Honeybees & the Military

Written By Jodie Schram

From Battlefield to Beehive: The Military's Surprising History with Honeybees

Close your eyes for a moment and imagine this: You're standing in front of a wooden beehive on a warm summer afternoon. Thousands of honeybees buzz around you, entering and exiting their home in an organized dance. For some, this might trigger fear. But for one Army veteran who served with an elite combat aviation brigade, it's the sound of peace.

This veteran deployed to combat zones multiple times and came home carrying invisible wounds: PTSD, anxiety, the kind of mental weight that millions of veterans know all too well. But when he opens his beehives in rural Missouri, something remarkable happens. The constant noise in his head quiets. The world slows down. And for those precious moments, he's just listening to the hum of the bees.

I have a personal connection to this story. My oldest son is currently serving in the United States Army, and like any mother, I worry about his physical safety. But perhaps even more so, I worry about his mental and emotional wellbeing. This concern led me down a fascinating research path that revealed an unexpected connection between the military and honeybees, a relationship that stretches back over a century and is saving lives today in ways you might never imagine.

Honeybees at War: A Century-Long Partnership

World War I and the Beginning

Let's start our story where most people would never expect: with warfare. Back in 1919, something remarkable happened. The US Government recommended beekeeping as a vocation for transitioning veterans. This wasn't just about giving soldiers something to do; it was recognition that working with bees could help veterans cope with disability, health issues, and the transition back to civilian life.

World War II: Bees as Strategic Resources

Fast forward to World War II, and honeybees became absolutely critical to the war effort. In fact, beekeepers were not required to serve in the military due to the importance of their work. Think about that for a moment. While the nation was calling up millions of young men to serve, beekeepers got exemptions because what they produced was simply too important.

What made beeswax so essential? It was used for waterproofing, in medical bandages, as components in communication devices, and in countless other military applications. Despite shortages of sugar, the federal government also provided sugar to beekeepers in order to maintain their hives. When sugar was being strictly rationed for the general population, the government ensured beekeepers had what they needed.

Meanwhile, honey itself was invaluable. Its long shelf life made it ideal for military rations. It could be easily transported and stored without refrigeration, providing vital nutrition to troops in the field.

A Military Innovation That Changed Beekeeping

Here's a fascinating historical footnote: Franz Hruschka was an Austrian military officer who in 1865 invented a simple machine for extracting honey from the comb by means of centrifugal force. A military officer literally revolutionized beekeeping technology. His invention, the honey extractor, is still the basis for how we harvest honey today.

Modern Military Applications: Bomb Detection

Now let's jump to more recent history, because this is where things get really interesting. In the early 2000s, with American troops facing a deadly new threat from improvised explosive devices in Iraq and Afghanistan, military researchers began asking an unusual question: Could honeybees help detect bombs?

Scientists at Los Alamos National Laboratory developed something called the Stealthy Insect Sensor Project. Using Pavlovian training techniques common to bee research, they trained bees to give a positive detection response when exposed to vapors from TNT, C4, TATP explosives and propellant.

Here's how it works: researchers discovered they could train bees to stick out their tongues (their proboscis) when they smelled explosives. The training is remarkably fast. Bees can be conditioned in just a few hours, compared to the months it takes to train bomb-sniffing dogs.

And they're incredibly sensitive. The bees can detect the target chemicals in the air in concentrations as low as a few parts per trillion. To put that in perspective, that's like detecting a single drop of water in several Olympic-size swimming pools.

The system uses a digital camera with pattern-recognition software to detect when the bees extend their proboscises, indicating the presence of explosives. The portable structure makes it ideal for testing in airports, subway stations and at roadside checkpoints in war zones.

The Healing Power of Bees

So we've established that bees have been part of military history for over a century—from World War I rehabilitation programs to World War II supply chains to cutting-edge bomb detection technology. But the most profound chapter in this story is happening right now, and it's about healing.

One Veteran's Story

Let me tell you about one Army veteran's experience. He served for nearly 40 years, including two tours in Iraq. After leaving the service in 2017, he struggled with PTSD, anxiety, and depression…the invisible wounds of war that so many veterans carry home with them.

But something changed when he started working with bees at a VA Medical Center in New Hampshire. Working with the hives helped him break free from the cycle of anxious thoughts. Instead of being trapped in his trauma, he found himself focused entirely on the bees, their behavior, their needs, the work at hand. For the first time in years, his mind could truly rest.

