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LONGARE, Italy – When a Soldier at Caserma Del Din reported a wasp nest clinging to a fence line, Davide Doná got the call and went to investigate.

The Soldier was wrong. When Doná and other inspectors came to look, they found a queen bee forming a hive inside a chain-linked fence. The entomologists from the Directorate of Public Works under U.S. Army Garrison (USAG) Italy took careful steps to preserve a colony of bees. They were successful in moving the bees from Caserma Del Din to Caserma Ederle.

Preserving beehives is typically not a U.S. Army mission – but in the Vicenza Military Community, it’s an environmental obligation and a nod to community relations. Taking care of bee colonies is not only a conscious duty, it is a lawful order in Italy. According to Doná, bees are vital to the environment.

“Mamma mia,” Doná said. “Einstein said, ‘Without bees, humans would only have four years of life left.’”

At USAG Italy, enduring relationships with local Italian communities takes many forms, from U.S. Soldiers taking part in local events, commemorating holidays and attending festivals, to formal engagements with Italian leaders.

And sometimes, it means helping bees.

Doná explained that bees are incredibly sensitive to the environment and are the first indicators that the environment is in decline. From fruits on trees to a glass full of wine, bees’ pollination efforts make all these things possible.

Missions like these are reminders that collaboration beyond the gate strengthens not only ecosystems, but also trust, understanding and unity across nations. The movement of bees is an opportunity to align American stewardship with Italian ecological values.

Nestled between honeycomb homes sculpted from wooden houses, bees receive their assignments. They take off under a sizzling summer sun and fly through blooming fields full of wildflowers, fruit orchards and more.

These little yellow soldiers, equipped with stingers and uniformed in matching colors, are as regimented as they are expressive. They receive their marching orders every morning. They gather in formation and perform a “waggle dance,” which denotes the exact positioning for the bees’ movements in executing their orders. When the sun sets, the bees return to their hive.

As night fell, beekeepers wearing netted suits and wielding “tranquil smoke” that calms the hive’s residents, move swiftly under the moon’s light. They had their own mission.

Making sure the bees survive isn’t enough – they need to thrive. The beekeepers’ responsibilities required them to relocate the hive from Caserme Ederle to Caserma Miotto.

“They work all day and rest during the night,” Doná said. “If we moved the hive during the day, the bees would not be able to find the hive.”

Caserma Miotto, the new home for the 207th Military Intelligence Brigade – Theater (MIB-T), holds a strong connection to the local community in Longare.

“There is a parallel between our restoration of operations on Miotto and the habitat restoration and sustainability that bees offer – the 207 MIB-T’s presence at Miotto is simply using the space,” said Victorio T. Gutierrez, safety and occupational health manager for the 207th MIB-T. “We are actively participating in its revitalization, both physically and ecologically.”

The successful relocation of the bee hives from Ederle to Miotto represents more than just following seasonal patterns, it represents the 207th’s presence in Miotto as well.

“In the 207th, it’s more than the welfare of the Soldiers, it’s the welfare of the environment and the welfare of the community, and this work goes a long way for residents in Longare,” said Command Sgt. Maj. Daryl McNeil, senior enlisted advisor assigned to the 207th MIB-T,

These resilient yet delicate creatures not only sustain ecosystems through pollination, but they also serve as vital indicators of ecological health. In safeguarding them, we protect the balance of nature, ensuring that the hum of life continues from petals to plates, one mission at a time.

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