Laurence Paul Cutts’ father was a beekeeper, so it came as a natural progression that he would follow in his father’s footsteps. At 16, Laurence began raising queens to sell. This grew into a business in which he produced and sold honey and provided bees for pollination for various crops in Florida, Alabama and Georgia. He worked in this business until 1985, when he accepted a position with the state of Florida overseeing the state’s apiary inspections.

During his employment with the state, the varroa mite and small hive beetle were creating major problems for beekeepers throughout this state. Laurence was instrumental in bringing the need for research to reduce beehive losses to the forefront. Throughout his tenure with the state, he was always accessible to both commercial and independent beekeepers with unlimited advice and direction. A commercial beekeeper with over 8,000 hives once remarked that without Laurence he would have lost everything.

He recently invented and is marketing a new beetle trap through various bee supply companies in the United States. This trap promises to be a better deterrent for the small hive beetle.

Laurence was known as a leader in the state’s beekeeping industry and as such was a much sought-after speaker and teacher. Due to his leadership, determination and experience, Florida remains a leader in agricultural production. Without honey bees pollinating Florida crops, this state would be unable to produce the quantity and quality of various agricultural products it does today