Carthage students are buzzing about local conservation efforts

Last month, the Carthage Entomology Club visited the Swiss Bee Chalet in Kenosha.

Curzio Caravati took students on a tour of the Swiss Bee Chalet and his local orchard. The trip aimed to spread awareness of the importance of sustainable beekeeping and to teach students how to support local insect populations.

Mary Gargano-Price (G-P) ’23, environmental science major and president of the org, was among the 13 students to attend. “The beekeeper, Curzio Caravati, was excited to give us a tour of his chestnut and apple orchard and a rundown of the wildflowers on his property,” said G-P. “We all took turns entering the bee chalet, where he explained how bees could keep themselves warm and the process of extracting their honey.”

Carthage students dressed in protective bee suits. Many members of the “Bug Club” have a passion for conservation, so they were thrilled to see real, local efforts, in addition to receiving free samples of fresh honey. “Curzio, at the end, let us try some of his products and answered a few questions on how he cares for his bees and what his farmer’s market stand sells,” said G-P.

The Swiss Bee Chalet sells their honey throughout the summer at the Kenosha Public Market.

The Entomology Club is currently swarmed with passionate students and hosts exciting events like this trip for majors of all kinds! Professor Angela Dassow, who helps to oversee the club’s success, even offers live specimens for the club to foster, such as Madagascar hissing cockroaches, Vietnamese walking sticks, pink-footed millipedes, a Zebra praying mantis, and an Antilles pinktoe tarantula.

The club welcomes new members, so plan to attend their next meeting at 8 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 30, in The Oaks 1 fourth floor lounge.

Learn more about the Entomology Club