Ever since she was a little girl, Gabrielle Hemesath of Clermont didn’t run away in fear from a bee, but instead was fascinated with the fragile creature.

Now as a student at Iowa State University, Hemesath is the Am­­erican Honey Queen, owns a set of hives and works for Fassbinder Apiary near Elgin. She just wrap­ped up her freshman year in college where...