Logan Cutts has honey running through his veins. Not literally, but beekeeping has been part of his family for more than five generations.
The story began in the 1800s, when his great-great-grandfather, J.M. Cutts, first started keeping bees. The passion was passed down to Paul Cutts, who, as the family likes to say, was “stung” by the love of beekeeping. Continuing that legacy, Logan’s grandfather, Laurence Paul Cutts, became the only beekeeper inducted into the Florida Agricultural Hall of Fame.
At just 16 years old, Laurence began selling queen bees. What started small eventually grew into a business providing bees for crop pollination across Florida, Alabama and Georgia. Thirty-four years later, he began working with the state of Florida to oversee apiary inspections, offering guidance to both commercial and independent beekeepers. Among his most notable contributions was the development of an improved beetle trap — “the better beetle blaster” — that, when used properly, more effectively eliminated small hive beetles.
The Florida Agricultural Hall of Fame describes his contributions this way: “Due to his leadership, determination and experience, Florida remains a leader in agricultural production. Without honey bees pollinating Florida crops, this state would be unable to produce the quantity and quality of various agricultural products it does today.”
Laurence Cutts passed away on Feb. 22, 2022, at the age of 86, but his legacy lives on.
Now, Logan Cutts, 27, is making his own mark on the beekeeping community. He learned from his father, Stephen Cutts, who learned from Logan’s grandfather. Today, Logan’s daughter is already following in his footsteps, becoming the sixth generation in the Cutts family to keep bees.
At home, Logan manages about 50 hives of his own. Across North Florida, that number ranges between 7,000 and 10,000 hives. Internationally, he serves as a beekeeping consultant in parts of Asia, the Philippines, Africa, Kenya and the Caribbean. With experience that spans generations and continents, Logan is now bringing his knowledge into the classroom, both as a teacher and as a student.
Logan serves as a student teaching assistant for the beekeeping course at the University of Florida. During a recent field day, students were scheduled to gain hands-on experience working with bees and learning how to split a hive. At 9 a.m., about 30 participants attended the UF/IFAS community course. Pulling double duty, Logan stayed afterward to wait for his university students, whose field day was scheduled later that afternoon. When the clock struck 3 p.m., he glanced at the registration list: 25 students had signed up. He looked up to see only four sitting patiently in the classroom.
Although the low turnout was disappointing, he focused on the students who showed up, eager to learn.
“I’ve been really privileged — my grandfather and my father taught me all that I know,” Logan said. “I’m happy to pass that on to people who have a genuine passion for honey bees.”
During the field day, students learned about hive structure, including the queen bee, worker bees, drones and royal jelly, and how each plays a role in the colony’s survival. Koral Rosa Otero, a senior at the University of Florida, said she used to be afraid of bees. After taking the course, she’s grown to appreciate them — especially after holding a newly emerged bee during the field day.
“Maybe I’ll have my own hive one day,” Otero said. “I think that would be fun.”
Honey bees are not native to the United States, and according to the United States Department of Agriculture, that makes them livestock. As a result, they require active management to thrive. While other pollinators — including butterflies, beetles, hummingbirds and bats — also contribute to plant reproduction, bees play the most significant role in pollination.
Many crops rely heavily on bee pollination, according to the University of Georgia Bee Program. As bees travel from flower to flower, they transfer pollen between male and female plant parts, enabling reproduction and the production of fruits and seeds. This cross-pollination increases genetic diversity, improves disease resistance and can lead to larger, higher-quality crops. Apples, cherries and blueberries, for example, depend on honey bees for approximately 90% of their pollination.
Pollination also strengthens shrubs and bushes, creating habitats that provide food and shelter for wildlife. In short, bees are essential to maintaining healthy ecosystems and sustaining the food supply for both humans and animals.
Despite their importance, bees face serious threats.
Two major pests — the varroa mite and the small hive beetle — pose significant risks to colonies. Small hive beetles invade hives and consume pollen, brood, honeycomb and even dead adult bees. Varroa mites are parasites that feed on honey bees, weakening them and spreading disease.
“The varroa mite is a huge factor. It’s considered one of the main pillars of colony collapse disorder,” Logan said.
Human activity adds to the strain. The University of Georgia Bee Program reports that pesticides can impair bees’ ability to navigate and forage, weaken their immune systems and reduce productivity. Habitat loss caused by urban expansion and industrial agriculture further limits the diverse food sources and nesting spaces bees need to survive.
Over the years, bee populations have declined dramatically.
“With all the losses we faced last year, some commercial beekeepers experienced between 60% and 70% losses — others faced 80% to 90%,” Logan said. “I’m a steward of a living creature, so it’s quite scary.”
In response, members of UF/IFAS are working to make bee conservation a larger community conversation. In collaboration with Alachua County, UF/IFAS offers a four-part beekeeping series open to the public. Each course focuses on a different stage of colony management throughout the year.
Tatiana Sanchez-Jones, commercial horticultural agent for Alachua County, leads the series alongside Honey Bee Lab Manager Chris Oster and volunteers Susan Harris, Melody Royster and Logan Cutts.
“This series is built to help beginner beekeepers during their first year,” Sanchez-Jones said. “It walks them through the specific things happening in their colonies throughout the year.”
The first class, held Nov. 1, covered honey bee biology, beekeeping equipment, how to start an apiary, hive inspections and recognizing signs that a colony is preparing to swarm or split. The six-hour session provided foundational knowledge before participants applied their skills in the field.
Four months later, on Feb. 21, the second class focused on identifying colonies preparing to swarm and practicing how to split a hive efficiently. When a colony swarms, about half of the bees — including the queen — leave to establish a new hive, significantly reducing productivity. By creating controlled splits, beekeepers can maintain colony strength while preventing natural swarms.
“When a colony of honey bees is ready to swarm, about 50% of the colony leaves with the queen to find a new home,” Sanchez-Jones said. “We take participants outside and have them practice making splits.”
Two more courses will conclude the series this year. On April 25, participants will learn pest and disease management, including how to respond to infestations or a failing queen. The final course, on May 16, will focus on honey extraction and hive management.
As for Logan, the lessons never stop. Between managing thousands of hives across North Florida and mentoring new beekeepers in the classroom, he believes education is essential to protecting an industry his family has sustained for more than a century.
With his daughter already showing interest, the sixth generation of Cutts beekeepers is beginning to take shape — ensuring that the work started in the 1800s continues, one hive at a time.