Open Today: 9 A.M. - 4 P.M.
Location map
A concrete pathway winds through a lush, green outdoor exhibit. On the right, a large yellow sign reads "HONEY BEE GARDEN" in yellow and black text, featuring an illustration of a Honey Bee. A low, curved yellow wall runs alongside the path, and behind it, dense foliage. To the left, another yellow sign stands near a wooden bench. Further down the path, a rustic log beehive structure is visible among the trees.

Honey Bee Skep

Date Installed:
Region:
North America
Medium:
Mixed Media
2D/3D:
3D
Crista McGee and Joel Payne

This larger-than-life structure is built to mimic a traditional beekeeping basket used by beekeepers for nearly 2000 years, a skep. The honeycomb inside of the skep reflects the shape of the comb that would have been attached to the top of the basket when in use. 

The Honey Bee Skep was created by Crista McGee and the honeycomb by Joel Payne. Both previous Exhibit Designers at the North Carolina Zoo. 

The Honey Bee Skep and Honeycomb were created with concrete, steel, epoxy, fiberglass, and acrylic.

Sponsored by The Cook Foundation
The Honey Bee Skep is located within the Honey Bee habitat that is between the Desert Dome and Junction Plaza within North America.
A large, dome-shaped walk-through exhibit designed to look like a natural beehive. The exterior is textured brown, and the interior, visible through a large archway, is covered with a pattern resembling honeycomb cells. The exhibit is outdoors on a paved pathway, surrounded by trees with late-autumn foliage. A hexagonal informational sign is visible to the right.