The Science Behind the Healing

While researchers are still studying the therapeutic benefits of beekeeping, we're beginning to get real data. A quality improvement project published in the peer-reviewed Therapeutic Recreation Journal examined veterans participating in the HIVES Program (Helping Improve Veteran Experiences with Stress).

The study found that veterans experienced decreased anxiety and depression, and increased wellness scores. The research used a standardized assessment tool called the EQ-5D-5L, measuring quality of life before and after therapeutic beekeeping sessions. ANOVA analysis of data from summer 2022 showed significant changes from before to after the sessions in anxiety/depression and overall health. These are statistically significant results, meaning the improvements weren't just coincidence.

What Veterans Are Saying

One Army veteran who participated in the VA beekeeping program in New Hampshire described how working with bees gave her a mental break from the anxiety she felt in daily life. Before beekeeping, her mind was constantly filled with racing thoughts, making it nearly impossible to accomplish even basic daily tasks. The bees provided a way to quiet her brain and regain the ability to function.

Think about what she's describing. PTSD often manifests as intrusive thoughts. Your brain won't shut off, constantly replaying traumatic memories or staying hyper-vigilant for threats that no longer exist. The simple act of working with bees creates a space where that mental noise can finally quiet down.

Measured Results Beyond Anecdotes

The results go beyond feeling better. At the SAVE Farm beekeeping program, they tracked outcomes systematically. All participants previously diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress saw marked improvement in the way they view life. Most were able to sleep better and all reduced the number of medications they were taking.

Read that again: all participants reduced their medications. Better sleep. Improved outlook on life. Many reported that they were kept from taking their own lives by the program. We're talking about life-or-death impacts here.

Mental health professionals running these VA programs report consistently positive feedback. Veterans find real benefit from the beekeeping work, and importantly, those benefits extend well beyond the time spent at the hives, lasting for days or even weeks afterward.

Why Does It Work?

So what is it about beekeeping that creates these therapeutic effects?

First, there's the mindfulness component. Beekeeping requires complete presence. You can't be distracted when you're working with 50,000 stinging insects. You have to be fully focused on what you're doing right now: observing the bees, checking for disease, managing the hive. Research shows that 30% of veterans engage in mindfulness practices for reducing stress, PTSD, depression, and improving sleep, and 43% of veterans surveyed were interested in using mindfulness in conjunction with an enjoyable activity.

Second, there's a sense of purpose and responsibility. The bees depend on you. You're nurturing life, creating something positive. For veterans who may be struggling to find purpose after service, this matters enormously. Marine Corps veterans who've completed these programs consistently describe beekeeping as restoring a sense of meaning that was lost after leaving military service.

Third, there's connection to nature. Beekeeping gets you outside, working with your hands, observing the natural world. The repetitive, seasonal rhythms of managing a hive provide structure.

And fourth, perhaps the most important, there's community.

Building Community Through Bees

One of the largest and most successful programs connecting veterans with beekeeping is called Heroes to Hives. It started at Michigan State University in 2015, and it's grown into something remarkable.

Heroes to Hives: The Numbers

Since 2015, Heroes to Hives has trained over 11,000 Service Members and their dependents from all over the world. Think about that reach. Eleven thousand people.

The program offers a nine-month comprehensive education course that's completely free for veterans, combining online lectures with hands-on training. Students who complete the course are eligible to receive a certificate of completion, recognized by the USDA. Some can even transfer credits toward a Master Beekeeping Certificate.

Over 5,000 people participated in the program in a single recent year, making it the largest agriculture training program for veterans in the world.

More Than Just Beekeeping

These programs teach practical skills: how to establish apiaries, sell honey and wax products, potentially start a business. Some graduates have launched honey mustard businesses. Others make lip balms with beeswax. It provides a path to entrepreneurship and income.

But ask the veterans themselves, and they'll tell you the business skills aren't the main benefit.

One Army veteran who participated in Heroes to Hives and now runs a successful honey business says that working with bees helps him manage his PTSD. He describes a wave of calmness that washes over him when he opens a beehive and hears the humming of bees. But just as importantly, he values the camaraderie, connecting with other veterans who are beekeepers or aspire to become beekeepers.

