Bee Therapy Hut FAQS
Unsure of what to expect with your experience? These FAQs will help you get the most out of your session.
What is Apitherapy?
Apitherapy is a broad term that covers most bee-related wellness treatments (api[s] = bee), including bee venom therapy. No need to worry, Heathen Honey’s apitherapy hut won’t put you in direct contact with bees. Your experience falls under “bee air therapy“.
Will I interact with bees?
While a few bees may be flying around outside, no. Your bee air therapy session will be physically separate from the hives. A fine metal mesh and wooden slats will separate you.
When are you open?
The bee hut is open seasonally for limited reservations Friday-Monday. The bee hut closes to visitors sometime in October and will re-open April or May.
Reservations are available up to 28 days in advance.
What time of day is best to reserve a session?
That depends on the experience you want. If you want bees at their most active, usually between 2 and 4pm. The bees are most active doing their orientation flights around 3pm, but as long as the temperature is warm enough, you should hear them.
Why can’t I wear perfume or cologne?
Bees are incredibly sensitive to smell, and wearing strong scents can cause them to abscond (flee their hive). The same goes for food and drink (though you’re welcome to bring water!). Wearing perfume/cologne can also mask the relaxing cedar smell for you, as well as for hut visitors after you.
What is the maximum guest count?
Accommodations can be made for up to 4 people, though the apitherapy hut only has 3 fully lie-down benches.
What can I do in the bee hut?
The hut is an ideal place to practice presence through meditation, sketching, reading, massage, or writing. Put your ears or face to the benches to really smell and feel the rich air circulating!
Where is the Bee air therapy hut located?
The hut is located at Growing Miracles Lavender Garden. Exact directions and parking instructions will be provided upon reserving your time.
Can I reschedule my visit?
Visits can be rescheduled or refunded up to 72 hours out from your appointment, whether something came up in your life, or if the weather looks to be a bit too cold for your liking (and the bees — they’re quieter below 60-65 degrees).
“I thought it would be louder.”
Hive noise varies a lot based on weather, temperature, wind, and the general activity inside. Just because you don’t hear a roar of bees doesn’t mean your body isn’t benefiting from being exposed to the vibrations and environment. In fact, you really DON’T want loud, roaring bees. It’s better if the bees are gently humming (sort of like the ocean) — loud, agitated bees can be overstimulating and mean that something is wrong in the hive. If you do want the loudest sound possible, reserving a time around 3pm will give you the highest chance of that.
Is smoking allowed?
Sam (the HBIC – Head Bee In Charge) uses a smoker while doing hive inspections and that is the only smoking that’s allowed at the Heathen Honey bee air hut.
Do I need to book in advance?
Yes! Because the bee hut does not have typical “open” hours, a reservation is required at least a couple of days in advance.
What can I expect during my visit?
Sauna-like visuals, a quiet hum of varying levels, the occasional cry from an osprey or bald eagle, fresh cedar smell, and, further into the season, the rich, occasional smell of the established hive below you.
Each experience varies based on temperature, time of day, etc. Even on the most active days, this is a gentle, meditative experience; not a loud or overwhelming one.
While the sounds you hear should all be from nature, keep in mind that this is on a working farm, and an occasional tractor may be heard in the distance.
How can I make the most out of my experience?
My top 6 tips:
– Check the weather to make sure temps will be 60 or over on the day & time of your visit before you book (this means the bees will be moving around).
– The warmer it is, the more active the bees. If you want a more audible sound, mid-afternoon is your best time!
– Wear comfortable clothing and easily removable shoes.
– Show up 5-10 minutes early for a brief intro and welcome your first time visiting.
– Bring a bottle of water in case you get thirsty.
– Settle in. Quiet your mind. Notice. Listen.
Will I be stung?
There is no 100% guarantee you won’t be stung while outside (you are outside, after all), but honeybees usually have no interest in you if you aren’t agitating them, in their hive flight path, or swatting at them. You’re about as at-risk of being stung as you are taking a walk through a flower garden.
What is the temperature inside the hut?
The bee hut is not temperature-regulated, so expect it to be slightly warmer than the outside temperature on sunny days and colder in the mornings. Please wear appropriate clothing to ensure you’re comfortable!
When should I arrive for my session?
Please arrive 5-10 minutes early for your session. Please do not arrive more than 10 minutes early, in the event that there is a booked session before yours. This helps mitigate external disruption for other guests and preserves the peace people find at the hut.
How does the bee hut help me?
A hive hum is about 220-300hz (around A3-middle C in music). This has a calming/meditative effect when you feel and hear it. Biophonic sounds (white-noise-like sounds found in nature) help your body feel safe. This hertz range is also associated with the heart chakra. Bee air is also very clean. Bees ventilate their hive, and the propolis they create has antimicrobial properties. The hive hut is the perfect place for meditation, therapy, and other grounding practices.
Read more about the bee hut and its benefits.
Is the bee hut Mobility accessible?
Your experience takes place inside a custom-built, rustic cedar hut designed specifically to maximize sound reverberation and create an intimate sensory environment.
Entry requires stepping up roughly 9 inches onto a step, and then another 4 inches up and across the hut threshold. The interior aisle width is 24 inches. If you have specific mobility needs or questions about space navigation, please reach out to us before booking your appointment so we can discuss the layout.
Bee Hut Construction FAQS
I love your hut, can you share the plans/blueprints?
There are no official designs or plans written down in any sort of compiled document for the Heathen Honey Bee Hut. This seems to be common among bee hut owners: they either don’t have the plans/blueprints, or are not interested in selling them. It’s likely why the relatively few publicly available bee huts in the U.S. are all unique.
If I decide to sell designs/plans, I will share it online.
Is there a standard bee hut design?
Not that I’ve found. I researched extensively before building mine and never found two bee huts that were exactly alike. Most appear to be custom-designed based on the owner’s goals, available space, and preferred hive configuration.
Was your bee hut custom-built?
Yes, it was custom-built out of mostly cedar and some birch. I had a design that I shared with a hired local contractor who was game for a creative build, and who built it on-site. The visuals, general specs/dimensions, windows, benches, hive insert design, etc. were all part of an intentional vision of mine that combined Scandinavian minimalism, ease of maintenance, hive comfort/care, inviting feel, and a nod to the bees’ perfect architecture.
I don’t keep bees, but want to get them and put them in a bee hut. Can I do that?
If you’re unfamiliar with bee biology and haven’t kept bees before, I would not recommend having your first colonies in a bee hut. Every hut requires an augmentation of hives on some level, which will be far less successful if you’re unfamiliar with beekeeping beforehand. There is also the liability of having bee hut guests when you’re unfamiliar with bee behavior.
Having a bee hut means being a responsible beekeeper, providing bees a safe place to live and overwinter successfully.
Do you offer consultations for people interested in building a bee hut?
Because I’ve received a surprising number of inquiries about building bee huts, I’ve recently begun offering one-on-one consultation calls for folks looking for more in-depth guidance. These conversations often cover things like design considerations, hive choices, inspections, visitor experience, marketing, operations, and lessons learned from running the bee hut, as well as another successful service-based business for the last decade. Email [email protected] with any questions about consults or to reserve a time!
What type of hives did you use?
I have two 25-frame and one 14-frame layens hives in the hut.
How do you perform inspections?
The hives are on drawer sliders, so they’re able to be slid out for inspections while the keeper stands to the side.