The Boy of the Bees

Collecting the Sweetest Knowledge

By Kelly Thompson and Cheo Diaz Maldonado

In a world where traditional knowledge is slipping away and technology has captivated our time,  Vieques remains a place where you can tune in to a different frequency. On a quiet green farm the hum of tens of thousands of bees buzz with a purpose. At the center of it all is a six year old boy  who is driven by intense curiosity and a love for the bees. Much like the queen bee is fed the richest nutrients to grow on, Eliel’s young mind is nourished by the wisdom passed on to him by his grandfather. Here on this farm, nature and knowledge reign supreme.

Six year old Eliel Daniel Nivela Oneil works side by side with his grandfather, Marco Oneil, on weekends and after school, learning the values of hard work in the most hands-on way imaginable.

His grandfather Marco began his journey in beekeeping by taking a class with Jorge Cora at Jorge’s farm, Finca Consciencia, where Marco was introduced to the craft and its connection to the land. He learned to build wooden bee boxes from fellow beekeeper José Juan Rijos Cruz and later worked with Colmena Cimarrona, a farm dedicated to cultivating crops and teaching sustainable agriculture here on Vieques, where he continued to deepen his knowledge of bees. Marco went on to attend school in Fajardo, earning his certification as a beekeeper and later becoming certified in bee removal and emergency response. Along the way, he became part of the close knit community of beekeepers on Vieques, a group defined by camaraderie and a strong cooperative spirit. They share knowledge, tools, and time, and have created a network where experience is passed down generously and successes are celebrated collectively.

Today, Marco and his grandson manage more than forty hives in different locations around Vieques. Some bee boxes tower three stories high and house up to eighty thousand bees. Those larger hives require experience and caution. “The more bees, the more aggressive they are,” he explains. For that reason, he keeps his grandson Eliel by his side only at the calmer apiary sites where learning can happen safely.

The apiary’s name, Las Tres Reinas, is named after the three of Marco’s daughters, but when young Eliel is asked who the queen bee is in his own home, he answers without hesitation, {“My mom, of course.”}

Six year old Eliel lis not afraid of bees. To him, they are friends, teachers, and daily companions. Some kids might have a fishtank in their homes. At Eliel’s house you will find a transparent plexiglass box full of honeycomb and bees coming and going through an escape hole propped against an open window so the bees can collect pollen and bring it back to the hive. Eliel can spend hours watching the bees at work, pointing out the queen, identifying nectar stores, and explaining their roles with a clarity that feels far beyond his years.

His fascination began the moment Marco brought home a piece of honeycomb. The texture, the pattern, the sweetness captivated him. Soon after, he stepped into his first beekeeper’s suit at just three years old.

“I’m not afraid of them because I have my suit and my gloves,” he says holding up a gloved hand with three out of the five fingers flopped over, his tiny little fingers not yet filling the stitched spaces.

Trying to photograph Eliel is like trying to photograph a worker bee. He is constantly in motion, buzzing from place to place across the farm with curiosity and excitement, knowing where he can break into a full sprint and where he must slow to a calm, careful step. One moment he’s a buzz of light, running in his white protective suit like a miniture astronaut escaping gravity. The next he’s examining something tiny with total focus, completely absorbed in the wonder of it. His enthusiasm spills over onto the family’s social media pages, Apiario Las Tres Reinas, where he eagerly shares what he is learning with anyone willing to listen.

And boy, have they listened. Marco describes himself as a shy jíbaro, a humble country man who never imagined speaking publicly about his work. Yet through Eliel’s enthusiasm, that has changed. “I have been on the radio, on TV, on social media,” he says, laughing as he gestures a thumb toward his grandson. “All because of this guy. He is the best spokesperson we have.”

During interviews, Marco sometimes finds it hard to get a word in. As I direct a question at him he opens his mouth to speak, then closes it, smiles and winks with obvious pride as his grandson interrupts with rapid fire answers, full of intensity and knowledge about the apiary and the bees.

The honey they produce carries the flavor of Vieques itself. Bees forage on mesquite blossoms and mangrove flowers, creating a honey that is distinctly local, rich, aromatic, and reflective of the island’s unique ecology. But the work here is not just about honey. Together, Marco and Eliel cultivate the land, growing gandules, squash, avocados, pineapples, watermelon, and more. It is a full circle of sustainable farming rooted in tradition and respect for nature. When asked what his jobs are at the farm, Eliel does not hesitate.

    “Everything. I will do whatever he tells me to do.”

Imagine that...

in a world where convenience and technology are slowly replacing traditions rooted in experience, there’s a boy learning lessons that extend far beyond the farm. He’s earning a living inheritance - the value in working hands, seasons that return, and in the wisdom of those who came before us.

Working with bees teaches discipline, focus, and respect, qualities Marco hopes will guide his grandson throughout his life. “It is important to take care of Vieques, the land and the plants. It is the most important thing I can teach him.” Marco says. Silently sitting beside him, Eliel turns his small fist over and over, his nose just inches away, completely devoted to a worm he found while planting a guava tree. He watches the tiny creature manuever over his knuckles and then carefully places it back in the ground “to do its work.”

At Apiario Las Tres Reinas, the next generation is already hard at work. Here, knowledge is not downloaded, it is carefully passed on by the steady guidance of a grandfather to his 6 year old grandson. Combined with the boundless curiosity of a child, an essential bond is formed and a future is rooted in something everlasting. When asked what he would like to do in the future, Eliel says he dreams of becoming a scientist and, of course, studying bees.

Vieques is proud of its youth who are preserving traditions and protecting the natural world that sustains us. Thank you, Eliel, and thank you, Marco, for nurturing a bond and passing on a knowledge as sweet as the honey you collect together.