Short, in-depth, plain talk discussions of all things honey bees, with Dr. Jim Tew and occasional guests.
The podcast Honey Bee Obscura Podcast is created by Jim Tew. The podcast and the artwork on this page are embedded on this page using the public podcast feed (RSS).
Varroa mites remain a persistent challenge for beekeepers, and effective management is key to colony survival. In this episode, Jim Tew welcomes Anne Frey from Betterbee to discuss practical approaches to monitoring and controlling mites.
Anne explains why beekeepers must check for mites every two to four weeks, even when early-season counts appear low. She and Jim explore detection methods, from sticky boards for beginners to more advanced sampling techniques, and emphasize how quickly mite populations can escalate if left unchecked.
Treatment strategies depend on colony size and seasonal conditions. Anne discusses organic acids like Formic Pro and oxalic acid, synthetic options such as Apivar, and why DIY treatments are unreliable. They also explore non-chemical approaches, including drone brood removal, which Anne summarizes with the phrase, “When they’re capped, the mites are trapped.”
Timing is critical, and waiting until fall to treat can be too late. Managing mites throughout the season helps prevent virus transmission and ensures stronger winter colonies. Jim and Anne highlight the importance of consistent mite monitoring and encourage beekeepers to use reliable resources like the Honey Bee Health Coalition for science-based treatment guidance.
Mite management is a year-round responsibility. Whether you’re new to beekeeping or experienced, this conversation offers practical insights to keep your colonies healthy.
Honey Bee Obscura is produced by Growing Planet Media and is a sister podcast to Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Thank you for listening! Be sure to subscribe and leave a review.
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Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
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Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Cartoons by: John Martin (Beezwax Comics)
Copyright © 2025 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
Managing large honey bee colonies comes with its own set of challenges and rewards, but are bigger colonies always better? In this episode, Jim Tew is joined by Anne Frey of Betterbee to explore the benefits and potential downsides of managing large hives. Picking up from last week’s discussion, they dive into the complexities of oversized colonies, swarming tendencies, and strategies for keeping bees at a manageable size.
Jim shares his experience as a beekeeper who once sought out massive colonies but now prefers smaller, more manageable hives. Anne brings her perspective from working with New York beekeepers, discussing how colony size can impact honey production, hive efficiency, and even beekeeping enjoyment. They talk about the natural inclination of honey bees to expand, how to slow colony growth, and why some beekeepers may choose to let their bees swarm.
The conversation also touches on practical solutions for controlling hive size, from strategic brood management to using frame isolation cages. They discuss the challenges of making splits when you don’t want to expand your operation and explore alternative ways to manage excess bees. Whether you’re a beekeeper striving for high honey yields or simply trying to maintain a manageable number of colonies, this episode offers valuable insights into the pros and cons of big hives.
Honey Bee Obscura is produced by Growing Planet Media and is a sister podcast to Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Thank you for listening! Be sure to subscribe and leave a review.
______________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Cartoons by: John Martin (Beezwax Comics)
Copyright © 2025 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
In this episode, Jim Tew takes a deep dive into the world of big colonies, posing the question: Are larger hives always better? With his signature blend of humor and beekeeping wisdom, Jim unpacks the complexities of managing booming colonies, reflecting on the pros, cons, and unintended consequences of letting colonies grow to massive sizes.
Jim discusses the labor-intensive demands of large hives, from the physical strain of handling heavy boxes to the increased challenges with swarm management, disease control, and even neighborly relations. Drawing from decades of experience, he shares personal anecdotes—including a memorable encounter with his grandson in an unexpectedly powerful hive—that highlight the sometimes-overwhelming nature of big colonies.
But it’s not all doom and gloom. Jim acknowledges the undeniable benefits of strong hives, such as impressive honey production and robust pollination capabilities. However, he reminds us that bigger isn’t always better, especially when considering the beekeeper’s goals, physical limitations, and local environment.
Whether you prefer managing small, easy-to-handle colonies or love the challenge of bustling hives bursting with bees, this episode will give you plenty to think about. Tune in for candid reflections, practical advice, and a fresh perspective on what it really means to manage big colonies.
Thank you for listening! Be sure to subscribe and leave a review.
______________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Cartoons by: John Martin (Beezwax Comics)
Copyright © 2025 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
This week, Jim Tew takes a nostalgic yet practical dive into the evolution of plastic in the world of beekeeping. From his early days in the 1970s, when plastic was virtually non-existent in beekeeping equipment, to its widespread adoption in everything from frames to veils, Jim reflects on how this material has shaped the industry.
Jim shares anecdotes about the challenges of using glass honey jars, metal extractors, and wooden cages in the past—and how plastic innovations, such as plastic foundation, queen cages, and five-gallon buckets, have transformed beekeeping. He discusses the pros and cons of plastic equipment, including its environmental implications and the improved convenience it brings to everyday beekeeping tasks.
Whether you’re a seasoned beekeeper who remembers the early days of this transition or a newer beekeeper curious about the history of your tools, this episode offers a thoughtful perspective on the role of plastic in beekeeping and its lasting impact on the craft.
Listen today to reminisce with Jim, explore the benefits and challenges of this material, and consider what the future might hold for plastic in beekeeping.
Thank you for listening! Be sure to subscribe and leave a review.
______________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Cartoons by: John Martin (Beezwax Comics)
Copyright © 2025 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
In this week’s episode of Honey Bee Obscura, Jim Tew delves into the challenges and dilemmas beekeepers face when managing small, struggling colonies in the heart of winter. With his signature mix of candor and experience, Jim explores the emotional and practical aspects of trying to save weak hives during the harshest months.
Jim shares personal anecdotes about a small swarm that settled in one of his hives, only to struggle against the odds. From emergency feeding with honey and fondant to the futility of late-season interventions, he discusses the fine line between helping a colony survive and simply prolonging the inevitable. Along the way, Jim reflects on the stressors that bees face—both natural and those inadvertently caused by beekeepers.
Whether it’s finding innovative ways to provide winter sustenance or grappling with the ethical questions of colony management, Jim’s stories resonate with beekeepers of all experience levels. He also reflects on the broader concept of stress—both for bees and beekeepers—and the delicate balance between intervention and letting nature take its course.
Join Jim as he navigates the complexities of winter beekeeping, offering insights that are both practical and thought-provoking.
Listen Today!
______________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Cartoons by: John Martin (Beezwax Comics)
Copyright © 2025 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
In this special archive episode of Honey Bee Obscura, Jim Tew and the late Kim Flottum dive into the age-old debate between starting with packages or nucleus colonies (nucs). Whether you’re a beginner beekeeper or looking to expand your apiary, this episode provides invaluable insights and practical advice to help guide your decision-making.
Jim and Kim discuss why packages are often the preferred choice for beginners, emphasizing their simplicity and control. They explore the advantages of nucs, which allow for faster colony growth and even the potential for a honey harvest in the first year. The conversation also delves into the challenges associated with both methods, including population drops in packages and the increased risk of varroa mites in nucs.
Throughout the episode, they offer practical tips for selecting and managing both packages and nucs, ensuring your colonies have the best possible start. Their candid and informative discussion highlights the considerations beekeepers should weigh when preparing for spring and making decisions about their next colony purchase.
Join us for this insightful episode, where two legends of the beekeeping world share their expertise and experiences to help you succeed in your beekeeping journey.
Listen Today!
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Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Cartoons by: John Martin (Beezwax Comics)
Copyright © 2025 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
In this archive special from November 2021, Jim Tew and Kim Flottum explore the fascinating—and sometimes unpleasant—world of bee yard smells. Odors are an integral part of the beekeeping experience, offering clues about the hive’s health and activity. From the smoky aroma of a well-used smoker to the sour, unmistakable stench of a dead-out hive, every scent tells a story.
Jim and Kim share their insights on favorite smoker fuels and how the choice of fuel creates unique and nostalgic scents. They also reflect on the comforting, familiar smells of stored beekeeping equipment, which often evoke memories of time spent in the apiary. The conversation delves into the sharp, almond-like warning of sting pheromones and the critical importance of recognizing the sour, unpleasant odor of American foulbrood to protect your bees.
Whether the smells are good, bad, or downright disagreeable, they are a part of every beekeeper’s journey. Join Jim and Kim as they recount their experiences, share advice, and reflect on how the aromas of the bee yard are as much a part of beekeeping as the bees themselves.
Listen Today!
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Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Cartoons by: John Martin (Beezwax Comics)
Copyright © 2025 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
In this archive special episode of Honey Bee Obscura, Jim Tew is joined by Anne Frey from Betterbee to discuss the unpredictable and sometimes puzzling world of queen honey bees. While queens are typically diligent workers with a singular focus on laying eggs, anomalies can and do occur, leaving beekeepers scratching their heads.
Jim and Anne share fascinating stories of queens fainting in the beekeeper’s hand, queens with physical deformities that still manage to thrive, and the challenges of marking queens without mishap. They delve into the history and controversy of clipping queen wings, and the art of applying paint marks—a practice that can go hilariously wrong if not done with care.
The episode highlights the importance of understanding that not all queens behave or perform as expected. Whether it’s a queen that suddenly stops laying, exhibits unusual traits, or appears to defy logic, these experiences remind beekeepers that every hive tells its own story.
Whether you’re a seasoned beekeeper or just starting out, this episode offers valuable lessons and a reminder that sometimes the unexpected makes beekeeping all the more rewarding.
Listen Today!
______________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Cartoons by: John Martin (Beezwax Comics)
Copyright © 2025 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
In this episode, Jim delves into the art and practicality of building your own bee boxes. He reflects on his journey with woodworking, from crafting frames and supers to the challenges of creating durable hive components. Jim shares stories of his early fascination with tools, shop class memories, and the satisfaction of building hives from scratch. However, he also discusses the realities of time, cost, and quality that often make purchasing pre-made equipment a more practical choice for modern beekeepers.
Whether you’re a seasoned woodworker or simply curious about the intersection of beekeeping and DIY, this episode offers valuable insights and a nostalgic look at the craft of building bee boxes.
Listen Today!
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Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Cartoons by: John Martin (Beezwax Comics)
Copyright © 2024 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
Mentoring new beekeepers is a vital part of sustaining the beekeeping community, but are traditional methods enough? In this episode, Jim explores the evolving approaches to mentoring, from hands-on hive inspections to innovative techniques like virtual reality, gamification, and multi-sensory workshops. Drawing from decades of experience, Jim shares the timeless lessons of beekeeping, such as understanding hive odors and the hum of busy bees. He also reflects on the value of staying current with new tools and resources that make mentoring more accessible and engaging.
Whether you’re an experienced beekeeper guiding others or a novice looking to learn, this episode offers valuable insights and inspiration for making the mentoring journey rewarding and impactful.
Listen Today!
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Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Cartoons by: John Martin (Beezwax Comics)
Copyright © 2024 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
As winter sets in, Jim reflects on the annual ritual of ordering spring packages. From deciding how many packages to order to navigating delivery methods and timing, he explores the complexities and quirks of preparing for the new beekeeping season. Jim discusses the challenges faced by new and seasoned beekeepers alike, including balancing weather risks with the need to start early to maximize the nectar flow.
With decades of experience and a dash of humor, he shares insights on managing packages, working with haulers, and adapting to the ever-evolving world of beekeeping. Whether you’re new to ordering packages or a seasoned pro, this episode offers practical tips and thought-provoking perspectives for the spring ahead.
Listen Today!
______________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Cartoons by: John Martin (Beezwax Comics)
Copyright © 2024 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
In this reflective episode, Jim delves into the fascinating realm of beekeeping mysteries and experiences he’s never witnessed firsthand despite decades in the field. From the elusive sight of queens and drones mating mid-flight to spotting a queen on the outside of a swarm cluster, Jim explores the mysteries of bee behavior that continue to elude him. He shares anecdotes of near-misses and experiments, like his attempt to observe drones responding to a caged queen with a flying drone (the machine, not the bee). With humor and curiosity, Jim highlights the wonders of bees and the enduring surprises they hold for even the most seasoned beekeepers.
This episode invites listeners to reflect on their own beekeeping journeys and the marvels yet to be discovered.
Listen Today!
______________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Cartoons by: John Martin (Beezwax Comics)
Copyright © 2024 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
In this special Thanksgiving episode, Jim revisits a cherished conversation with the late Kim Flottum, reflecting on their shared passion for beekeeping books and the joy of exploring bee knowledge together. From rare finds like Beekeeping New and Old to beloved staples like The Hive and the Honey Bee, Jim and Kim delve into the excitement and challenges of collecting bee literature. They discuss favorite authors, trusted resources like USDA pamphlets, and how beekeeping knowledge continues to evolve.
Hearing Kim’s voice again reminds us of his warmth, insight, and dedication to the beekeeping world—qualities deeply missed nearly a year after his passing. This episode offers a heartfelt tribute to Kim and a reminder of the wealth of knowledge and friendship that beekeeping brings.
Listen Today!
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Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Cartoons by: John Martin (Beezwax Comics)
Copyright © 2024 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
In this episode, Jim is joined by his grandson, Will, to discuss preparing hives for winter, especially for smaller or struggling colonies. Jim explains the natural decline in bee population as winter approaches and the importance of clustering behavior for warmth. Will brings up questions about hive size, honey stores, and insulation needs, sparking a conversation about how beekeepers can support small colonies through the cold months. From transferring honey frames to adding insulation, Jim and Will consider different strategies to improve winter survival chances.
This episode provides valuable insights for beekeepers aiming to support their colonies as temperatures drop.
Listen Today!
______________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Cartoons by: John Martin (Beezwax Comics)
Copyright © 2024 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
In this episode, Jim explores the intriguing behavior of honey bees fanning at the hive entrance. What might seem like simple wing-flapping turns out to be a complex system of hive temperature and humidity regulation, vital for brood development and honey production. Jim dives into the mechanics of how bees strategically position themselves to create airflow, control brood nest temperature, and assist in the dehydration of nectar. He also examines how water foragers and fanning bees coordinate to keep the hive cool on hot days.
This episode offers fascinating insights into hive dynamics and the intricate ways bees maintain their environment. It’s a must-listen for anyone curious about the hidden processes within a beehive.
Listen Today!
