Are you interested in pollinators and sustainable agriculture?
Do you want to learn how to help “Save the Bees”?
Come experience the exhilaration of discovering the
mesmerizingly busy, yet remarkably efficient, honey bee
colony. During this experience-based internship you will
have the opportunity to discover the inner life of bee society.
It is an incredibly complex, yet elegant democracy!
Duties and Responsibilities:
Students will work alongside an experienced beekeeper and educator, learning how to
responsibly care for, manage, and propagate honey bee colonies of all sizes. This position
will provide an opportunity to learn about the importance of pollinators, including native
species, as well as the necessity of flowering plants for nectar and pollen resources.
The intern will assist and collaborate on many activities that will vary by season, including but
not limited to:
• Beekeeping–monitoring health and productivity, managing swarming, making splits
(new colonies), and monitoring for pests & pathogens
• Research–participate in ongoing research quantifying selective breeding traits and
monitoring digital temperature and humidity sensors to study hive thermodynamics
• Honey Harvesting–uncapping frames, spinning & extracting honey, bottling, and
labeling jars
• Pollinator Gardens–caring for gardens, planting additional flower patches, and/or
helping to develop educational signage
Required Independent Project:
In addition to assisting with the above tasks, each student will select one of the following
independent projects. All projects require a draft submission (due at the midpoint of the
internship) and a final submission (due 1 week prior to the end of the internship).
• Project 1: Make a digital family tree for queen lineages. Use an app (e.g., SimpleMind)
to create digital genealogy flow charts. After completion, each family tree will be
printed out and several traits of interest will be overlayed on the trees.
• Project 2: Enter and analyze a subset of the selective breeding program data to help
identify the strengths of specific queens and queen lineages. Write a one-page
summary of the project and hypothesize about which, if any, traits appear heritable.
• Project 3: Create 3 publication-quality, scientific figures to illustrate sensor events from
our thermodynamics study. Each figure should have good composition, be easy to
follow, and clarify its purpose (why it matters? does it explain a process? show a
change? compare or contrast? show a relationship?) The high-resolution figures must
include a centered image with axis labels, headings, legends, a brief explanatory title,
a description of what is illustrated, definitions for any symbols, abbreviations, and
measurement units. Each figure should include all necessary information to ensure it
is completely understandable on its own. For more information on the sensors used to
generate the potential images see broodminder.com and an explanatory video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b53sPUlZyZ4).
Desired Qualifications:
• Must be punctual and reliable
• Attention to detail
• Ability to record data accurately
• Able to lift at least 30 pounds to your waist
• Must not be allergic to bees
• Requires transportation to/from farm (approx. 30min from MCLA)
Internship Location:
Musante Farm (musantefarm.com) is a family-owned farm that focuses on breeding Berkshire
County honey bees and educating beekeepers. We also produce delicious raw honey and
organic, pasture-raised chicken eggs. Our bee yards contains 50+ colonies and is situated
above picturesque rolling pastures and forestland in the town of Dalton. (240 Cleveland Rd,
Dalton, MA 01226). Farm is 2-minutes from Wahconah Falls.
Supervisor:
Amy has a Master’s Degree in ecology, evolution and animal behavior and takes a very
scientific approach to beekeeping. With a strong focus on evidence-based management, she
utilizes the power of natural selection extensively, as she works to fine-tune her own
population of regionally-adapted bees. She loves teaching, has overseen dozens of student
interns, and taught courses on animal behavior, vertebrate ecology, and evolution at the
University of California.
Compensation:
• This is not a paid internship.
• Funding may be available. APPLY EARLY! Inquire at your internship office.
o Alumni Sponsored Internship Program (upcoming application deadlines: April
28, May 20) https://careers.williams.edu/alumni-sponsored-internship-program/
o Environmental Studies Dept. (upcoming application deadline: April 7)
How to Apply: Send a letter of interest to [email protected] and include the following:
• Name & phone number
• School name, major, year
• Describe your interest in honey bees and this
internship
• Describe any experience recording data or
conducting research
• Explain which project interests you most and
why (note: this will not lock you into that
particular project)
• Why do you think you would be a good fit for
this internship?
• Do you have an allergy to honey bees? How do
you know?
• Do you have transportation to/from the farm?
• Number of hours required by your school
internship office and your dates of availability
We accept interns for a variety of seasonal projects: Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall.