By Johann Asmus León, Class of 2026, Co-Founder and Beekeeper of the DKU Hive Minds Beekeeping Club
Before the summer heat finally slips away, a group of 14 DKU students made one last trip out to Yangcheng Lake to visit our favorite beekeeper, Aping. The day hit 30 degrees, but the bees didn’t seem to mind: they were buzzing with full end-of-season energy.
We suited up in protective gear and stepped right up to the hives, watching thousands of bees working together in perfect rhythm. The highlight came when Aping cracked open a frame and offered us late-season honey, fresh and dripping straight from the comb. The flavor surprised everyone, so much deeper and richer than the lighter, floral notes we’d tasted back in spring.
Sticky from sweat and the sweet honey on our fingers, this was honestly the perfect way to wrap up summer: standing in the last wave of heat, surrounded by friends, learning about our local bees, and tasting fresh, local produce.
About the Hive Minds Community Beekeeping Initiative:
The Hive Minds Community Beekeeping Initiative began in Fall 2023 as a CSCC Community Service Project led by Johann Asmus León to respond to the global decline of bee populations — an environmental crisis with direct implications for biodiversity and agriculture. In Kunshan and the Yangtze Delta region, the loss of local pollinator species threatens both farming and native ecosystems.
To address this, Hive Minds has partnered with local beekeepers — including those at Fairmont Hotel Yangcheng Lake and Yuefeng Island Organic Farm — to give DKU students hands-on experience in beekeeping, sustainability, and community engagement. Since its founding, the initiative has organized about seven visits and related activities, providing students with practical learning while also supporting local beekeepers through collaboration and financial contributions.
