I was the oldest of 5 children.  We were raised in a small, central Florida farming community known as Oak (near Ocala).  We had a very modest life style and had to work hard to survive the depression years.

From age four I had an “instinctive” curiosity and interest in living creatures, especially “bugs”.  Musical interest developed during grades 1-6 at a two-room country school.  We went to school bare foot! In high school clarinet became an obsession.  I was self-taught.  Later I became drum major and led the marching band.  I graduated from Ocala High School in 1951.

The most significant event of my life, at least to age 15, was the discovery of a dead tree that contained a wild honey bee nest.  Intrigued by these insects, I transferred them to a modern hive where they became my “pets”.  From that moment I was hooked on bees.  Initially I planned to become a professional, honey producing beekeeper in Florida.  This was my primary motivation through high school and undergraduate training at the University of Florida where I graduated in 1955.  Upon graduation I accepted a graduate assistantship at Cornell University.  Married by now to my high school sweetheart, we moved to the cold, snowy environs of Ithaca, New York. In 1959, at age 26, I received a PhD degree in Apiculture (the scientific study and management of honey bees), a very rare degree in the field of Entomology.

After 3 years of postdoctoral research at Cornell, I joined the faculty at the University of California (Davis Campus) in 1962 as a professor and research scientist, a career that would last 32 years.  Beginning in the 60’s, I developed secondary careers in the entertainment world as a musician and a “bee wrangler”, training bees to perform in action scenes in movies, television shows, and commercials.  Some accomplishments are: (1) published over 100 scientific papers and chapters in 4 books (2) played music professionally for 45 years, organized and led a Dixieland band (Beez Kneez Jazz Band) for 9 years (recorded 2 CDs), (3) did bee scenes in 18 movies (see filmography), working with about 40 well-known movie stars, (4) appeared as a guest in more than 70 TV shows (see filmography), (5) did 6 TV commercials with bees, (6) hold two Guiness world records for bee stunts, (7) have one patent for a bee apparatus invention, (8) performed over 25 years in the Sacramento Jazz Jubilee, the world’s largest jazz festival, (9) developed the “Thriller Bee Show” that was performed at fairs, festivals, and other events, including an event in Greece and (10) held membership in the Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Radio and Television Artists, and 10 professional organizations.  Other lifelong and current activities are: fishing, backpacking, tennis, traveling, and raising two children.

After a rewarding academic career, I retired in 1994. I’m still very active in music and bees. It’s a good life!