That community connection is absolutely vital. Veterans often struggle with isolation after leaving the service. You go from being part of a unit, a tight-knit group that depends on each other, to suddenly being alone in civilian life. Veteran suicide rates are tragically high, especially among younger veterans. In Missouri, for example, military veterans die by suicide at three times the rate of the U.S. general population. This stark statistic underscores why programs that build community connections are so critical.

These beekeeping programs create new communities. Veterans meet regularly, share experiences, support each other. They have a common purpose and shared language.

Expanding the Movement

The movement is growing. Veterans Affairs has begun offering beekeeping at facilities including New Hampshire, Michigan, and other locations nationwide. University programs have sprung up across the country…the University of Minnesota's Bee Veterans program, University of Missouri's Heroes to Hives chapter, programs in Texas, California, Nevada, and beyond. Here, in Maryland, there’s Mission Beelieve.

Heroes to Hives hosted their first national conference June 27-28, 2024, bringing together 200 veterans and program participants from across the United States. It was held at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, a perfect setting to celebrate both bees and the community they've created.

There are also innovative partnerships forming. The partnership with Enel North America began in 2024 when the renewable energy company sought innovative ways to use land between solar panels more effectively. Now veterans are managing beehives at solar farms in Texas through the Hives for Heroes program, combining renewable energy production with veteran support and pollinator habitat.

The Research Continues

We need more research. As of now, much of the evidence is anecdotal or comes from small-scale studies. The Manchester VA has teamed up with a University of Nevada, Reno professor who studies PTSD to research whether beekeeping is helping veterans in their program. If the majority show improvement, they plan to study why and how.

This research matters because if we can demonstrate clear therapeutic benefits, we can expand these programs, secure more funding, and help more veterans.

Bringing It Full Circle

We started with honeybees in warfare, from World War I rehabilitation programs to World War II supply chains, from military innovations in honey extraction to cutting-edge bomb detection technology. The military and honeybees have been intertwined for over a century.

But the most important chapter in this story is what's happening right now in apiaries across America.

Veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, who carry the weight of PTSD, traumatic brain injuries, anxiety, and depression, are finding healing in an unexpected place: standing in front of a wooden box filled with thousands of bees.

They're finding mindfulness in the work. Purpose in caring for the hives. Community with fellow veterans. Peace in the gentle humming of bees going about their ancient work.

Program leaders and researchers consistently observe what they describe as "inherent healing" that occurs through working with bees, though the mechanisms are still being studied.

Programs like Heroes to Hives, the VA's beekeeping initiatives, Bee Veterans, Hives for Heroes, Mission Beelieve, and dozens of others are creating pathways for veterans and first responders to rediscover meaning, build new lives, and find the peace that eluded them after coming home.

These programs aren't claiming beekeeping is a cure-all. The programs are careful to say that beekeeping is just one of several benefits that could help a troubled veteran or first responder. But for the thousands of men and women who have participated, it's making a real difference.

And here's what really gives me hope: This is scalable. Beekeeping doesn't require massive infrastructure or expensive equipment. It can be done almost anywhere. The training is relatively straightforward. And the benefits, both for veterans and for our struggling pollinator populations, are profound.

How You Can Help

If you're a veteran or first responder struggling with PTSD or just looking for community and purpose, there are programs waiting for you. Heroes to Hives offers free training nationwide. Your local VA might have beekeeping programs. Universities and veteran organizations across the country are creating opportunities.

And if you're not a veteran but you want to support this work, these programs need donations, volunteer mentors, and people willing to spread the word.

From the battlefields of World War II to the rooftops of NATO headquarters, from bomb detection in Iraq to therapy apiaries in Missouri and Maryland, honeybees have been part of military history for over a hundred years.

But their most important mission might just be the one they're flying right now—helping America's veterans find their way home.

Research Studies and Sources Referenced

Key Research Studies:

Carter, V., Ingrao, A., Bennett, J., and Gould, C. (2024). "Healing Hives" - Published in Therapeutic Recreation Journal, Vol. LVIII, No. 4, pp. 413-422.

Los Alamos National Laboratory Stealthy Insect Sensor Project

DARPA Controlled Biological and Biomimetic Systems Program

Program Resources:

Additional Sources:

Take care of yourself, take care of each other, and take care of those bees.

Jodie Schram
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