______________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Cartoons by: John Martin (Beezwax Comics)
Copyright © 2024 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
In this candid episode, Jim shares a side of beekeeping rarely discussed: the loss of books, equipment, and even entire hives borrowed and never returned. As he recounts his experiences with missing bee catalogs, beekeeping books, and custom-built observation hives, Jim reflects on the challenges of sharing resources in the beekeeping community.
His stories range from the humorous to the frustrating, including the time he gifted a swarm and never saw the hive box again. Jim highlights the unique bonds in beekeeping while reminding listeners of the value of trust and respect within the community.
This is a relatable listen for anyone who’s ever shared—and lost—a prized piece of gear.
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Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Cartoons by: John Martin (Beezwax Comics)
Copyright © 2024 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
As the temperature drops, Jim and Anne Frey discuss the age-old question: Should you insulate your hives for winter? They explore the history of hive insulation, from traditional sawdust-filled crates to modern polystyrene wraps, weighing the benefits of warmth and moisture control against the labor and cost involved. Jim reflects on the various insulation methods he’s tried over the years, while Anne shares insights on insulation’s role in mimicking a tree’s thick walls, the natural shelter of wild bees. Together, they consider the pros and cons of popular materials like tar paper and foam, and the critical decision of whether to add a top entrance.
This episode is packed with practical advice, giving listeners a balanced view on how insulation could impact colony survival through winter’s toughest months.
Listen today!
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Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Cartoons by: John Martin (Beezwax Comics)
Copyright © 2024 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
In this episode, Jim takes a deep dive into the beekeeping catalogs of the past, reminiscing about tools and equipment that have disappeared from today’s market. He highlights products like the hive fountain feeder and the bee-off blower system—innovations that once seemed indispensable but have since faded into obscurity. Jim discusses the evolution of beekeeping gear, from practical solutions for bee management to tools that ultimately didn’t stand the test of time.
For both new and experienced beekeepers, this episode offers a nostalgic look at the changing landscape of beekeeping and the tools that have shaped the practice over the decades.
Listen today!
______________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Cartoons by: John Martin (Beezwax Comics)
Copyright © 2024 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
In this episode, Jim is joined by Anne Frey returning from Betterbee to explore the history and evolution of bee suits. The discussion delves into how bee suits have changed over time, from early makeshift protective gear to the modern-day designs beekeepers rely on. Jim and Anne reminisce about the early days when beekeepers made do with veils and painter overalls, contrasting that with today’s specialized suits that provide comfort and protection. They reflect on the practical aspects of choosing the right bee suit, the challenges of keeping them clean, and how personal preferences for gear evolve with experience.
Whether you’re a beginner learning the ropes or a seasoned beekeeper, this episode offers insight into one of the most essential aspects of beekeeping: staying safe while working with bees.
Listen today!
______________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Cartoons by: John Martin (Beezwax Comics)
Copyright © 2024 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
In this special episode, Jim reflects on reaching the 200th episode milestone. He shares insights from the podcast's journey, from its humble beginnings with Kim Flottum to the challenges faced along the way. Jim highlights the evolving nature of the show, how it has grown, and how the support of listeners has been key to its success.
With humor and sincerity, Jim discusses the lessons learned, the guests who have helped shape the show, and the commitment to providing plain talk beekeeping discussions. Whether you're a long-time listener or new to the series, this episode offers a look back at the podcast’s evolution and a heartfelt thank you to its community.
Listen today!
______________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Cartoons by: John Martin (Beezwax Comics)
Copyright © 2024 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
In this episode, Jim reflects on some key learning points from his years of beekeeping—particularly the lessons learned the hard way. He shares a story of purchasing bees from a grieving widow and the valuable, though painful, takeaways from transporting those colonies. Jim emphasizes the importance of not relying on propolis to hold hive components together and discusses the risks of overheating colonies during transport. With his characteristically warm wit and experience, Jim offers beekeepers valuable insights into avoiding common mistakes and managing bees in tricky situations.
Whether you're a new beekeeper or a seasoned pro, this episode is filled with wisdom worth considering. Listen today!
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Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Feeding your bees is a breeze with the Bee Smart Designs Ultimate Direct Feeder! By placing it on top of your uppermost box with a medium hive body around it, you can feed your bees directly while minimizing the risk of robbing. Plus, for a limited time, if you order a Bee Smart Designs Direct Feeder, you'll receive a free sample of HiveAlive and a coupon for future discounts with your new feeder! HiveAlive supplements, made from seaweed, thyme, and lemongrass, help your colonies thrive, boost honey production, reduce overwinter mortality, and improve bee gut health. Visit betterbee.com/feeder to get your new feeder and free HiveAlive sample today!
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Cartoons by: John Martin (Beezwax Comics)
Copyright © 2024 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
In this episode, Jim takes a reflective look at the psychology behind beekeeping and explores why people are drawn to it, and what keeps them going over the years. From the initial fascination and cognitive preoccupation with bees to the eventual identity fusion where beekeeping becomes a core part of who we are, Jim delves into the mental and emotional journey that many beekeepers experience. He discusses the highs and lows of the craft, the risks of burnout, and the sense of identity that often forms over time.
This episode offers a deep dive into the mindset of those who stick with beekeeping for the long haul.
Listen today!
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Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Feeding your bees is a breeze with the Bee Smart Designs Ultimate Direct Feeder! By placing it on top of your uppermost box with a medium hive body around it, you can feed your bees directly while minimizing the risk of robbing. Plus, for a limited time, if you order a Bee Smart Designs Direct Feeder, you'll receive a free sample of HiveAlive and a coupon for future discounts with your new feeder! HiveAlive supplements, made from seaweed, thyme, and lemongrass, help your colonies thrive, boost honey production, reduce overwinter mortality, and improve bee gut health. Visit betterbee.com/feeder to get your new feeder and free HiveAlive sample today!
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Cartoons by: John Martin (Beezwax Comics)
Copyright © 2024 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
In this episode, Anne Frey from Betterbee takes over hosting duties while Jim recovers from illness. Anne shares her unique observations and insights into the small but fascinating details of beekeeping that are often overlooked during routine hive inspections. From witnessing bees pack pollen to seeing cocoons left behind after brood emergence, Anne explores the beauty and wonder in these tiny, intricate moments.
Whether you're new to beekeeping or a seasoned pro, this episode offers a fresh perspective on appreciating the little things that make honey bees so remarkable.
Listen today!
______________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Feeding your bees is a breeze with the Bee Smart Designs Ultimate Direct Feeder! By placing it on top of your uppermost box with a medium hive body around it, you can feed your bees directly while minimizing the risk of robbing. Plus, for a limited time, if you order a Bee Smart Designs Direct Feeder, you'll receive a free sample of HiveAlive and a coupon for future discounts with your new feeder! HiveAlive supplements, made from seaweed, thyme, and lemongrass, help your colonies thrive, boost honey production, reduce overwinter mortality, and improve bee gut health. Visit betterbee.com/feeder to get your new feeder and free HiveAlive sample today!
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Cartoons by: John Martin (Beezwax Comics)
Copyright © 2024 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
In this episode, Jim reflects on the transition into early fall and the tasks that beekeepers need to address before winter arrives. From managing late-season nectar flows like goldenrod to assessing hive strength and preparing small colonies for survival, Jim shares his thoughts on the practical steps needed to ensure a successful overwintering. He discusses the importance of tackling Varroa mites, managing honey stores, and deciding how to handle weaker colonies.
Whether you're dealing with your own to-do list or trying to make the most of the remaining season, this episode provides valuable insights into fall beekeeping management.
Listen today!
______________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Feeding your bees is a breeze with the Bee Smart Designs Ultimate Direct Feeder! By placing it on top of your uppermost box with a medium hive body around it, you can feed your bees directly while minimizing the risk of robbing. Plus, for a limited time, if you order a Bee Smart Designs Direct Feeder, you'll receive a free sample of HiveAlive and a coupon for future discounts with your new feeder! HiveAlive supplements, made from seaweed, thyme, and lemongrass, help your colonies thrive, boost honey production, reduce overwinter mortality, and improve bee gut health. Visit betterbee.com/feeder to get your new feeder and free HiveAlive sample today!
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Cartoons by: John Martin (Beezwax Comics)
Copyright © 2024 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
In this episode, Jim delves into the curious and often frustrating relationship between honey bees and lawn mowers. Exploring why bees sometimes aggressively respond to lawn mowers while ignoring them on other days, Jim examines the various factors that might influence this behavior, including the season, hive strength, and environmental stressors. He also touches on the broader question of whether bees can "hear" and how they perceive vibrations.
With a mix of personal anecdotes and research insights, Jim offers practical advice for beekeepers facing similar challenges and invites listeners to share their experiences and solutions.
Listen today!
______________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Feeding your bees is a breeze with the Bee Smart Designs Ultimate Direct Feeder! By placing it on top of your uppermost box with a medium hive body around it, you can feed your bees directly while minimizing the risk of robbing. Plus, for a limited time, if you order a Bee Smart Designs Direct Feeder, you'll receive a free sample of HiveAlive and a coupon for future discounts with your new feeder! HiveAlive supplements, made from seaweed, thyme, and lemongrass, help your colonies thrive, boost honey production, reduce overwinter mortality, and improve bee gut health. Visit betterbee.com/feeder to get your new feeder and free HiveAlive sample today!
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Cartoons by: John Martin (Beezwax Comics)
Copyright © 2024 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
In this episode, Jim is joined by his grandson, Will, to provide an update on Will’s first season as a beekeeper. They revisit the progress of the two colonies they set up in the spring, discussing the ups and downs Will has faced, including battles with ants, wax moths, and a struggling queen.
Jim and Will share insights into the challenges of managing bee colonies, the importance of monitoring hive health, and the lessons learned from both success and failure. This episode offers a candid look at the realities of beekeeping, especially for those new to the craft.
Listen today!
______________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Feeding your bees is a breeze with the Bee Smart Designs Ultimate Direct Feeder! By placing it on top of your uppermost box with a medium hive body around it, you can feed your bees directly while minimizing the risk of robbing. Plus, for a limited time, if you order a Bee Smart Designs Direct Feeder, you'll receive a free sample of HiveAlive and a coupon for future discounts with your new feeder! HiveAlive supplements, made from seaweed, thyme, and lemongrass, help your colonies thrive, boost honey production, reduce overwinter mortality, and improve bee gut health. Visit betterbee.com/feeder to get your new feeder and free HiveAlive sample today!
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Cartoons by: John Martin (Beezwax Comics)
Copyright © 2024 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
In this episode, Jim delves into the complex and ancient relationship between honey bees and wax moths. Moving beyond the typical beekeeper concerns, Jim explores how these two species have coexisted for millions of years, engaging in a continuous cycle of adaptation and survival. He reflects on the evolutionary "arms race" between bees and wax moths, where each has developed unique strategies to outmaneuver the other. This episode provides a thought-provoking look at the natural balance within bee colonies and offers a fresh perspective on how wax moths play a crucial role in testing the resilience of honey bee populations.
Listen today!
______________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Feeding your bees is a breeze with the Bee Smart Designs Ultimate Direct Feeder! By placing it on top of your uppermost box with a medium hive body around it, you can feed your bees directly while minimizing the risk of robbing. Plus, for a limited time, if you order a Bee Smart Designs Direct Feeder, you'll receive a free sample of HiveAlive and a coupon for future discounts with your new feeder! HiveAlive supplements, made from seaweed, thyme, and lemongrass, help your colonies thrive, boost honey production, reduce overwinter mortality, and improve bee gut health. Visit betterbee.com/feeder to get your new feeder and free HiveAlive sample today!
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Cartoons by: John Martin (Beezwax Comics)
Copyright © 2024 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
In this episode, Jim reflects on the many changes and evolutions in beekeeping over the years. From the tools we use, like hive tools and slatted racks, to practices like pollen trapping and solar wax melting, Jim explores how these have evolved and what it means for modern beekeepers. He shares personal anecdotes, discusses the challenges and benefits of these changes, and offers insights into how some of these old practices might still have relevance today.
Whether you're a seasoned beekeeper or just getting started, this episode offers a fascinating look at how beekeeping has transformed over the decades.
Listen today!
______________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Feeding your bees is a breeze with the Bee Smart Designs Ultimate Direct Feeder! By placing it on top of your uppermost box with a medium hive body around it, you can feed your bees directly while minimizing the risk of robbing. Plus, for a limited time, if you order a Bee Smart Designs Direct Feeder, you'll receive a free sample of HiveAlive and a coupon for future discounts with your new feeder! HiveAlive supplements, made from seaweed, thyme, and lemongrass, help your colonies thrive, boost honey production, reduce overwinter mortality, and improve bee gut health. Visit betterbee.com/feeder to get your new feeder and free HiveAlive sample today!
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Cartoons by: John Martin (Beezwax Comics)
Copyright © 2024 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
In this episode, Jim and Anne Frey from Betterbee discuss the crucial topic of setting realistic expectations for potential new beekeepers. They share their experiences and insights on the importance of proper education, preparation, and understanding the commitment required to manage bees successfully. Jim and Anne emphasize the challenges and responsibilities of beekeeping, offering candid advice to help aspiring beekeepers avoid common pitfalls and ensure they are truly prepared for the demands of this rewarding hobby.
This episode is essential for anyone considering beekeeping and wanting to understand the effort and knowledge needed to succeed.
Listen today!
______________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Feeding your bees is a breeze with the Bee Smart Designs Ultimate Direct Feeder! By placing it on top of your uppermost box with a medium hive body around it, you can feed your bees directly while minimizing the risk of robbing. Plus, for a limited time, if you order a Bee Smart Designs Direct Feeder, you'll receive a free sample of HiveAlive and a coupon for future discounts with your new feeder! HiveAlive supplements, made from seaweed, thyme, and lemongrass, help your colonies thrive, boost honey production, reduce overwinter mortality, and improve bee gut health. Visit betterbee.com/feeder to get your new feeder and free HiveAlive sample today!
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Cartoons by: John Martin (Beezwax Comics)
Copyright © 2024 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
In this episode, Jim revisits a small swarm he first discussed in June. As he inspects the colony, Jim shares his observations and strategies for nurturing this struggling swarm. Despite initial doubts, the colony has grown significantly, demonstrating resilience in the face of challenges such as wax moth infestations and minimal nectar flow. Jim highlights the importance of providing support through interventions like pollen substitutes and honey frames.
