The Alabama Museum of Natural History has a new honey bee exhibit and we need YOUR help naming the queen!
What is a queen bee?
The term queen bee is typically used to refer to an adult, mated female that lives in a honey bee colony or hive; she is usually the mother of most, if not all, of the bees in the beehive. Queens are developed from larvae, selected by worker bees, and specially fed in order to become sexually mature. There is normally only one adult, mated queen in a hive, in which case the bees will usually follow and fiercely protect her.
How the Contest Works:
- Submissions for the contest can be submitted in one of two ways:
- (1) Online through this form: https://universityofalabama.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_afVt8ZrNOgQP9Ge –OR-
- (2) In person at the Alabama Museum of Natural History where submission pages can be found on the third floor at the “Buzz about Bees” exhibit
- Contest begins April 22 at 10:30 AM CST and ends May 31 at 5:00 PM CST
- All submissions, online and in person, will be reviewed by the “Name our Queen Honey Bee Contest” committee at the close of the contest. The committee will choose three favorites from all submissions.
- The three names chosen will be presented to the public through Alabama Museum of Natural History social media channels on June 11 @ 12:00 PM CST. The public will then choose their favorite from the three selected names, ending on June 25 at 5:00 PM CST.
- The name with the most public votes, as tallied from all social media platforms utilized in public campaign, will be the winner of this contest and the new name of our queen honey bee.
Contest Rules:
- One submission per participant (either an online submission or in-person submission)
- Any age may submit
- Names submitted must be appropriate for a public museum setting
- Entries must be submitted through this form
- All entries will be reviewed by the “Name our Queen Honey Bee Contest” committee at the close of the contest
- The committee will submit their top three choices to the public through Alabama Museum of Natural History social media accounts for public vote
- The public will ultimately choose the winner as measured by the votes tallied from all Alabama Museum of Natural History social media platforms utilized in public vote campaign
- The winning name will be engraved on a plaque and added to the beehive exhibit!
Dates to Keep in Mind:
Contest dates:
April 22 at 10:30 AM CST – May 31 at 5:00 PM CST
Social media vote:
June 11 @ 12:00 PM CST – June 25 at 5:00 PM CST