MICHIGAN

Heroes to Hives

The Detroit News
Here comes the smoke! Adam Ingrao runs Heroes to Hives, which is a program that uses beekeeping as a therapeutic and entrepreneurial tool for returning veterans. Ingrao will use smoke, pumped into a hive of honey bees to calm them before opening the hive's boxes and frames. Ingrao is a U.S. Army Veterans Liaison and Agricultural Entomologist in the Michigan State University Extension Office. He runs an urban garden and keeps bees in a downtown Lansing neighborhood.
Here comes the smoke! Adam Ingrao runs Heroes to Hives, which is a program that uses beekeeping as a therapeutic and entrepreneurial tool for returning veterans. Ingrao will use smoke, pumped into a hive of honey bees to calm them before opening the hive's boxes and frames. Ingrao is a U.S. Army Veterans Liaison and Agricultural Entomologist in the Michigan State University Extension Office. He runs an urban garden and keeps bees in a downtown Lansing neighborhood.
Dale G. Young, The Detroit News
Honey bees busy working on a frame with a heavy load of honey even after their hive was opened.
Honey bees busy working on a frame with a heavy load of honey even after their hive was opened.
Dale G. Young, The Detroit News
Tom Kusar, a US Marine Corps veteran holds a frame, removed from a hive box that is covered with busy honey bees. Kusar is being coached by Adam Ingrao (in background,) who runs Heroes to Hives, a program that uses beekeeping as a therapeutic and entrepreneurial tool for returning veterans.
Tom Kusar, a US Marine Corps veteran holds a frame, removed from a hive box that is covered with busy honey bees. Kusar is being coached by Adam Ingrao (in background,) who runs Heroes to Hives, a program that uses beekeeping as a therapeutic and entrepreneurial tool for returning veterans.
Dale G. Young, The Detroit News
Honey bees guard the entrance to their hive.
Honey bees guard the entrance to their hive.
Dale G. Young, The Detroit News
Signs warn casual visitors away from hives of honey bees in this Lansing neighborhood.
Signs warn casual visitors away from hives of honey bees in this Lansing neighborhood.
Dale G. Young, The Detroit News
Adam Ingrao examines frames from a hive of honey bees with Marine veteran Tom Kusar(right) and Army veteran Marie Jaegers (left) in Lansing.
Adam Ingrao examines frames from a hive of honey bees with Marine veteran Tom Kusar(right) and Army veteran Marie Jaegers (left) in Lansing.
Dale G. Young, The Detroit News
Marine veteran Tom Kusar allows a honey bee to inspect his thumb after it's hive was opened.
Marine veteran Tom Kusar allows a honey bee to inspect his thumb after it's hive was opened.
Dale G. Young, The Detroit News
Honey bees cluster over a box of frames exposed in a hive. When the weather turns cold, the bees gather in a "ball" to stay warm.
Honey bees cluster over a box of frames exposed in a hive. When the weather turns cold, the bees gather in a "ball" to stay warm.
Dale G. Young, The Detroit News
Marine Tom Kusar holds aloft and admires a bottle of fresh honey.
Marine Tom Kusar holds aloft and admires a bottle of fresh honey.
Dale G. Young, The Detroit News
Adam Ingrao (center) jokes and fist-bumps with Marine veteran Tom Kusar (right) and US Army veteran Marie Jaegers in an urban garden on Oct 12, 2018 in Lansing. The fist bump came when Tom Kusar was told he was doing something right with his beekeeping program at home.
Adam Ingrao (center) jokes and fist-bumps with Marine veteran Tom Kusar (right) and US Army veteran Marie Jaegers in an urban garden on Oct 12, 2018 in Lansing. The fist bump came when Tom Kusar was told he was doing something right with his beekeeping program at home.
Dale G. Young, The Detroit News