, we bring together experts dedicated to safeguarding managed honey bee colonies and native bee populations and enhancing their role in agroecosystems across Alabama and beyond.

Bee Center Research

A close up of brood

Winter-Capped Brood Monitoring

To help beekeepers make appropriate management decisions during winter and early spring, 17 land-grant universities, one statewide cooperative extension system, five USDA ARS labs (Baton Rouge, Beltsville, Poplarville, Stoneville, Tucson), and three beekeepers are jointly monitoring the amount of capped brood in their colonies throughout the country from mid-October to the end of February.

Brood Monitoring

Job Opportunities

We often have opportunities for undergraduate workers. If you have an interest in working for the Bee Center, send an email to Kristen De La Fuente for more information.
Our honey

Honey is a truly amazing thing. Mainly composed of simple sugars and water, its value as a natural sweetener and rapid source of energy has been known for millennia.

Several different bee species produce honey. Among the most well-known is the western honey bee Apis mellifera. It’s the only species of honey bee in the United States.

The color, flavor, and aroma of honey are influenced by many things, but the most important is the type of sugary secretion collected by the foragers of a colony. Perhaps it is floral nectar collected from plants like clover, goldenrod, or tupelo, or maybe it is animal secretions produced by other insects like aphids. With a bit of modification, both can result in honey!

Learn about AU-Bees honey

Bee Center News

honey bee colony
Research and Innovation
U.S. Beekeeping Survey released its annual colony loss estimates

Today, the U.S. Beekeeping Survey released its annual colony loss estimates for American honey bee colonies from April 2025 to April 2026. Led by Auburn University, in collaboration with Oregon State University and the Apiary Inspectors of America, the national survey revealed losses of 39.9% during the survey period.

a beekeeper handles a hive tray
Impact
Annual Beekeeper's Symposium

Next month, honeybee enthusiasts are invited to attend the 31st Annual Alabama Beekeepers Symposium. The event will take place on February 7.

a close up of bees
Impact
Buzzing with purpose

The buzz at Auburn's Bee Center isn’t just about harvesting honey for the AU-BEES program. It’s also about groundbreaking research, immersive student experiences and impactful community outreach.

Contact

Geoffrey Williams
Associate Professor
301 Funchess Hall
Auburn, AL 36849
(334) 844-5068

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