Apiary

Queens Farm’s apiary is the single, largest apiary in New York City – housing more than 2 million honey bees. This project, in partnership with Cornell University’s Dyce Lab for Honey Bee Studies and NYC’s Andrew’s Honey was completed in June 2020.  It continues a 40-year history of beekeeping at Queens Farm.

This new exhibition and demonstration site represents a model for teaching, learning, research, pollination and honey on a scale unmatched in New York City. The apiary increases rate of pollination at the farm and surrounding area and builds the farm’s production of honey tenfold to about 3,000 pounds per year in partnership with Andrew’s Honey. 

Stop by and see our new observation hive. This observation hive gives an up and close look inside a hive. View it on display now.

Native bee and honey bee populations have experienced declines in recent years due to climate change, development, pesticides, and other human activities. Bees are fundamental to our food system, with approximately ⅓ of food crops grown in the US reliant on their pollination. Queens Farm provides important habitat to support these extraordinary insects.

Queens Farm’s Apiary and Pollinator Programs were made possible, in part, by a generous donation from Richmond County Savings Foundation and Clif Bar Family Foundation.