Tampa beekeeper elected as the 2023 American Beekeeping Federation Honey Queen

Selena Rampolla has a 'sweet' job, she works with honey bees.

Her fascination with them has just paid off in a big way.

For Rampolla, a bounty of honey is worth an occasional sting. 

Selena Rampolla began beekeeping after taken a class at USF.

Selena Rampolla began beekeeping after taken a class at USF.

READ: Crickets flood Idaho road as the insects descend on neighboring Nevada

"Honey is so delicious," said Rampolla. "And it also has many uses inside and outside of the kitchen. It has antibacterial properties, which makes it able to heal cuts and scrapes." 

Rampolla's curiosity with bees began in high school when she did some research. After she graduated from USF with a bachelor’s degree in Psychology, she took a beekeeping class. 

READ: USF professor set to reemerge after living 100 days underwater conducting record-breaking research

"The teacher of the course inspired me to be a beekeeper myself, and I started helping her with her hives throughout the summer and the rest of the year," she shared. 

Now she has just been selected as 2023 American Beekeeping Federation Honey Queen. Rampolla travels around the country telling people about the importance of Honey Bees. 

Rampolla loves telling people about beekeeping.

Rampolla loves telling people about beekeeping.

"I absolutely love it. I get to meet so many different beekeepers and meet so many different people across the United States and tell them about these amazing pollinators," she said. 

READ: Belmont Stakes: Arcangelo crosses finish line first, making Jena Antonucci first female trainer to win race

The Honey Queens are selected based on their communication skills and knowledge of beekeeping and Rampolla is a savant when it comes to bees.

Selena Rampolla is the 2023 American Beekeeping Federation Honey Queen.

Rampolla is the 2023 American Beekeeping Federation Honey Queen.

"A third of our diet requires pollination, and honeybees are the most common pollinators. So more than 90 crops in the United States are dependent on honey bee pollination. And honey bees provide $20 billion for US agriculture," Rampolla explained. 

Rampolla enjoys sharing her knowledge about the winged insects.

Honeybees are the most common pollinators.

Honeybees are the most common pollinators.

"Honey bees have fantastic communication skills, and they don't even have ears. They communicate through dancing and through unique chemicals that are pheromones," she said.

Rampolla hopes to keep buzzing around these unique creatures for years to come.

The American Beekeeping Foundation has been electing Honey Queens since the 1950s.