Every year starting in August, Betterbee runs a contest in which the winning submission is selected as the upcoming Betterbee catalog cover! We receive hundreds of amazing submissions from our customers all around the world and wanted to take the time to share some of those with you! Thank you to everyone who chooses to participate each year. Our staff looks forward to voting on the top submissions every September!
Jason Crook - Our 2025 Contest Winner!
“Jason Crook is a dedicated beekeeper and the founder of Bohemia Apiary in Cecil County, MD, established in 2015. Starting with just one bee colony, he has expanded the apiary to over 100 colonies, focusing on sustainability, honey production, and conservation. Bohemia Apiary is involved in raising and selling bees, rearing queens, packaging honey, and selling beekeeping equipment and other hive products. This photo we call "Eye of the bee holder" was taken from a swarm we caught on a tulip poplar tree in Warwick, MD. The bee cluster fastooning made what appears to be a heart and the sun peeking through the bees festooning to hold the cluster together made for an amazing shot.”
Nikki Beck
“My name is Nikki, and I started beekeeping 10 years ago. Along the way, I became a Cornell Master Beekeeper and began a family business with my mom called Backyard Buzz, where we focus on celebrating honeybees and native pollinators through art and education.
Honeybees have opened new doors for me to learn about other insects, native pollinators, local nectar sources, and plants. They've also inspired me as an artist and given me the opportunity to connect with my community in meaningful and educational ways.
The photo I captured shows the honeybees returning to their colony with pollen baskets full, a beautiful glimpse into their hard work and the vital role they play in our world.”
Mark Cunningham
“After working all day as the Superintendent of Highways and Grounds in Cheshire Ct. the hum of the hives is a wonderful way to end the day. Being able to share the sweet rewards of a healthy hive with friends and family is very rewarding.”
Aleksandra Wocher
"I assist my fiancée with beekeeping. This is our second year beekeeping overall, but the first on our own. Last year we trained with a local beekeeper to be ready for own hives. My favorite times are spent just walking through the garden and watching the bees exploring and foraging flowers. This photo was taken during the mid summer when the coneflowers were blooming. The bees were all over the flowers, and would pick up so much pollen! For me, bees are an outlet for my creativity. They are ancient and beautiful, and help tie me into the seasons and nature. Between designing and painting the hives, and taking photos, being with the bees helps me see the world as a bigger place. I'm so glad to help keep them safe and free."
Melissa Kalis
"I've enjoyed working outside in the garden for as long as I can remember, around age 7 or so. Initially, growing fruits and vegetables and seeing the results of my labor were enough to motivate me each Spring to start seeds and prepare for another growing year. Now as an adult, I realize the importance of supporting the environment and helping our pollinators so they can continue to play their role in our food chain.
Keeping bees has been a serious hobby for almost six years while completing various education courses, currently enrolled in the UF IFAS Master Beekeeping Program since 2022. When the perfect opportunity opened up in 2023, I started a small business, bottling honey in a commercial kitchen and selling in local stores and popup events.
I enjoy bringing my observation hive to various schools and businesses to discuss bee health and hive behaviors with the goal of encouraging others to be aware of our pollinators or even begin their own beekeeping experience. Capturing still shots of various bee species and other pollinators in our backyard has been my latest fascination – it's truly amazing to see the nature that exists just 50 feet beyond one's backdoor.
I refer to this picture as the “lone drone” and it was taken inside a hive that had laying workers. After much consternation, I was able to requeen the hive and it's doing well inside a beautifully painted double nuc box that has gardenias on it."
Stacy Blaney
"I grew up in West Hartford, CT and I spent 8 years serving in the US Coast Guard based in Block Island and Station Pt Judith in Narragansett, RI. I obtained my bachelors degree at Baypath College and I got married in 2008. My husband and I had a son the following year and even though I've had an extreme fear of bees my entire life, I knew I did not want to instill my fear on my son. I pretended to not be afraid when a bee would fly within 6ft of us. My love for bees really started there, in my early 30s.
I became interested in bees more and more as I would teach my son why he didn't have to be afraid of them. As my knowledge increased, my fear decreased and my fascination for beekeeping began. When we bought our 2nd house in South Glastonbury, CT, I knew living in the middle of an old orchard was the perfect time to start my journey and face my fear head on. I joined our association, took a beekeeping course, shadowed my mentor for an entire year and bought multiple books. When I finally got my own colonies, I was able to sit often and observe them snapping photos in early mornings and peaceful evenings… it brought me a sense of peace. This particular photo I was able to capture right before the sun disappeared and the girls were coming home after a long spring day of foraging.
My appreciation for bees has definitely grown over the years. I now look at them and realize most of my fear has slowly been replaced with respect and that will always give me a sense of pride it's not an easy hobby and the learning curve is steep but it's completely worth every second of my time. It's another small way I can make a difference in this world, and that is what truly makes me happy."
Kelly Yura
"So I work full time in time for a financial company. I'm a wife, Mom (of 2 teenagers) and dog Mom. I like to spend time with my family, work out, shop, and quite often you will find me at a craft fair or event with our honey. This picture was taken by one of our beautiful lupines that the bees love so much. My husband Ryan and I own a small honey business called Yura's Apiary. We have hives in Bucks County and got started in 2015 when a neighbor who kept bees (for over 30 years)shared his passion for bees with us. In addition to honey, I make all-natural lotion bars and lip balm."
