Lee Rogers
Lee Rogers is a respected East Tennessee beekeeper, educator, association leader and honey bee removal professional. He is a University of Tennessee Master Beekeeper, Certified Inspector and Honey Bee Removal Specialist with seven years of hands-on experience managing approximately 45 colonies. As the owner of Hive Minded, Lee provides licensed and insured live honey bee removals, swarm relocation, thermal-imaging assessments, structural exclusion, colony rehabilitation, honey production and nuc sales throughout East Tennessee and across the southeast.
During the 2026 season, Lee has completed 35 documented structural honey bee removals, including challenging colonies located inside walls, ceilings, soffits, brick columns, crawlspaces, floor joists and commercial buildings. His work has taken him to homes, apartment communities, resorts, schools, hospitals and the East Tennessee State University College of Pharmacy. Whenever possible, he locates and saves the queen, preserves healthy brood and bees, relocates the colony to a managed apiary and completes the exclusion work necessary to prevent bees from returning.
Lee currently serves as East Tennessee Regional Vice President of the Tennessee Beekeepers Association and as Tennessee Director for the Eastern Apicultural Society. He is also actively involved with the Sevier County Beekeepers Association, where he helps organize beginner education, hands-on learning-apiary sessions, guest-speaker programs and community outreach. He regularly mentors newer beekeepers, participates in educational panels and advocates for responsible Varroa management, proper colony inspections and professional pesticide-free honey bee removal.
His practical experience includes queen and split management, swarm control, mite monitoring and treatment, honey production, colony rehabilitation and overwintering. In 2026, Lee reached a 460-pound honey-harvest milestone. Through Hive Minded and his association service, he combines formal education, extensive field experience, leadership and a genuine commitment to protecting honey bees while strengthening the beekeeping community across Tennessee.