This episode offers practical insights into managing small, late-season swarms and emphasizes the delicate balance of beekeeping decisions. Join Jim for a candid look at the ups and downs of nurturing a small colony back to health.
Listen today!
______________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Feeding your bees is a breeze with the Bee Smart Designs Ultimate Direct Feeder! By placing it on top of your uppermost box with a medium hive body around it, you can feed your bees directly while minimizing the risk of robbing. Plus, for a limited time, if you order a Bee Smart Designs Direct Feeder, you'll receive a free sample of HiveAlive and a coupon for future discounts with your new feeder! HiveAlive supplements, made from seaweed, thyme, and lemongrass, help your colonies thrive, boost honey production, reduce overwinter mortality, and improve bee gut health. Visit betterbee.com/feeder to get your new feeder and free HiveAlive sample today!
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Cartoons by: John Martin (Beezwax Comics)
Copyright © 2024 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
In this engaging episode, Jim welcomes Anne Frey from Betterbee to discuss a variety of timely beekeeping topics. They delve into the challenges of early mite infestations, highlighting the importance of proactive treatments. Jim and Anne also explore the curious case of neon green queen markers that fade quickly, the perplexing phenomenon of hyper-swarming colonies, and the impact of rainstorms on robbing behavior. With a blend of practical advice and lively anecdotes, this episode offers valuable insights for beekeepers of all experience levels.
Tune in for an informative and entertaining conversation that covers the complexities of managing honey bees.
Listen Today!
______________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Cartoons by: John Martin (Beezwax Comics)
Copyright © 2024 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
In this episode, Jim delves into the curious behavior known as washboarding. As he observes his bees engaging in this rhythmic activity, Jim explores various hypotheses and shares insights from both personal observations and scientific studies. He discusses the possible reasons behind washboarding, including pheromone laying, boredom, and propolizing, while also considering the broader implications of bee behaviors like water collecting and hive maintenance.
Whether you're a seasoned beekeeper or new to the world of bees, this episode offers fascinating insights into one of the many mysteries of bee life.
Listen Today!
______________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Cartoons by: John Martin (Beezwax Comics)
Copyright © 2024 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
In this episode, Jim explores the fascinating concept of bee personalities and how they change throughout the seasons. On a scorching hot day, Jim reflects on how bees adapt their behavior to cope with the heat, the challenges of finding water, and the shifting dynamics within the hive. He shares his observations on how bees' temperaments can vary from spring to summer and into the fall, affecting their interactions with each other and with beekeepers.
This episode provides intriguing insights into the adaptive nature of bees and offers practical advice for beekeepers managing their hives in different conditions.
Listen today!
______________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Cartoons by: John Martin (Beezwax Comics)
Copyright © 2024 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
In this episode, Jim takes listeners on an adventurous journey to inspect a fallen hive. Accompanied by his friend Bob Romick, Jim travels through rural Ohio to assess the damage and potential causes of the hive's collapse. He shares the challenges of working with a toppled hive, including the use of smoke and the surprising resilience of the bees.
Jim reflects on the adaptability of bees, their ability to function in unconventional situations, and the lessons learned from this unique experience. This episode provides practical insights and a fascinating look into the unpredictable nature of beekeeping.
Listen Today!
______________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Cartoons by: John Martin (Beezwax Comics)
Copyright © 2024 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
In this episode, Jim Tew shares valuable lessons learned from his early days in beekeeping, focusing on the challenges of removing bees from old structures. Reflecting on his 50 years of beekeeping experience, Jim recounts humorous and insightful stories of his first attempts at bee removals. Listeners will gain an understanding of the complexities involved in relocating bees and the evolution of beekeeping practices over the decades.
Whether you're a novice or a seasoned beekeeper, Jim's tales offer both practical tips and a nostalgic look at how much the beekeeping world has changed.
Listen Today!
______________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Cartoons by: John Martin (Beezwax Comics)
Copyright © 2024 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
In this episode, Jim Tew delves into the fascinating world of swarming behavior. Jim shares his experiences with swarms moving into winter-killed colonies, highlighting how these free bees can effectively clean up and rejuvenate old equipment. He discusses his observations on swarm preferences, the unpredictability of swarm arrivals, and the intriguing patterns he has noticed over the years. Jim also touches on the challenges of distinguishing between scout bees and robbers and reflects on the ever-evolving nature of beekeeping.
This episode is packed with insights and practical tips for beekeepers of all levels.
Listen Today!
______________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Cartoons by: John Martin (Beezwax Comics)
Copyright © 2024 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
Join Jim Tew as he recounts the captivating story of the “Survivor Hive” — an incredible beehive that endured decades without human intervention. In this episode, Jim shares a remarkable story from his early beekeeping days, illustrating the resilient and adaptive nature of honeybees. Learn how this hive, abandoned in a remote location, used propolis to thrive through years of neglect and natural challenges.
Jim reflects on the hive's unique history, the lessons it teaches about beekeeping, and the extraordinary power of propolis. Whether you're a seasoned beekeeper or just curious about the wonders of bees, this episode promises insights and inspiration.
Listen Today!
______________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Cartoons by: John Martin (Beezwax Comics)
Copyright © 2024 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
In this episode, Jim Tew dives into the humorous and often frustrating situations beekeepers face when neighbors expect them to handle all sorts of "bee" problems. Jim shares personal stories of dealing with carpenter bees, yellowjackets, and hornets—none of which are honey bees. He explains the misconceptions non-beekeepers have and the unexpected responsibilities that come with being the local "bee expert." Jim's anecdotes highlight the challenges and surprising adventures beekeepers encounter while trying to help their communities.
Jim also addresses recent listener emails, offering insights and advice on various beekeeping challenges.
Whether you're a seasoned beekeeper or simply curious about bees, this episode offers a captivating glimpse into the world beyond honey bees and answers to some pressing questions from the community.
Listen Today!
______________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Cartoons by: John Martin (Beezwax Comics)
Copyright © 2024 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
In this episode, Jim Tew shares his tried-and-true methods for lighting and using a smoker, essential tools for any beekeeper. He delves into the evolution of his technique; from the fuel he prefers to the simple but effective system he's developed over the years.
Jim discusses the convenience and potential drawbacks of using cedar shavings, the importance of preparing the smoker properly, and his tips for keeping it burning efficiently. Along the way, he provides practical advice on avoiding over-smoking and maintaining safety in the bee yard.
Whether you're a novice or a seasoned beekeeper, Jim's insights offer valuable guidance for managing this indispensable tool.
Listen today!
______________________
This episode is brought to you by the support of Bee Culture Magazine: The magazine of American Beekeeping since 1873! Each month, Bee Culture delivers the best information in an easy to read magazine, full of content from beekeepers, researchers and regular contributors, including Jim Tew and Beekeeping Today Podcast's, Becky Masterman!
Subscribe today at: https://beeculture.com
______________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Cartoons by: John Martin (Beezwax Comics)
Copyright © 2024 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
In this stinging episode, Jim recounts an unexpected encounter with unusually aggressive bees in his apiary. While mowing near his hives, Jim experienced an unprovoked attack from bees that had previously shown no signs of hostility. He delves into potential reasons for this sudden change, exploring factors such as the absence of a nectar flow, vibrations from machinery, and inter-colony dynamics.
Jim's firsthand narrative, combined with his decades of beekeeping experience, offers listeners valuable insights into managing and understanding bee behavior during unpredictable episodes. This episode is a must-listen for beekeepers looking to navigate the complexities of hive temperament.
Listen today!
______________________
This episode is brought to you by the support of Bee Culture Magazine: The magazine of American Beekeeping since 1873! Each month, Bee Culture delivers the best information in an easy to read magazine, full of content from beekeepers, researchers and regular contributors, including Jim Tew and Beekeeping Today Podcast's, Becky Masterman!
Subscribe today at: https://beeculture.com
______________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Cartoons by: John Martin (Beezwax Comics)
Copyright © 2024 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
In this thoughtful episode, Jim dives into the often-overlooked aspects of beekeeping that extend beyond the bees themselves. He reflects on the countless hours spent on tasks that, while essential, don't directly involve handling bees—like managing equipment, mowing grass, and maintaining bee yard cleanliness. This episode offers a holistic view of the beekeeper's world, emphasizing that the work of beekeeping involves much more than just keeping bees.
Listeners will find value in Jim's introspective discussion on the balance between beekeeping duties and the environmental management of the bee yard. He shares personal anecdotes and experiences about trying various methods to manage yard vegetation, from the use of mulches and herbicides to different mowing strategies, all aimed at creating an optimal environment for both the beekeeper and the bees. The episode challenges listeners to think about how they can efficiently handle the mundane yet crucial tasks that support their beekeeping endeavors.
This episode is not just for seasoned beekeepers but also for newcomers who might not yet appreciate the full scope of what beekeeping entails. It’s a candid look at the less glamorous but equally important side of beekeeping, providing practical insights and a dash of humor to lighten the load.
Listen today!
______________________
This episode is brought to you by the support of Bee Culture Magazine: The magazine of American Beekeeping since 1873! Each month, Bee Culture delivers the best information in an easy to read magazine, full of content from beekeepers, researchers and regular contributors, including Jim Tew and Beekeeping Today Podcast's, Becky Masterman!
Subscribe today at: https://beeculture.com
______________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Cartoons by: John Martin (Beezwax Comics)
Copyright © 2024 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
In this episode, Jim introduces listeners to the world of beekeeping through the experiences of a new beekeeper, his grandson Will. As a high school junior with a budding interest in bees, Will's initial steps into beekeeping offer a fresh perspective and relatable insights for anyone curious about starting this fulfilling hobby.
Throughout the episode, Jim and Will discuss the thrills and challenges of the early days of beekeeping, from handling the first hive and managing initial fears to dealing with unexpected issues like ant invasions. Jim's mentorship provides Will—and the audience—with practical advice, emphasizing the importance of local beekeeping connections and the inevitability of bee stings in a beekeeper's life.
Listeners will find the episode particularly captivating as it not only explores the technical aspects of starting with nucs versus packages but also delves into the emotional journey of a young beekeeper embracing the complexities of this ancient craft. The conversation is filled with anecdotes and wisdom, making it a valuable resource for anyone interested in the realities of beekeeping.
This episode serves as a reminder that beekeeping is a journey filled with learning and adaptation, suitable for a wide range of enthusiasts, from those considering beekeeping to seasoned experts looking for a refresh on the basics.
Listen today!
______________________
This episode is brought to you by the support of Bee Culture Magazine: The magazine of American Beekeeping since 1873! Each month, Bee Culture delivers the best information in an easy to read magazine, full of content from beekeepers, researchers and regular contributors, including Jim Tew and Beekeeping Today Podcast's, Becky Masterman!
Subscribe today at: https://beeculture.com
______________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Cartoons by: John Martin (Beezwax Comics)
Copyright © 2024 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
In this episode, Jim takes listeners on an auditory stroll through his bee yard during a recent vibrant spring day. As the bees buzz energetically around him, Jim shares his personal reflections and insights on the bustling life of the hive. With the backdrop of blooming fruit trees and a flurry of bee activity, he paints a vivid picture of a beekeeper's spring routine—from managing swarming colonies to the simple joy of observing bees at work.
Jim discusses the challenges and surprises of early spring beekeeping, such as dealing with unexpected swarms and the importance of maintaining the apiary landscape to ensure easy access and safety. He also delves into the fascinating behavior of bees during this busy season, exploring how robbers and scouts may simultaneously impact the dynamics of the hive. His narrative is sprinkled with practical tips for managing hives in spring, reflecting on the natural cycle of growth and renewal that defines this time of year.
Listeners will find solace and excitement in Jim's stories, which blend practical beekeeping advice with reflective moments that capture the essence of being a beekeeper in spring. This episode is a perfect mix of education and contemplation, suited for both seasoned beekeepers and those new to the craft.
Listen today!
______________________
This episode is brought to you by the support of Bee Culture Magazine: The magazine of American Beekeeping since 1873! Each month, Bee Culture delivers the best information in an easy to read magazine, full of content from beekeepers, researchers and regular contributors, including Jim Tew and Beekeeping Today Podcast's, Becky Masterman!
Subscribe today at: https://beeculture.com
______________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Cartoons by: John Martin (Beezwax Comics)
Copyright © 2024 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
In this enlightening episode, Jim takes listeners on a historical journey through the evolution of beekeeping hives. Delving into the storied past of traditional box hives, Jim reflects on a unique box hive he acquired, which was originally built in 1853—the same year L.L. Langstroth revolutionized beekeeping with his patented removable frame hive.
This episode not only explores the construction and historical significance of traditional box hives but also juxtaposes them with the transformative hanging frame designs that followed. Jim discusses how these simple, yet effective hives played a crucial role in the beekeeping landscape of the past and ponders why such methods were gradually phased out despite their effectiveness. Rich with anecdotes and a deep appreciation for beekeeping heritage, this episode is a must-listen for those interested in the roots and evolutionary paths of their craft.
Listen today!
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This episode is brought to you by the support of Bee Culture Magazine: The magazine of American Beekeeping since 1873! Each month, Bee Culture delivers the best information in an easy to read magazine, full of content from beekeepers, researchers and regular contributors, including Jim Tew and Beekeeping Today Podcast's, Becky Masterman!
Subscribe today at: https://beeculture.com
______________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Cartoons by: John Martin (Beezwax Comics)
Copyright © 2024 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
In this episode, Jim explores the practical aspects of dealing with "less-than-pristine" honey, an inevitable challenge for many beekeepers. Throughout the discussion, Jim shares personal anecdotes and insights from his extensive experience, providing a nuanced look at what beekeepers can do with honey that doesn't meet the highest quality standards. Whether it's honey from wax melters, overwintered hives, or colonies affected by varroa, Jim explores the various destinies of these batches. He discusses innovative yet practical solutions like using secondary equipment for processing or repurposing the honey for non-consumable uses.
This episode is packed with expert advice, grounded in the reality of beekeeping, offering valuable tips on managing one of the more complex aspects of honey production.
Join us as we navigate the less glamorous, yet incredibly important topic of managing leftover honey, ensuring nothing goes to waste in the beekeeping world.
Listen today!
