Worker Bee Team Bio: Anne Frey

A beehive is made up of worker bees whose jobs are integral to the success of the colony. Here at Betterbee, our many worker bees are also very important to the success of our colony. Just like honey bees, we work many jobs and wear many hats within our hive to ensure all our teams have what they need to succeed. We’re thrilled to be able to share a little bit about our teams and their stories with you!

At Betterbee, Anne and a team of two others maintain about 250 hives and up to 500 nucs (depending on the time of year). Although the weather is getting cooler and "bee season" is slowing down, our Bee Team is still buzzing around, gearing up for winter. Even when working with the bees isn’t possible because of weather, our Bee Team works throughout many other operations of Betterbee to help keep everything running smoothly. From being out in the bee yards treating for mites to picking orders in the warehouse, they can do it all! We’re proud to introduce one of the members of our Bee Team, Anne Frey. 

Anne has been the Head Beekeeper at Betterbee since June 2019 but has been beekeeping for much longer than that. After becoming an EAS Master Beekeeper in 2002, Anne kept learning and teaching. She absorbed a lot from being a member of SABA (Southern Adirondack Beekeepers Association) through club activities. She worked her way up through SABA, becoming invaluable to its operation and leading the Annual Seminar and Bee School for many years. Her hobbies include reading (especially sci-fi) and bicycling. She dreams of her next cross-country trip. Since 1989 she’s been working with, and enamored by, our favorite 6 legged friend, the honey bee. We asked Anne a few questions to find out more about what makes our head beekeeper so great. 

Q: Do you have a favorite Quote?

A: "Fight the Mite!"

Q: Please share with us your top 3 favorite movies. 

A: Return of the King, Princess Bride, and Space Balls

Q: How about your top 3 favorite books?

A: The Blade Itself, The Forever War, and Vorkosigan Saga

Q: What do you do at Betterbee specifically? 

A: I care for our hives and nucs with the help of a few trusty people. I also teach with David and have made some educational YouTube videos. (Check them out here: Betterbee's YouTube Channel)

Q: What's your Archetype? (Find out your Archetype, too, by visiting https://www.archetypes.com/quiz)

A: 3 main types: 1st: Intellectual: Data-driven and thrives on thinking and learning. 2nd: Caregiver: Relationship-driven and thrives on caring and nurturing. 3rd: Explorer: Discovery-driven and thrives on adventure and travel.

Q: What do you like about working at Betterbee?

A: I like the varied nature of my role and the friendly coworkers.

Q: What's your background?

A: I have a Bachelor's of Science in Biology and have lived in New York State all my life. 

Q: What are the values that drive you?

A: What drives me is doing things well and having respect for life. 

Q: What things do you enjoy doing when you aren't buzzing around Betterbee?

A: I enjoy reading fiction, biking, and seeing my family and friends.

We hope you enjoyed learning about our head beekeeper, Anne, and our Bee Team. Keep your eyes peeled for future bios about our Betterbee worker bees!