Join Connecticut’s Back Yard Beekeepers Association for an in-person (or Zoom) presentation on May 24 at 7:30 p.m. at the Norfield Congregational Church in Weston. In keeping with the club’s mission statement, “to provide our membership with a forum for sharing knowledge and mutual interests in beekeeping, and to educate and promote the benefits of beekeeping to the public,” programs are offered continuously throughout the year.
The speaker this month will be young beekeeper Raina Jain, who believes entrepreneurship and science are powerful ways to make an impact. She is the inventor of HiveGuard, a patented device that works to eliminate varroa mite infestations from honeybee hives, the root cause of Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD). Visit the club’s website to register https://backyardbeekeepers.com.
Jain’s work with honeybees awarded her a spot in the 2020 Regeneron Science Talent Search, one of 40 students selected nationally. She is also the recipient of a first-place and best-of-category award at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair and received a minor planet in her name by the MIT Lincoln Laboratory.
When her lab shut down during Covid and HiveGuard came to a pause, Jain founded Queen Bee, wellness supplements infused with honeybee byproducts where a pollinator tree is planted for every bottle sold. She recently launched in Whole Foods Market and is rapidly expanding to other national retailers in the coming months.
Her work with honeybees has been featured in “Forbes Magazine” and “Bee Culture,” a niche magazine for America’s beekeepers. With a passion for science, entrepreneurship and long-distance running, Raina’s motto is: “Have big goals and even bigger dreams but remember to take one step at a time.”