______________________
This episode is brought to you by the support of Bee Culture Magazine: The magazine of American Beekeeping since 1873! Each month, Bee Culture delivers the best information in an easy to read magazine, full of content from beekeepers, researchers and regular contributors, including Jim Tew and Beekeeping Today Podcast's, Becky Masterman!
Subscribe today at: https://beeculture.com
______________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Cartoons by: John Martin (Beezwax Comics)
Copyright © 2024 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
In this episode, hosts Jim Tew and guest Anne Frey, delve into the intriguing and sometimes baffling phenomenon of beekeepers being unable to locate their hive's queen. Whether you're an experienced beekeeper or just starting, losing sight of your queen can stir a mix of mystery and panic. But as Jim and Anne discuss, this situation is more common than one might think and is part of the beekeeping journey. Through their engaging conversation, they offer insights and anecdotes on the various reasons queens may become elusive and share practical advice on how to cope with and potentially resolve such situations.
Listeners will appreciate the hosts' exploration of the queen's perspective during hive inspections and the impact of environmental changes on her behavior. From the hive's disruption by light and smoke to the queen's instinctual response to protect herself, Jim and Anne cover the gamut of reasons behind a lost queen. They also provide valuable tips on searching for her, emphasizing patience, understanding the hive's dynamics, and the importance of not disrupting the colony further.
This episode is a must-listen for anyone fascinated by the complex behaviors of honeybees and the art of beekeeping. It reassures beekeepers that losing sight of the queen is a part of the natural order and, with the right approach, can be an opportunity for learning and growth in their beekeeping practice.
Listen today!
______________________
This episode is brought to you by the support of Bee Culture Magazine: The magazine of American Beekeeping since 1873! Each month, Bee Culture delivers the best information in an easy to read magazine, full of content from beekeepers, researchers and regular contributors, including Jim Tew and Beekeeping Today Podcast's, Becky Masterman!
Subscribe today at: https://beeculture.com
______________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Cartoons by: John Martin (Beezwax Comics)
Copyright © 2024 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
In this episode, Jim Tew takes listeners on an intricate journey into the life of a honey bee egg, uncovering its quiet but highly active existence. Despite the challenge of discussing such a microcosmic topic, Jim eloquently demystifies the complexities surrounding the initial stage of a bee's life cycle. From the difficulties beekeepers face in spotting these tiny, almost ethereal eggs, to the importance of eggs as indicators of a queen's presence and health, this episode provides a deep dive into why understanding the egg stage is crucial for successful beekeeping.
Jim shares his techniques for egg-spotting, emphasizes the significance of observing egg patterns for assessing queen performance, and explores the fascinating embryological journey an egg undergoes from fertilization to hatching. The discussion also touches upon the potential impacts of environmental factors on eggs, such as exposure to sunlight during inspections and the innovative use of modern tools to aid in egg detection.
Listeners will gain insight into the queen's relentless egg-laying routine, which, while lacking glamour, underscores her crucial role in the hive's survival and productivity. With Jim's guidance, beekeepers are encouraged to view the honey bee egg not just as a simple beginning but as a marvel of biological engineering, essential for the continuation of the hive.
Join us on this episode of Honey Bee Obscura for an enlightening exploration of the honey bee egg, a topic as foundational as it is fascinating, revealing the unseen efforts that sustain the life of the hive.
Listen today!
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This episode is brought to you by the support of Bee Culture Magazine: The magazine of American Beekeeping since 1873! Each month, Bee Culture delivers the best information in an easy to read magazine, full of content from beekeepers, researchers and regular contributors, including Jim Tew and Beekeeping Today Podcast's, Becky Masterman!
Subscribe today at: https://beeculture.com
______________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Cartoons by: John Martin (Beezwax Comics)
Copyright © 2024 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
In this intriguing episode, Jim Tew and Anne Frey delve into the unexpected and often perplexing world of queen bee behavior and physiology that diverges from the norm. This episode explores the rare but fascinating occurrences that beekeepers might encounter with their queens, ranging from fainting queens during marking to queens with anatomical abnormalities. The hosts share their personal experiences and the lessons learned from handling queens that don't always follow the script, highlighting the importance of patience and observation in these situations.
Listeners will be captivated by stories of queens that momentarily 'faint' when handled for marking, a phenomenon that both hosts have witnessed firsthand. The discussion also covers how physical abnormalities, such as missing parts of a leg, can appear in queens yet not always affect their performance in laying eggs and leading the hive. Through these anecdotes, the episode underscores the unpredictable nature of beekeeping and the necessity for beekeepers to adapt to the unique challenges each hive can present.
Whether you're a seasoned beekeeper or just starting out, "Queen Anomalies" offers a deep dive into the less-discussed aspects of queen bee management. This episode encourages beekeepers to remain curious, adaptable, and compassionate towards their hives, even when faced with the most peculiar queen behavior and conditions.
Listen today!
______________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Cartoons by: John Martin (Beezwax Comics)
Copyright © 2024 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
In this episode of Honey Bee Obscura, Jim takes beekeepers through the critical period of late winter and early spring, emphasizing the delicate balance between intervening in the hive and letting bees be. Drawing from his observations during an unseasonably warm day in Northeast Ohio, Jim shares his insights into the significance of weather for beekeeping and the implications of seasonal changes for bee activity. He delves into practical advice for beekeepers on how to conduct inspections without disrupting the bees' crucial activities during these rare nice days, suggesting a narrow window of time for minimal intrusion.
Jim explores the various aspects of hive management during this transitional period, including evaluating honey stores, supplementing with pollen, addressing potential queen issues, and the importance of early varroa treatment. With a conversational tone, he discusses the responsibilities beekeepers have towards their hives, stressing the need for careful decision-making to support the bees' health and readiness for the coming season. The episode also covers the handling of dead colonies, frame management, and biosecurity practices, underscoring the importance of cleanliness and disease prevention in the apiary.
Listeners are invited to join Jim in this thought-provoking discussion that blends practical advice with reflections on the deeper connection between beekeepers and their bees. Whether you're a seasoned beekeeper or just starting, this episode offers valuable insights into making the most of the spring season while ensuring the well-being of your hives.
Listen today!
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Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Cartoons by: John Martin (Beezwax Comics)
Copyright © 2024 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
In this episode of Honey Bee Obscura, we dive into the intricacies of nurturing nucleus colonies (nucs) with beekeeping expert Anne Frey from Better Bee. Jim and Anne discuss the benefits and methods of working with nucs, emphasizing their role in sustainable beekeeping practices. Anne shares her extensive experience, focusing on the use of double nucs and their construction, management, and advantages for beekeepers, especially when it comes to overwintering.
This insightful discussion covers the strategic timing for creating nucs, the critical aspect of queen selection and management within these smaller colonies, and the overall impact on beekeeping success. The episode also touches on the challenges of maintaining the desired size of nucs throughout the beekeeping season and strategies for utilizing them as a resource within the apiary for colony health and expansion.
Listen today and gain a deeper understanding of nucs as a versatile tool in beekeeping, capable of enhancing their apiary's resilience and productivity.
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Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Cartoons by: John Martin (Beezwax Comics)
Copyright © 2024 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
In this episode Jim discusses the obscure world of division board feeders, exploring their history, evolution, and practical use in beekeeping. These feeders, which replace a frame inside the hive, have undergone significant changes over the years, from simple molded plastics to modern versions with top doors, gates, and valves. Jim shares his personal experiences, emphasizing the importance of a rough interior to prevent bee drownings and the need for a float to ensure bees can safely access the syrup.
Today’s episode also touches on the original purpose of division boards as movable temporary walls to manage the brood nest, highlighting their efficiency in optimizing hive conditions for honey production. Jim's insights offer a blend of humor, history, and practical advice, making it a must-listen for both novice and seasoned beekeepers seeking to understand the complexities of internal hive feeders.
Listen today!
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Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Cartoons by: John Martin (Beezwax Comics)
Copyright © 2024 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
In this enlightening episode, Jim invites American Bee Journal editor, Eugene Makovec, to the podcast to chat about their experiences and insights on how to engage young minds with the fascinating world of beekeeping. They delve into the joys and challenges of presenting beekeeping to children, from kindergarteners' innocent inquiries to the more sophisticated questions of fifth graders. Through anecdotes and practical advice, Jim and Eugene illustrate the importance of adjusting communication to fit the audience, making complex concepts accessible, and sparking curiosity about nature and bee conservation. They emphasize the unique opportunity beekeepers have to influence future generations' perspectives on bees and the environment.
This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in spreading the buzz about bees to a younger audience, providing valuable tips for making such interactions educational, memorable, and impactful.
Listen today!
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Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Cartoons by: John Martin (Beezwax Comics)
Copyright © 2024 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
In this episode, Jim Tew and Anne Frey tackle a common yet often overlooked challenge in beekeeping: managing the heavy weight of hives. They delve into practical solutions and innovative ideas to make beekeeping tasks more manageable, emphasizing that this issue impacts beekeepers regardless of age, gender, or experience level.
They both stress the importance of adapting beekeeping practices to accommodate individual capabilities and limitations, suggesting that small adjustments can lead to a more enjoyable and sustainable beekeeping experience. Whether through the strategic use of equipment or altering traditional methods of hive management, the episode offers a wealth of knowledge for beekeepers looking to lighten their load.
This conversation not only sheds light on the physical demands of beekeeping but also champions a more inclusive and thoughtful approach to the craft, ensuring it remains accessible and fulfilling for everyone. Join Jim and Anne as they explore ways to overcome one of beekeeping's most weighty challenges.
Listen today!
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Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Cartoons by: John Martin (Beezwax Comics)
Copyright © 2024 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
Join Jim Tew and David Peck in a critical conversation about Varroa mite management in beekeeping. This episode demystifies the process of counting mites, offering practical advice and insights into the importance of monitoring mite levels for the health of bee colonies. Discover various methods for assessing Varroa populations, from alcohol washes to powdered sugar shakes, and learn why accurate monitoring is essential for effective beekeeping. Whether you're a long-time beekeeper or just starting out, this discussion provides valuable strategies to help you maintain healthy honey bee colonies.
Featured Topics:
- Importance of Varroa mite monitoring
- Methods for counting mites
- Making informed management decisions
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Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Cartoons by: John Martin (Beezwax Comics)
Copyright © 2024 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
Diving into the sweet yet challenging world of honey consumption, this week’s episode of Honey Bee Obscura delves into the nuances of enjoying honey—without the mess. Jim discusses the inevitable sticky spills that occur no matter how careful you are with honey. Whether it’s a drop missing the target or the complexities of enjoying comb honey and dealing with the leftover wax, Jim covers it all.
Jim also explores the best ways to store honey, debating glass vs. plastic containers, and addresses safety concerns, especially around reheating honey in plastic. He shares his personal take on granulated honey's texture, preferring it to the smoothness of liquid honey.
Historically, honey and comb were enjoyed together, with comb honey still celebrated today as the most "natural" form of honey. Yet, the question remains: how do you manage that bit of wax after enjoying the honey? This episode revisits forgotten social norms around consuming comb honey and offers insights into navigating the challenges of eating honey while highlighting its undeniable worth despite the extra cleanup effort involved
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Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Cartoons by: John Martin (Beezwax Comics)
Copyright © 2024 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
In today's episode, Jim is joined by Dr. David Peck, an expert in varroa mites, to delve into the critical issue of honey bee colony collapse linked to varroa infestation. This topic is different from Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD), focusing instead on the impact of varroa mites and the diseases they introduce to both adult bees and larvae.
The episode addresses a common frustration among beekeepers: the collapse of their strongest and most productive summer colonies. These hives, characterized by their daily activity, young queens, and abundant honey production, fall victim to the escalating varroa mite population. As the bee population increases over the summer, so does the number of varroa mites. This problem intensifies late summer and into fall, as the queen reduces her activity and 'winter bees' emerge in smaller and weaker numbers due to the overwhelming presence of varroa and the diseases they carry. By winter, these colonies are often too weakened to survive even the first cold spell, despite having ample honey reserves.
Complicating matters, these varroa-weakened colonies become targets for robbing, which facilitates the spread of varroa mites to other hives. This episode sheds light on the dual challenge modern beekeepers face: managing both the honey bee and the varroa mite. Tune in as Jim and Dave explore this complex and pressing issue in beekeeping.
Websites and links mentioned in the episode:
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Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Cartoons by: John Martin (Beezwax Comics)
Copyright © 2024 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
In this episode we delve into the concept of "supering," a term unique to beekeeping that has emerged over the past century. To those outside the beekeeping community, the term might sound like something out of a superhero comic, but for beekeepers, it's a crucial aspect of hive management.
Jim, guides listeners through the history and significance of supering in beekeeping. But what exactly is supering? It involves adding boxes, known as supers or honey supers, to the hive. These are designed for bees to store surplus honey, which beekeepers later harvest at season's end.
Supering strategies vary, and while many techniques exist, Jim emphasizes the importance of understanding and adhering to established best management practices for honey collection and super removal. He provides insights on the optimal timing for adding and removing honey supers, a key to successful beekeeping.
Join us in this class on supering with Jim, and gain valuable knowledge on this essential beekeeping practice. Tune in to enhance your understanding and skills in managing your hives.
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Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Cartoons by: John Martin (Beezwax Comics)
Copyright © 2024 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
In today's episode, Jim and Becky Masterman (co-host of Beekeeping Today Podcast) delve into the challenges and joys of mentoring young beekeepers, with a special focus on family dynamics. Jim shares his recent experience of being asked to mentor his grandson, who lives four hours away in a different state, adding a layer of complexity to the mentoring process.
Mentoring within the family brings its unique pressures, but it also offers an invaluable chance for seasoned beekeepers to revisit the wonder of beekeeping through fresh eyes. You can feel the exhilaration of guiding a new beekeeper through their first hive inspection, from the thrill of spotting the queen for the first time to experiencing the mixed emotions of witnessing a swarm.
A key decision in this journey is choosing between starting with a nucleus colony (nuc) or a package of bees. Factors like the mentor's preference, bee availability, cost, and the ever-present issue of varroa mites play a crucial role in this decision. This scenario presents an excellent opportunity to educate young beekeepers about varroa management and treatment strategies as they establish their new colony.
While mentoring young beekeepers, especially family members, is incredibly rewarding, it's not without challenges. Today's discussion touches on these complexities, hinting that navigating family dynamics in beekeeping might just be a topic for another podcast!
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Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Cartoons by: John Martin (Beezwax Comics)
Copyright © 2024 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
Beekeepers must often confine their bees to the hives for long or short periods of time, whether it be to move them from one yard to another, or if pesticides are to be used in neighboring fields and even transporting home package bees or nucs in the spring. Have you ever considered the effects this confinement may have on the colony? On today episode, Jim and Becky Masterman, PhD, discuss the ramifications of confining bees to their hives on bee health and even queen viability.
In the wild, honey bees are never confined to the hollow of the tree. They come and go as they please. Whether that is to go in search of nectar and pollen, bring in water, take out hive debris or dead sisters. Being locked up is not in their ‘wiring’, so what impact does this have on them? Does it cause stress? Does it impact the laying ability of the queen?
Jim and Becky explore the consequences of confining bees and how it diverges from their natural behaviors. They explore the potential stress factors that confinement induces in a bee colony. Is it just about limited foraging, or does it go deeper, affecting the social structure and health of the hive?
The discussion then shifts to the queen bee, the heart of the hive. How does confinement impact her laying patterns and overall health?
Furthermore, they talk about practical strategies beekeepers can adopt to minimize the negative effects of confinement. From optimal confinement durations to pre-and post-confinement hive management, these tips are crucial for maintaining a healthy, thriving colony.
This episode is not just about the challenges but also about solutions and proactive steps beekeepers can take to ensure their bees are as stress-free as possible during these unavoidable confinements. Whether you're relocating your bees, protecting them from pesticides, or introducing new bees to your apiary, this episode is a treasure trove of knowledge.
Join us in uncovering the delicate balance of beekeeping and the art of ensuring the well-being of our bees, even when they're confined.
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Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Cartoons by: John Martin (Beezwax Comics)
Copyright © 2024 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
Hive inspections are essential in the beekeeping, serving as the cornerstone for effective colony management. Through these inspections, beekeepers gain crucial insights that guide their decisions for immediate and long-term hive care. In this episode, Jim is joined by Anne Frey, an EAS Master Beekeeper from Betterbee, to delve into the intricacies of hive inspections.
Anne shares her expertise on the timing, frequency, and methods of conducting thorough hive inspections. She emphasizes the importance of observing colony behavior, brood patterns, and the health of the queen. These observations are vital for assessing the colony's strength, detecting potential issues like disease or pests, and planning for interventions like feeding or splitting hives.
Listeners will gain a deeper understanding of the nuances involved in hive inspections, including how seasonal changes affect the hive and the best practices for minimizing stress on the bees during inspections. This episode is not just about the mechanics of checking frames but understanding the language of bees and making informed decisions that ensure the health and productivity of the hive.
Join us as we explore the critical role of hive inspections in successful beekeeping. Whether you're a novice or an experienced beekeeper, this conversation with Anne Frey is bound to enrich your beekeeping practice.
______________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Cartoons by: John Martin (Beezwax Comics)
Copyright © 2024 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
In this week's episode, Jim is delighted to welcome back David Peck from Betterbee. In this intriguing discussion, they explore what Jim calls, "Reverse Beekeeping," a unique approach that focuses on maintaining smaller bee colonies.
Traditionally, beekeeping has been all about growing large colonies for honey production and pollination. This has led to bee breeders selecting for traits that encourage large and rapid brood development and has influenced the design of beekeeping equipment, like the standard 10-frame boxes. However, managing these large colonies can be physically demanding. In today's conversation, Jim and David discuss the advantages of reducing colony size and the management techniques suited for these smaller hives.
A significant aspect of managing smaller colonies is dealing with honey-bound boxes, which can lead to more frequent swarming. David shares insights into how beekeepers can address this, whether by making splits when the colony grows large or by letting them swarm naturally. Another interesting topic is the practice of occasionally caging the queen, known as ‘queen break,’ which can be an effective strategy for controlling colony size and as a side benefit, help manage varroa mite populations.
The discussion also touches on the concept of 'queen quality' in smaller colonies. What might be considered a less desirable queen in a large honey production or pollination operation could actually be the ideal choice for smaller colonies. Jim and David delve into how this shift in perspective can impact beekeeping practices.
Join us in this fascinating episode as Jim and David delve deep into the nuances of keeping smaller bee colonies, offering a fresh take on traditional beekeeping methods.
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Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
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Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Cartoons by: John Martin (Beezwax Comics)
Copyright © 2023 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
Practice makes perfect, as the old adage says. This really rings true in the bee yard and working with honey bees. This week, Jim invites Betterbee’s EAS Master Beekeeper, Anne Frey, to the podcast to discuss how experience, gained by doing something over and over, is the basis of becoming a better beekeeper.
Experience is needed for confidence. Lighting and maintaining a smoker, finding a queen and even managing stings become more intuitive with each repetition. Experience isn’t just about doing; it’s about learning and adapting with each action.
However, experience and repetition do not equate to mastery in beekeeping. It's about understanding the nuanced art behind each task and the ecosystem you're engaging with.
Beekeeping transcends being a mere skill; it’s an art form that demands observation, adaptation, and continuous learning. It’s about challenging the status quo, embracing change, and mastering a variety of skills to truly excel in the bee yard.
Join Jim and Anne as they illustrate how the path from novice to master beekeeping excellence is layered with diverse learning experiences. Whether you’re new to beekeeping or a seasoned veteran, this episode is for you.
What are your most valuable, repeated skills in beekeeping. Let us know!
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Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Cartoons by: John Martin (Beezwax Comics)
Copyright © 2023 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
There comes a time for many beekeepers when they realize they have more colonies than time to properly work them - with “work” being the operative word. If they’ve been keeping bees long enough, they may decide that hefting ten-frame hive bodies full or honey or bees just too difficult. The beekeeper decides to downsize. In today’s episode, Kim and Jim discuss the considerations and options available to the beekeeper when dealing with unwanted hive bodies and frames.
Beekeepers do all sorts of things with old hive bodies. From transforming old hive bodies into unique bookshelves to the responsible disposal of irreparable equipment, Kim and Jim discuss the various fates of retired beekeeping gear. Ultimately though, it is a decision that requires careful evaluation of the equipment, it’s age, condition, disease history and even the experience of the beekeeper who accepts the ‘gift’ of inexpensive (or free) used bee equipment.
We invite you to join us in this engaging discussion. Share your experiences and creative ideas about what you do with old bee equipment. Your insights could greatly benefit fellow beekeepers facing similar decisions.
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Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Cartoons by: John Martin (Beezwax Comics)
Copyright © 2023 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
In today's episode, Jim and David Peck, PhD, delve into a fascinating topic that rarely gets any ‘air time’ unless you are interested specifically in raising queens: Queen Isolation Cages.
For beekeepers, the queen bee is the heart of the hive, responsible for laying eggs and maintaining hive order. Queen Isolation Cages are ingenious tools that allow beekeepers to temporarily isolate the queen from the rest of the colony. This technique can be applied in various scenarios, from performing selective breeding to managing swarm prevention and introducing new queens.
But what are the science and research-based insights behind the use of Queen Isolation Cages? How can these devices help us improve our beekeeping practices and overall hive management? In this episode, Jim and David explore the intricacies of Queen Isolation Cages, discussing their purpose, benefits, and potential challenges.
Join Jim and David as they discuss the ins and outs, the pros and cons of using this specialized piece of beekeeping equipment and how it can be used in your bee operation!
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Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Cartoons by: John Martin (Beezwax Comics)
Copyright © 2023 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
In this episode of Honey Bee Obscura, Kim and Jim delve into several important maintenance tasks that beekeepers can undertake during the winter season to ensure the health and productivity of their hives. Winter might seem like a downtime, but it's a critical period for preparing your hives for the upcoming spring.
One key task they discuss is culling old comb. This task is near and dear to Kim. It involves removing combs that are over three years old or show signs of disease, pest infestation, or excessive use. By doing this, you reduce the risk of diseases, pests, contaminants and residual pesticides, and enhance the hive's overall cleanliness. It's a vital step in maintaining hive health and vigor.
Other essential winter chores, include checking and repairing hive equipment, cleaning and storing unused equipment, and planning for the upcoming season. Monitoring food stores and ensuring adequate insulation are also discussed, ensuring your bees stay healthy and well-fed throughout the colder months.
Listen today and gain valuable insights and tips on winter maintenance. It’s a vital aspect of beekeeping that sets the stage for a successful and bountiful year ahead.
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Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Cartoons by: John Martin (Beezwax Comics)
Copyright © 2023 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
Happy Thanksgiving!!
Join Kim and Jim in this special archive episode from late October 2021, where they delve into the critical task of preparing your hives for the winter season. This episode is particularly crucial for beekeepers in colder climates.
Are you comfortable in shorts outdoors during this time of year? If yes, then wrapping your colonies for winter might not be a necessity. However, if a brisk step outside in shorts sends shivers down your spine, this episode is tailored for you!
Key discussions include:
1. Windbreaks: An effective, economical solution to shield your hives from harsh winds. Easy to set up and highly beneficial.
2. Insulation Options: Explore various insulation methods, including traditional tar paper, roofing, or HVAC insulation. For convenience, there are also ready-made hive wraps available in the market.
3. Insulated Hive Tops: Groundbreaking research into natural beehives in hollow cavities has led to a significant insight - insulating the top of the hive is more crucial than the sides. Replacing wooden hive covers with insulated tops can be a game-changer, offering dual benefits of keeping the hive warm in winter and cool in summer.
4. Advanced Hive Bodies: The episode also touches on innovative hive bodies made from materials like polystyrene, designed for enhanced temperature regulation.
Wind protection, moisture control, hive wrapping, and advanced hive body options are all explored. Tune in to this episode for a comprehensive guide on how to best prepare your hives for the winter season, ensuring the health and productivity of your colonies
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Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Cartoons by: John Martin (Beezwax Comics)
Copyright © 2023 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
As the leaves fall and the bees nestle in for winter, many beekeepers find themselves next to a warm fire, a cup of tea in hand, flipping through the pages of their cherished bee books. Have you ever looked at your shelf brimming with bee books and wondered, 'Will I ever read all of these?' You're not alone.
In this cozy episode of Honey Bee Obscura, Kim rejoins Jim in the studio to delve into the fascinating world of beekeeping literature. They explore the shelves of their personal libraries, sharing insights about what makes a bee book invaluable. From favorite authors to timeless publishers, they discuss the evolution of beekeeping knowledge and how the information in these books stands the test of time.
But beware, not all beekeeping techniques age like fine wine! Kim and Jim unravel how to discern timeless wisdom from outdated practices.
So, as you settle in for the evening, let your gaze wander over to your bee book collection. What hidden treasures do you own? Join us as Kim and Jim reveal their most treasured bee books and offer tips on building a meaningful library.
We can't wait to hear about the bee books that have inspired your beekeeping journey. Share your top picks with us after the episode!
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Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Cartoons by: John Martin (Beezwax Comics)
Copyright © 2023 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
In today’s episode Jim invites Becky Masterman to discuss the lasting impact of Dr. Walter Rothenbuhler’s seminal research on honey bee hygienic behavior. His work, which has been a bedrock in the field of apiculture, sheds light on the genetic foundations of disease resistance among honey bees, particularly against threats like American Foulbrood.
Jim provides a unique inside perspective to Dr. Rothenbuhler as Jim personally knew and worked with him at The Ohio State University bee lab.
Today's discussion centers around the critical behavior of bees known as ‘hygienic behavior,' where bees detect and eliminate diseased or parasitized brood from the hive, thereby protecting the colony from outbreaks. This behavior, identified and explored by Dr. Rothenbuhler, is a key trait that bee breeders prioritize to foster robust colonies.
Jim and Becky navigate the connections between Dr. Rothenbuhler’s, and that of other early researchers’ findings and their practical applications in contemporary beekeeping. The insights from their research are essential for selective breeding programs that aim to enhance colony health and disease resistance.
Concluding the episode, Jim and Becky reflect on the enduring relevance of Dr. Rothenbuhler’s contributions to apiculture. His legacy not only informs our current practices but also continues to guide research and advancements in the field of beekeeping.
Tune in for this fascinating journey through bee behavior research and its profound implications for beekeepers around the world.
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Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Cartoons by: John Martin (Beezwax Comics)
Copyright © 2023 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
Beekeeping is not always as straightforward as hive inspections and honey extraction. When bees decide to set up shop in places beyond the traditional hive box, it requires specialized techniques and knowledge to safely and ethically relocate them.
When beekeepers set up plain boxes (not the standard Langstroth hive with moveable frames) then move them to a standard hive, it is often called a 'transfer'. When honey bees are removed from a structure, such as the wall of a house, it is called a 'cutout'.
In today's episode, Jim talks about how transfers are not that common these days, and how cutouts are. These are specialized activities that require more than beekeeping skills.
Listen today as Jim tackles the topic of Transfers and Cutouts.
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Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Cartoons by: John Martin (Beezwax Comics)
Copyright © 2023 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
In the intricate realm of beekeeping, the queen bee reigns supreme, yet she remains a mysterious figure for many beekeepers. Join Jim as he welcomes Anne Frey, the head beekeeper of Betterbee, to delve into the fascinating world of Queen Quirks: Unusual Phenomena in Queen Bees.
Jim and Anne share their wealth of experiences raising queens, offering invaluable insights into the enigmatic quirks that queens can exhibit. Together, they explore a variety of intriguing situations, including dealing with injured and disabled queens, queens that seem to faint (yes, even queens can have their "off" days), the puzzle of multiple eggs in a single cell (Is it a young queen or a laying worker?), perplexing spotty brood patterns, and even instances of clumsily marked queens.
For every beekeeper, encountering these quirks is not a matter of "if" but "when." So, what should a beekeeper do when faced with these quirks? How can you distinguish between a benign quirk and a potentially problematic queen? Tune in to this episode as Jim and Anne engage in an informative and engaging discussion, shedding light on these Royalties of the hive. Discover how you can discern the subtleties of queen behavior and make informed decisions about the well-being of your bee colony.
Join Jim and Anne for a captivating exploration of some of the quirks seen in queens, and blend science and experience to help demystify this aspect of beekeeping.
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Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Cartoons by: John Martin (Beezwax Comics)
Copyright © 2023 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
In this episode, Jim, is joined by guest, Eugene Makovec, the editor of The American Bee Journal, to dissect the emotionally charged debate that's capturing the attention of beekeepers everywhere: Do honey bees harm native bees? This intriguing question unfolds as a complex ecological issue, lacking a clear-cut victor or vanquished party. The verdict depends on a multitude of factors, including the context, location, and intricate dynamics of ecosystems. Recent research underscores the importance of recognizing that outcomes can differ significantly based on specific regions and circumstances.
Once considered saviors of pollination, honey bees now find themselves under scrutiny by certain conservation groups, labeled as 'invasive' and potentially 'harmful' to native pollinators. This shift in perspective has even led some to view beekeepers as unintentional contributors to this challenge.
During the episode, Jim and Eugene provide their invaluable insights, rooted in their extensive experience and expertise, allowing our listeners to navigate through the complexity of this issue. Join us as we work together to decipher the nuances and separate fact from the surrounding noise.
Join the discussion by sending us your questions and comments here!
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Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Cartoons by: John Martin (Beezwax Comics)
Copyright © 2023 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
After all of the nectar has flowed, the honey spun and you’re just waiting to put the bees to bed for the winter, you might look around at the clutter of equipment in your bee yard, bouncing in the back of your bee truck or shoved aside in the bee hut. Is there a better way to store that equipment so it is ready to use come Spring?
In this week’s episode, Jim invites Beekeeping Today Podcast’s Jeff Ott to sit in for Kim to talk about dealing with equipment in the fall. How do you protect your woodenware and frames full of wax from mice, wax moths and other critters seeing it as a food-rich warm place to ride out the winter?
In this episode, Jim and his guest talk about dealing with equipment in the fall.
______________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Cartoons by: John Martin (Beezwax Comics)
Copyright © 2023 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
This week, Jerry Hayes sits in with Jim while Kim is out. In this episode, Jerry talks about one of the most unusual hive designs he's ever built and worked with... a hive made out of a old 55-gallon drum.
We know honey bees will build their nests just about anywhere... but is this practical? Useable? Find out by listening today!
What is your most unusual hive?
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Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Cartoons by: John Martin (Beezwax Comics)
Copyright © 2023 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
(This Archive Special first released, September 2, 2021.) Beekeepers are very often asked to help friends or neighbors that have “bee” problems…. honey bees, carpenter bees, yellow jackets, hornets, bumblebees and the like. But most of us aren’t exterminators. We don’t have the tools, the experience, or the time to help. But “can’t you just get rid of them for me?” lets you know they think you know how to do this… and are ‘glad to help.’
Sometimes they are your bees. A colony swarms and if you are lucky lands in a tree or bush and are easy to retrieve. Sometimes though, they head for that hole in the siding and take up residence in the wall of your neighbor’s house. What then?
What about liability? What happens if you do decide to help, climb a ladder and fall off. What then? Or you tell your neighbor what to do and they fall off the ladder?
Do you lend them your gear? Suit, smoker, hive tool? If you do it, are you serving as an exterminator then? Practicing without a license?
But what about a dangerous situation, like a kid coming home from school and seeing for the first time that huge bald faced hornet nest? Shouldn’t you have been out there long before, just to help?
Listen today! You’ll find that it may not be as easy as just saying, “call an exterminator”.
Thank you for listening!
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Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Cartoons by: John Martin (Beezwax Comics)
Copyright © 2023 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
In this episode, Jim invites Beekeeping Today Podcast's Jeff Ott, to sit in for Kim to help answer a couple of recent listener emails.
In response to a recent episode where Jim talks about dealing with heavy 10-frame, deep supers, a listener sends in a suggestion and a question. Jim gives this recommendation thoughtful consideration and discusses the pros and cons.
In a second letter, a listener states that they have a jar full of propolis and wasn't quite sure what he could do with it. Jim and Jeff discuss their experiences (good and bad) with propolis.
Do you collect propolis? What do you do with it? They'd like to hear from you!
Thank you for listening!
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Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2023 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
This week, we continue with the theme of Fall management. Kim is out so, Jim invites Jeff Ott, from Beekeeping Today Podcast to join him to talk about dealing with heavy honey supers that remain and prepping the colonies for the coming Winter.
Jim uses all 10-frame deep equipment, including his honey supers. It is just the way he’s always done it. But now, moving all that weight is a challenge to get to the brood boxes below to check on the queen and do proper mite level checks. What are your options when you have to move pounds of honey - any time of year, just to do an inspection?
In the past, Jim has also had to deal with Fall swarms. Why do they swarm in the Fall? What can you do when this happens? Will these swarms have any chance of surviving the winter?
Listen today as Jim and his guest talk about the challenges of Fall management.
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Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2023 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
What do you do when the honey is all harvested, but it is still warm and not quite time to button up the colonies for Winter? On today's episode of Honey Bee Obscura, Jim has invited Beekeeping Today Podcast's Jeff Ott, in to discuss what he does to prepare the bees for Fall.
There are many different things a beekeeper could do, such as extracting the honey they've harvested, maybe clean some old equipment, check on feed levels, and feed if necessary, are just a few.
Is there any one thing a beekeeper consider this time of year? Listen in as Jim and his guest discuss this time of year that is often overlooked!
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Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2023 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
This is honey harvest time of the year, for the majority of the beekeepers in the Northern Hemisphere. Undoubtedly, you will end your uncapping and extracting time with frames with broken end bars, bottoms or even the foundation punched through or out. Do you save it? Replace it? Or... something different.
In today's episode, Kim and Jim discuss what a beekeeper can do to keep these old and/or broken frames going. Bees can fix many mistakes the beekeeper makes with the uncapping knife or machine. But should they? Can you repair frames with plastic foundation inserts or even rewiring a frame and using pure wax foundation. But what is your time worth?
Listen in as Kim and Jim discuss the pros and cons about trying to save frames that have served well but are now done.
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Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2023 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
After building your colonies up in the spring, managing them through the early summer, collecting them out of the trees and out of the bushes after they swarm and all the effort maintaining their health… your goal as a beekeeper is to harvest honey. You’ve lifted the supers of honey from the hives, get it to your garage, shed or even kitchen and you pull a frame of pure honey out… and now what?!! This is the meaning of all that time, effort and money.
So, how do you get the honey out from under that wax cappings?
In today’s episode Kim and Jim discuss the different means available to a backyard beekeeper to remove the cappings and get that frame set to extract.
How do you uncap? Let them know!
______________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2023 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
What’s changed in the past 150 years or so? For some of us who have been around awhile, it seems like a lot. Most honey is still produced in the boxes Langstroth put together. Size and shape maybe different now, but it is all still, moveable frames in a box. Hive tools, smokers, veils and the rest of our tools remain nearly unchanged. Now designs, new material to make them with, but basically the same.
Who keeps bees now as to then? It used to be a man’s world, but the population of who is keeping bees is nearly even.
The electronic gizmos we use now would have been considered science fiction 100 years ago.
Listen in while Kim and Jim talk about the evolution of beekeeping, and who’s keeping bees. Where are you in the evolution?
______________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2023 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
It seems that everyone talks about managing bees and selling honey. There's also a lot of discussion about extracting honey - such as: removing bees from the supers, what kind of extractor works best, uncapping and even bottling. But what about all those wet wax cappings laying around? Hopefully, they're mostly in some sort of pan, tray or tank. But just what do you do with those cappings?
In this episode, Kim and Jim talk about the cappings and how a hobbyest can process and melt them down to use them in candles or even to sell as blocks of pure beeswax. How have they handled them (you may be surprised) and is it work your time to even bother?
Listen in as Kim and Jim talk through their different approaches to dealing with this little discussed topic of bee hive products.
______________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2023 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
Continuing their discussion on the micro and to some extent the macro environment of a beeyard, Kim and Jim take a long hard look at what do bees need to eat, and how much should there be. They look at the weeds in the apiary, areas around the beeyard, and areas further away that may be a plus because what’s growing out there. They also look at the work beekeepers and other groups are doing to provide additional forage for all pollinators, in an effort to slow the loss of habitat to due development, farms and even climate change.
It turns out that with careful preselection of a bee yard, and the things a beekeeper can do post selection, life can be made better for both your bees, and you.
Listen in as Jim and Kim bounce these questions around. Is the world is changing, or is it just Kim and Jim trying to make it work the same old way?
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Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2023 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
Every season, it seems, is different than the last, making it difficult or at least challenging. Honey harvesting is no different: what and when and how and where to harvest a honey crop. Deep south beekeepers went through this a month or more ago, but the northern half is now dealing with unpredictable late season honey flows, late summer increased varroa populations and all making good winter bees!
Will this winter be as cold as this summer was hot? Do you still leave as much honey as last year, or because of what looks like an extraordinary fall flow to come, take more than typical? And is an August varroa treatment still the right thing, or do I need to move it up, or move it back?
Listen in as Jim and Kim bounce these questions around. Is the world is changing, or is it just Kim and Jim trying to make it work the same old way?
______________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2023 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
It’s the time of year when summer is nearly over, but the fall flow hasn’t started. Colonies are big, there’s lot of foragers, and not much to forage on, yet.
A colony that is ripe for being robbed is usually small, weak, and not able to defend itself. When the beekeeper starts working these colonies, foragers from other nearby colonies may find them, harvest a bit of honey, head home and tell everybody what you just found. “Come on girls, there’s lots of food right over here. Let me waggle you a map!”
The robbed colony of course takes a dim view of all this, lot of fighting breaks out, stinging is everywhere, and you – the beekeeper – have a bad situation getting worse, fast.
Today Jim and Kim talk about late summer robbing…what leads up to, how bad can it get, what can you do to prevent it beforehand, and how to you stop it.
Robbing is a very bad thing. Don’t let it start, and nip it in the bud when it does.
______________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2023 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
What else is in a beehive other than... honey bees?
If you stop and look closer the next time you are in your beeyard, you will in all likelihood begin to notice all manner of living creatures sharing the beeyard space with you and your bees.
Some, most in fact, are not a problem for your bees and in fact, many are actually beneficial to your bees. These ‘pests’ clean up the messes from your bees.
Once you look inside the hive, you may find even more of these creatures making a home alongside the bees. Some are really pests, eating larvae, adult bees, beeswax, honey and generally making a mess. Others are completely benign, simply using the hive as a convenient place to get out of the rain, stay warm in, or hide from their predators
Kim and Jim offer some interesting insights to all of these creatures. Listen in and find out what those earwigs, ants and springtails can do!
______________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2023 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
In this episode, Kim and Jim discuss the pros and cons of mid-summer splits. Are they good or are they bad? It can go both ways.
Mid-summer splits are used to divide a colony for swarm prevention, colony expansion, or the equalization of colony populations going into Fall and Winter. However, you have to weigh factors such as reduced late summer or fall honey collection for both the bees and beekeeper, how to queen the the split (let them raise their own or purchased) and the risks and time of either, available equipment.
Kim and Jim discuss these factors and more. It is not always as straightforward as you may think. But then… what in keeping bee is?!
How do you do your mid-summer splits? What factors do YOU weigh where you live? Let them know!
______________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2023 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
How does a beekeeper deal with the seasonal population shifts, weather and resulting needs of the honey bees in their care. How does a beekeeper balance the needs of the colony with the needs of the beekeeper? The middle of that Venn Diagram is a very small slice of common interests. Mostly, the bees and the beekeeper are at odds of what that intersection should include.
In today's episode, Kim and Jim examine this conundrum of needs and expectations - the balance-point of which changes constantly, based a multitude of seasonal variables.
Listen in as Kim and Jim sort of the details to find an approach that has worked for them. What works for you?
Let them know!
______________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2023 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
Listeners, Kim and Jim are busy in the bee yard this week and have chosen this episode from the archive, for your listening pleasure. Thank you for listening!
It’s been hot in Ohio so far this summer (and a lot of other places too) but it’s also been wet. Hot and wet can make keeping bees a lot harder than normal. Kim and Jim talk about hot summers and their bees.
Kick the air conditioner down a couple of degrees, pour yourself a glass of your favorite beverage and listen in.
Jim is visiting up in Michigan this week, and it’s been hot there, too. They share the same loss of enthusiasm and eagerness for working bees when it’s hot and it seems the bees are crankier than usual. Is that normal? There are lots of bees bearding on the front of the hives…
The ‘personality’ changes in the bee yards every summer, hot or not. Up to the middle of June of so, the bees don’t even notice a beekeeper, but then that changes and the bees give all manner of trouble each visit visits. What’s going on? Dearth, robbing, what ever it is it lasts until at least early October, when they quite down again.
Shade helps. Get them in afternoon shade if you can. It’s a lot easier on the bees, and even more so for the beekeeper.
What about water? You have to make sure there’s always water available in your yard. Keep your bees out of your neighbor’s pools and pet dishes, so they stay out of trouble.
Hot summers and honey bees. Turn that air conditioner down a couple more degrees, will you please?
Watch the Honey Bee Obscura VideoMoment for this episode here: https://youtu.be/IWr7Bj0EUQs
______________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2023 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
Summer is in full force in most of the country now. Nectar flows are on and the honey is starting to ripen in the supers. It is the time of year beekeepers have been planning for all winter long!
Summer is pretty nice now, isn't it?
Eventually, every location will experience a drought (especially with all the extreme weather events experienced by all parts of the country, and world). What do honey bees do during these periods of drought? What can a beekeeper do to lessen the stress on their colonies during this these times?
On today's episode, Kim returns to talk with Jim about providing watering alternatives for honey bees. What do you do? What works for you and what does not? Let Kim and Jim know!
Listen today!
__________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2023 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
All beekeepers must one day, cross a threshold: dealing with bee stings. For some, it is a small, hardly seen threshold. For others, it is a major challenge that takes time to overcome. On today's episode Jim and Jeff Ott talk about learning to overcome the fear (though, not the pain) of a honey bee sting, or two... or 10.
Jeff from Beekeeping Today Podcast, joins Jim to talk about the Learning to deal with stings.
Was learning to deal with stings a challenge for you? If so, or even if not, let us know how you over came the fear and what you do to minimize the risks of being stung.
Listen today!
__________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2023 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
Replacing a seemingly good queen can be a difficult decision to make. If her brood pattern is good, the colony temperment is nice, they've produced a good crop... and the only fault against her is that she is last year's queen... should you replace her with a queen raised this year?!
There are many considerations to factor in. Your goals as a beekeeper, the time of year, is she with an established colony or perhaps from a swarm? It can be difficult to make that call to seek her out, pull her and crush her. Then... if you do replace her... do you buy a new queen or have the colony raise their own? How soon do you introduce a new queen? How do you know if the colony will accept her?!
On today's podcast, Jim invites Jeff Ott from Beekeeping Today Podcast, to talk about the Replacing the Queen.
__________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2023 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
If you've been a beekeeper for any length of time and especially, after your first year in your own bee yard, you've seen a swarm, looked away to pick up something - maybe your camera, turn around and they're gone! Just like that.
Swarms are simply amzing and awe inspriring. We marvel at their role as pollinators, essential custodians of the delicate balance that sustains our ecosystems, sometime inspite of our own destruction of that same environment. Passing swarms are a testament to the marvels of nature, and the interconnectedness of our own lives with the natural world.
Sometimes we know where they came from, many times not. Often, all too often, they are gone way to quickly... leaving us to ponder the lives of bees and wishing them well on their journey and their new home.
On today's podcast, Jim invites Jeff Ott from Beekeeping Today Podcast, to talk about the Vanishing Swarm.
How was your swarming season. Let us know!
__________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2023 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
Anyone who's moved more than one hive, more than once in a season has considered... a simpler way of getting the job done. We've all see photos and videos of beekeepers moving around an orchard of some sort, using BobCats or other type of all terrain forklift, loading and unloading pallets of bees. Cool... but that's not practical for most beekeepers or those who need to move anthing less than... 400 colonies.
On today's episode, Jim invites Jeff Ott, from Beekeeping Today Podcast, to the show to talk about trailers and their use in beekeeping. What works and what doesn't? What do you need to consider when using a trailer. What kind of trailer works best.
Do you use a trailer in your bee operation? If so, what kind of trailer do you have? Have you modified it? Send us your bee trailer and we will add it to the show notes, so other beekeepers can learn see!
__________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2023 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
Some Bee Trailers we've seen!
If you’ve been keeping bees for a bit, you probably already have a couple of stories about that “one time in a beeyard”, or honey house, or somewhere that gave a whole new meaning to the word “sting”.
Teaching a beginner’s class is absolutely the best time to make sure your students know as much as possible when it comes to getting stung: The best protective gear to wear, when to wear it, and including how to act around colonies so you don’t upset them. All of these should probably be repeated time and time again BEFORE the first time your beginners enter a hive.
Jim and Kim have a couple of stories about their memorable stings. Faulty gear, no gear, unexpectedly dealing with a colony or swarm… all can and did, leave them with stinging stories.
Of course, part of this is that a brand-new beekeeper needs to know about bee sting allergies. They need to know the symptoms of a dangerous reaction; What to do if they have an allergic reaction, what NOT to do, and what to do RIGHT NOW to avoid a really bad day in the Emergency Room.
Memorable stings. All of us have one… or five. Listen today so you can learn from Kim and Jim’s mistakes!
__________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2023 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
A lot of times, when somebody asks us a bee question, the best answer we can give them is, “It Depends.”
In today’s episode, Kim and Jim explore the topic of Swarms. Where did it come from? Where do you put it? What do you do with the queen? Should you feed them?
As they explore how to manage this newly caught swarm, they realize there are no definitive answers, as there are so many answers based upon the circumstances and the beekeeper’s goals. It just depends.
Listen today, and let them know how you’d manage the swarm!
__________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2023 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
On today’s episode, Kim and Jim discuss all the pros and cons about marking queens.
Lots of questions come up when you mention marking queens. For most of us it’s a no brainer. “Look, there’s that yellow spot, there’s the queen!”
MARKING HER MAKES FINDING HER EASY, RIGHT?
Yes, but how does that yellow spot get there? Mostly, or at least often we just buy them marked so we don’t have to do it ourselves. Actually marking a queen can be a stressful moment in her life, and yours. How do you pick her up? How do you hold her? What paint do you use? What kind of brush or pen do you use? What about those contraptions that hold the queen for you? What if you get paint on her eyes? What happens if she escapes and flys away? And isn’t there some law or rule about what color you use this year as opposed to last year or next?
A marked queen makes keeping that colony happy, healthy, wealthy and wise is such a good idea. So this year, learn how. Here’s a trick. Practice on a couple hundred drones before you mark your first queen. You’ll be glad you did.
What do you think? Add your thoughts to the comments below!
__________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2023 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
Depending on where you live, spring chores were over a couple of months ago, or you’ll be finishing them up about the time you check this podcast out, so we’ll keep it short, sweet and important.
You can make a quick list with a couple of questions. Is there enough food? When was the last time you checked for mites? Do you need to treat? How old is the comb? Is it time to replace it? Do your bees have enough room to grow? Have you reversed brood boxes? Finally, just how old is that queen. Is it time to replace her before the summer nectar flows.
There’s more of course. Listen today and see what Jim and Kim are up to when it comes to spring chores.
What do you think? Add your thoughts to the comments below!
__________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2023 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
Are you a club president or in charge of planning meetings for your beekeeping organization? They always go well, don't they? No... of course not. They don't. What do you do when they don't?
In this episode, Kim and Jim discuss their most memoriable meetings where anything that could go wrong, did go wrong. What did they do in that situation? How did they adapt planning for future meetings?
Listen today to hear how they met the challenge. How would you do things differently? How can you change your plans to accommondate a similar situation.
What do you think? Add your thoughts to the comments below!
__________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2023 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
Jim got a call from a listener who had a question. She wrote, “I went out to my bees early this week, and in front of the hive and on the landing board I saw partially eaten larvae, larva skins and a mess, all over. What could cause that to happen?”
Today, Kim and Jim discuss they reason why adult bees eat the larvae. There has been some research on that subject but not much. Is it the lack of protein between pollen flows? Hygienic behavior, including the disposal of infected or varroa infested larva? Robbers eating larva as well as stealing honey?
Listen today and see if there are more reasons our Florida listener found partially eaten and completely eaten larvae in front of her hives in the first week of spring.
What do you think? Add your thoughts to the comments below!
__________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2023 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
It seems that pollen flows just don’t get the respect that a good honey flow does, do they? And you’ve got to wonder why?
In today’s episode, Kim and Jim take a kind of long look at pollen flows, trying to figure out how to tell there’s a pollen flow going on in the first place. It’s easy to see when a honey flow is going strong, but is a pollen flow?
Bees don’t store much pollen compared to honey, and the way it’s stored it’s kind of hard to tell if it’s pollen, or bee bread, or honey.
Find out what you should know about pollen flows and your bees. Without the pollen flows you have, you won’t have the bees you have.
__________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2023 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
So, you take a quick look at that top box this spring, and it’s pretty much empty and you don’t need the room for a bit, so remove the box. Then you take a look at the frames, to see what can be done with them, or, what should be done with them.
What you do, of course, it depends on the type of frames you have. Wooden frame, beeswax foundation, wooden frame, plastic foundation, all plastic frame and foundation in one piece.
In today’s episode, Kim and Jim discuss changing out old frames: Why you should do it and the decisions you must make along the way.
___________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2023 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
You've spent lots of money on your woodenware and you want it to look good, last many years, and be safe for your the honey bees and the environment. What are your options?
In today's episode, Jeff Ott (from Beekeeping Today Podcast) joins Jim Tew to discuss the topic of what to paint your hive with before your bees arrive. You have many options: latex, enamel, stain, beeswax and resin... or nothing at all. Jim and Jeff discuss these and share their experiences and preferences.
What do you do? How do you protect your investment in woodenware? Listen today and compare your answer to ours!
___________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2023 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
It’s early March, bees are flying every few days, early maples are blooming. Are you asking yourself, “Are my bees ready for the nectar flow?”
On today’s episode, Kim and Jim look at what’s going on in their hives now that spring is starting to get serious. What should the colony be doing, what should you be seeing, and just for giggles, what should you be doing to stay a half step ahead of the bees?
One thing for sure is that you’ve got to take a look inside the hive. While we’re at it, how is your mite control? Assuming that you have them under control, is there space in the hive for bees to place nectar to dry? Is there space to store capped honey? Where is the brood nest? If you do need room for nectar and honey, where do you put that empty super? Just above the brood box, or way up on top? These are the questions Jim and Kim toss around today.
Are you ready for the spring nectar flow?
___________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2023 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
The more colonies you have, the more you will notice differences between them throughout the year. On today's episode, Kim and Jim talk about what do you do when you open one of your colonies and it seems 'smaller' than the other colonies around it. Is it something that should concern you? What do you look at first? Pests? Pesticides? Failing queen? Inadequate food supplies? Do you try to fix it?
Listen in as Kim and Jim discuss this sometimes perplexing topic that pesters all beekeepers, one time or another!
We hope you enjoyed today's episode. Please follow today and leave a comment. We'd love to hear from you!
___________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2023 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
There’s lots of places you can keep bees that aren’t the typical backyard. Today Kim and Jim take a look at a couple of these places.
The first is in an unused single car garage. The hive boxes sit on a bench inside the garage for easy access and he doesn’t need a cover, just a board over the top. These bees can be worked any time of day or in any weather and he uses a lot less smoke when working them.
Another placed discussed is up on the roof. There are some special concerns here you need to be aware of.
Listen today as Kim and Jim discuss Atypical Bee Yards.
We hope you enjoyed today's episode. Please follow today and leave a comment. We'd love to hear from you!
___________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2023 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
It happens to most beekeepers are one point, where you have to find someplace else to keep your bees. A new, different beeyard.
Where do you start? Whether you have too many in your backyard and need to put more someplace else, or the world changed and you can’t keep them in your backyard any more, you need to find that place.
First off, what does a beeyard need to have to work for you? Access, definitely - year-round access. Gates, overflowing streams, unplowed roads, vandals, bear, cattle, and more – all pose potential problems.
First, check with your local club members or, drive around. Find a spot that meets all the requirements and find the land owner. Now how many hives can you keep there? Are there limitations on when you can visit them? Can the landowner notify you if they spot a problem with pests or people and let you know?
Having to find a beeyard may never happen, but if it does, know what to look for, what problems can arise and make sure your bees (and you) stay safe.
We hope you enjoyed today's episode. Please follow today and leave a comment. We'd love to hear from you!
___________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2023 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
There are a lot of good reasons to start a new colony in your beeyard using a nucleus (nuc) colony, consisting of a mated queen, brood and drawn comb rather than buying a package of bees. But there are some issues to pay particular attention to also.
How old is the queen? How much of all kinds of brood are already there? What condition is the beeswax comb in? Does it come in it’s own box, what about frame exchange and how are you going to get it home?
If you’re just starting out it really pays to have an experienced beekeeper with you when you go and get the nuc to ask the right questions and if possible evaluate what’s inside.
Check out how Jim and Kim handle these issues, and point out the how’s and why’s of Starting with a Nucleus Colony this spring.
We hope you enjoyed today's episode. Please follow today and leave a comment. We'd love to hear from you!
___________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2023 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
It’s going to be 50 degrees tomorrow. Kim and Jim are going to have to check their bees for the first time this very early spring. So what do they do, how do they examine a colony this time of year way up north?
The beekeepers in the warmer parts of the country are already adding supers, there’s pollen coming in and the year has begun, but for those of us up north, there’s still a month of winter left. But this 50 degree day is a bonus and we can get in early, check for food, see if the bees are close to food, clean off the bottom board and determine if the weak colonies can be saved.
It’s going to be 50 degrees tomorrow. Time to get to work.
We hope you enjoyed today's episode. Please follow today and leave a comment. We'd love to hear from you!
___________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2023 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
The queens that come with packages today seem to be different that those we could get five or ten years ago and we think that points to some changes need to be made regarding a simple concept – Patience.
It would appear that it’s taking a bit longer for the worker bees in the package to become accustomed to this new queen, and patience in every aspect of introducing them in their new home is a good idea. There are many possible reasons for this… the environment in the colony she was living in has changed, the colony she is being moved to isn’t the same and the presence of the many viruses that bees may have is having an influence. In a word, patience for this is a very good thing.
Listen in as Jim and Kim explore these changes, and what you can do to reduce the chance of failure in getting her up and running.
We hope you enjoyed today's episode. Please follow today and leave a comment. We'd love to hear from you!
___________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2023 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
This is the time of year to think seriously about the queens you have in your colonies, or the queens you had in your colonies last season. If replacement is on the table, what should you be looking for? The simple and probably best answer is… a good queen.
But what makes a good queen? Population production, mite resistance, gentle, the right color, honey production? All have some level of importance and it depends more on the beekeeper than what the books say, mostly, usually. It’s even more important when bees put food on your table.
Kim and Jim talk about these attributes in queens, how to measure how much of each is present in the colonies. There’s a lot about queens in this session. Listen closely.
We hope you enjoyed today's episode. Please follow today and leave a comment. We'd love to hear from you!
___________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2023 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
American Foulbrood is in the news lately… and for a good, positive reason. But what does it mean if you determine or a state apiarist determines you have a case or two or more of AFB in your bee yard? A vaccine is not a cure. It is a means for prevention.
In today’s episode, Jim invites Beekeeping Today Podcast’s Jeff Ott on to talk about American Foulbood, the stigma attached to AFB and the go-to recommendation of burning all contaminated equipment, bees and wax is not one you want associated with your operation.
Not withstanding the recent news, AFB has dropped from the attention of today’s beekeepers - replaced by the devastation and losses caused by Varroa. But before varroa, there was American Foulbrood. It is likely many new beekeepers today have never seen AFB and would not recognize it, attributing a colony’s demise to Varroa. To complicate and obscure things even greater, a colony today with AFB will inevitably have Varroa.
Ignoring American Foulbrood is mistake that has deadly consequences. This is one disease you need to continually monitor for, especially in your weak and dead colonies.
We hope you enjoyed today's episode. Please follow today and leave a comment. We'd love to hear from you!
___________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2023 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
It’s the beginning of a new year and Jim and Kim are thinking about New Year’s Resolutions. Almost everybody makes a few Resolutions every January – even beekeepers, but many times resolutions are made and never achieved.
Kim wants to do better with the bees this season, take better care of the garden, and read a bee book a month this year. Jim also wants to do better with his bees, run fewer colonies, and be better at responding to email he gets from podcast listeners and readers of his journal articles.
On today’s episode, Kim and Jim discuss what you can do to actually hit your New Year’s resolutions and fulfill your beekeeping goals this season.
How are your resolutions for this year?
We hope you enjoyed today's episode. Please follow today and leave a comment. We'd love to hear from you!
___________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2023 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
What would you do if you received a call from a neighbor saying that your bee equipment was scattered across multiple yards? What would be YOUR first thought?
In today’s episode, Jim invites Beekeeping Today Podcast’s Jeff Ott to the show to talk about bears in the bee yard and how, no matter what… it is always a surprise - especially when your bees are in an area where there are “no bears”.
When encountering bears, this saying may come to mind, as you climb out of your vehicle: “If it’s black, fight back. When it’s brown, lay down, when it’s white, say good night’.
Have you encountered bears in your bee yard? Lost equipment? If so, Jim would like to hear from you!
We hope you enjoyed today's episode. Please follow today and leave a comment. We'd love to hear from you!
___________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2022 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
Not a lot of people start keeping bees without some outside influence. A relative, neighbor, college class, or getting a job in bees. Jim started out with a college class, to fill electives. Kim got a job working for the USDA because he could grow the plants they needed for bees to visit for a pollination study on soybeans.
So how did you get started? A family hobby or business? A neighbor who invited you in? An interest in plants and pollination? Perhaps gardening? Almost every beekeeper has their own story to tell and every one of them is a good story to listen to.
We hope you enjoyed today's episode. Please follow today and leave a comment. We'd love to hear from you!
___________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2022 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
Knowing what you did or saw, added or removed from a colony is useful. Whether that happened earlier in the day or the prior season. Keeping track of what, how why and when you did something in the bee yard, for a specific colony will help keep you from making repeated mistakes.
Historical information will help you fine tune your honey bee management.
On today's episode, Kim and Jim discuss record keeping. No matter what means you employ to keep those records: hive top, inner cover, notebook(s), computers - or the recording tool used, brick position, pencil, magic marker, cell phone, tablet or spreadsheet... there are some basics you need to capture. Then... you must actually refer the information you've captured to make this entire exercise useful!
We hope you enjoyed today's episode. Please follow or subscribe today and leave a comment. We'd love to hear from you!
___________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2022 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
What beekeeper hasn't nailed together a hive body and thought, "Heck, I can cut these boards myself and it'd be cheaper!" Especially if they already have a wood shop with a table saw and a few other tools.
But is it really? What are the pros and cons of building your own equipment? Why should you even try?
On today's episode, Jim Tew invites Jeff Ott from Beekeeping Today podcast to the show to talk about building your own beekeeping equipment. They both have done it. Are they doing it still?
We hope you enjoyed today's episode. Please follow or subscribe today and leave a comment. We'd love to hear from you!
___________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2022 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
It’s winter time and sure as the sky is blue (or grey – as the case may be), there will be many dead colonies out there next spring. If not in as early as in the few weeks.
Winter kills in the US are running something like 40+% right now. A winter killed colony is a time, financial and frustrating thief of bees and honey and equipment.
In today’s episode, Kim and Jim discuss Winter Die-Offs and how to inspect the colony remains to determine what may have gone wrong. By finding out what went wrong and why, you can make plans on what to do next year so you have live colonies, move money, more honey, lots and lots of bees, and bragging rights for getting all your colonies through next winter.
We hope you enjoyed today's episode. Please follow or subscribe today and leave a comment. We'd love to hear from you!
___________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2022 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
On today’s show, Kim and Jim discuss the most common ‘complaint’ a beekeeper who sells honey encounters. This is true whether you are selling from the back of your truck, at a roadside stand or even a local farmer’s market. What do you tell your customer who brings you or asks you about granulated honey in the jar? How you answer this may make the difference between a lifelong customer or someone who never buys honey again.
How one addresses this is as varied as there are people who eat honey. From stove tops, to microwave ovens (don’t do it), to electric blankets and even sawing the plastic bear in half (don’t do this either…). Kim and Jim discuss it all.
They’re not talking about five gallon buckets or barrels of honey, but consumer’s plastic bears, mason and queenlike jars. What is the best message for your customers so they don’t needlessly throw away good honey?
Listen in to the discussion. What do you you tell your customers? Let them know in the comments below!
We hope you enjoyed today's episode. Please follow or subscribe today and leave a comment. We'd love to hear from you!
___________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2022 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
Honey Bee Obscura celebrates its 100th episode with this release! Jim Tew and Kim Flottum invite, Beekeeping Today Podcast’s Jeff Ott to join them to take a look at 5,000 years of beekeeping history, sorting out some of the highlights, discoveries, and mistakes, along with some of the people behind it all.
Come along as we go from bees in trees, skeps, boles, boxes, hives, back to boxes and finally, back to trees. There’s lots to learn and lots to entertain.
All in 24 minutes!
We hope you enjoy the trip.
We hope you enjoyed today's episode. Please follow or subscribe today and leave a comment. We'd love to hear from you!
___________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2022 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
Winter tends to have a bit more time inside than outside and one way to spend that time inside is to catch up on your reading. Jim and Kim talk a bit about the books they read, the authors and publishers they like and where they get the books they read all winter.
Along with the new books, they have their preferred “old standby” books they rely on for information on a particular topic to see how management approaches have evolved (or not) over the years. Beekeeping has evolved over the years and they like to compare then with now.
How do you look for a find a new bee book for your winter? Today, you have to consider how you like to read, because just as beekeeping is evolving, book formats are also evolving. Your choice is not only hardcover and all paper, it now includes electronic formats for reading on an iPad/tablet or audible for listening.
Finally, how do you actually evaluate a book before your read it? Start with the author. Are they known or unknown? How about the publisher? Do they publish lots of books on the subject or is this the first one? And finally, what about the quality of the information in the book? Is it in line with standard beekeeping or is it a novel way of approaching a problem or idea. You can also check the ratings of the book online.
No matter what, spend some time reading this winter. It will do you and your bees some good.
We hope you enjoyed today's episode. Please follow or subscribe today and leave a comment. We'd love to hear from you!
___________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2022 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
Why on earth would honey bee foragers go out on a freezing day in winter to collect water? Ice and snow everywhere, but there they are, trying to get a drink and bring some home for their sisters. Why?
Kim and Jim explore some of the reasons why. They explore the uses of water by winter bees and where they collect it. Kim and Jim also explore aspects of ventilation, or lack thereof, in the winter. Should a beehive have lots, some or none? Industry experts continue to research.
Is too much water in winter a bad thing? If there’s no ventilation, what happens to all the moisture laden air in the hive? Lots and lots of questions, maybe some answers. Listen in and see.
We hope you enjoyed today's episode. Please follow or subscribe today and leave a comment. We'd love to hear from you!
___________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2022 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
Without a doubt, some of the most peaceful places on Earth are bee yards. Tranquil, serene and quiet with only the soft hum of the bees fanning the air through their hives floating on top the silence…
Peaceful, except when it is not.
Have you ever worked in a distant bee yard, late at night, away from home, cell service, friends, and family? What did you hear? See anything… strange? Did anything go “bump” in the night? How’d it all go for you?
On today’s episode Jim and guest co-host, Jeff Ott, sit in the Honey Bee Obscura bee yard and talk about scary moments working bees. Jim has had several… moments, to share. What would you do? What did you do?
They’re not certain if telling scary stories, long after dark in a bee yard is the best idea they’ve ever had, but since it IS the season, they invite you to join them… If you dare.
We hope you enjoyed today's episode. Please follow or subscribe today and leave a comment. We'd love to hear from you!
___________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2022 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
When you’ve been keeping bees for decades, sometimes you do things because that’s the way you’ve always done them, right? But the world continues to change. It has to keep up with whatever is going on wherever it’s happening. And because the world is changing, every minute of every day, doing the "same ole same ole" just because that’s what you’ve always done isn’t for maybe isn’t the best choice.
Beehive insulation is one of those things that maybe bees need, or don’t. And what about insulation for a summer hive? If they need insulation in the winter to keep warmer, why don’t they need insulation in the summer to help stay cool?
If you are going to insulate, what do you use? How much, and when do you apply it? And if you aren’t going to insulate, do you do anything to make winter better for the bees inside? Cool and damp may be the way to go say some honey bee researchers. Warm and dry say others.
If you are losing bees each winter, you’ve got to change what you are doing and when you are doing it to give your bees a chance to make it to next spring. Food, water, ventilation, insulation, varroa control. All are important in a changing world, and in a changing beehive.
We hope you enjoyed today's episode. Please follow or subscribe today and leave a comment. We'd love to hear from you!
___________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2022 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
Does your state Agriculture Department have a bulletin they share with everybody on the phenology, or bloom dates, of the wild flowers, trees and shrubs that grow in your state?
Today Kim and Jim discuss the chart used by Ohio beekeepers. Ohio’s chart shows what is blooming each month, the adult and larvae bee population in a hive, and what beekeepers should be doing relative to space management in their hives.
It’s a great tool to have for beekeepers in your state so they can know ahead of time what they should expect relative to bloom and room in a hive.
A phenology chart is a good guide, but bloom dates are affected by temperature, moisture and photo period. Knowing that, a beekeepers should be keeping track of the microenvironment his or her hives are located to see if the chart is accurate where they are. A phenology chart is a good tool to help guide your management plan.
We hope you enjoyed today's episode. Please follow or subscribe today and leave a comment. We'd love to hear from you!
___________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2022 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
Beekeepers have a love/hate relationship with their smokers. Beekeeper families don’t have split emotions… they tend HATE smokers and their lingering ‘perfume’. How beekeepers manage their smokers impacts more than their bees. In today’s episode, Kim and Jim talk about smokers.
Arguably more so than a veil, the quintessential identifier of a beekeeper is a smoker. It is in the hand of every trope, every caricature of a beekeeper. In fact it is so emblematic, you can go into many antique shops and pay as much or more for an old, rotten, rusted smoker than you can buy a new one, made of stainless steel!
How do you manage your smoker when you are in the bee yard? Do you just keep it on the top of a hive? Or do you keep it in its own box to prevent accidental fires in the bee yard or while in transport to and from? What is your favorite smoker fuel? Kim and Jim have seen it all. Listen today. They are not just blowing smoke
We hope you enjoyed today's episode. Please follow or subscribe today and leave a comment. We'd love to hear from you!
___________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2022 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
Jim has pails of crystalized honey, but only wants enough liquid honey for his oatmeal this morning. How does he get that to work?
Kim has a lot of good ideas. There are pail blankets, band heaters, boxes and more to warm a pail to liquid honey on the market, including our sponsor, Betterbee. Kim’s his friend Buzz, who made a warming box out of foam insulation, a lightbulb and a couple nails to hold it together. Cheap, easy, and it works.
This is the time of year that liquifying honey comes home. And as always, there is the opportunity for too much heat and spoiled honey, or even fire. Listen today for some good ideas on how to get enough liquid honey for your oatmeal tomorrow.
We hope you enjoyed today's episode. Please follow or subscribe today and leave a comment. We'd love to hear from you!
___________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2022 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
One of the first pieces of equipment a new beekeeper buys is a bee suit. If they don’t buy a bee suit, they will at least buy a veil. Stings on the face are not only painful (and memorable to all who see it), they can be dangerous if it is directly to one’s eye or around the eyes. In today’s episode, Jim Tew and Jeff Ott, from Beekeeping Today Podcast, talk about the different types of protective clothing available to beekeepers today.
New beekeepers should at the very least, start with a veil. Even though there may be times in the future when you feel safe opening a colony without a veil, when you are starting out, you will want a veil. Most bee supply companies sell a variety of veils from which you can select.
Often beekeepers like to purchase a veil that is integrated with a light jacket. Not only does this provide an additional layer or protection to your upper body but also keeps the grime, dirt and stickiness from your shirt.
Every beekeeper has at least one full bee suit - basically a coverall with an attached veil or coveralls to which you can add your own hat and veil. This is especially desirable when there is a need to inspect multiple hives, move colonies and especially when moving colonies at night.
Finally, a set of dedicated bee-gloves are desired for that occasional, especially defensive hive or when moving colonies when gentle, delicate movements just are not feasible.
Now you are set. Go enjoy your bees!
Thank you for listening. Let us know what you like!
Also, make sure to check out all the great bee suits and protective clothing available from our sponsor, Betterbee!
We hope you enjoyed today's episode. Please follow or subscribe today and leave a comment. We'd love to hear from you!
___________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2022 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
Moving boxes full of honey is usually a lot of work. The bees aren’t happy, the boxes are heavy, it’s hot and you have all your gear on to be safe. The one sure way to make this easier is to use devices that have wheels. Two-wheelers, carts, your truck, all make moving boxes of honey less work.
Once the supers are off and the bees out, you need to get them to your honey house, whether it’s a garage for storage until extraction, your kitchen (for probably the last time) or an specially built honey house. And once they get there, you have to keep the bees out, the mice out and the dust out. Honey is a food, and you have to make sure it stays clean enough to feed to your family.
Kim and Jim have figured out how to do this and share some adventures, some mistakes and some good advice how to keep your honey clean, bee free, extracted and get it ready to sell.
We hope you enjoyed today's episode. Please follow or subscribe today and leave a comment. We'd love to hear from you!
___________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2022 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
Harvesting your honey crop isn’t about keeping bees, in fact, it is hard work. It’s when you start questioning your spring decision to expand your number of colonies. On the other hand, it’s a good measure of how well you kept bees during the season. And there are a lot of ways to convince the bees they should share what they have made this season, mostly due to your stewardship.
Removing well capped, honey filled frames can be complicated but easy, or uncomplicated and a lot of work. The uncomplicated techniques only require a bee brush, hive tool and a container that you can store your now bee-free frames. You start by removing a frame, brush the bees back into the hive body and place the frame in a container that the bees can’t enter.
Or, you can use bee escapes, fume boards or and of the blowers out there to accomplish the same thing. The trick is to take the supers of honey back to your extraction area with as few bees as possible or none, if you’re good. Today Jim and Kim explore all the ways you can make this work for you, and, of course, all the things that can go wrong.
We hope you enjoyed today's episode. Please follow or subscribe today and leave a comment. We'd love to hear from you!
___________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2022 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
So, what’s that thing you put between two supers to give additional space between top bars below and bottom bars above so there’s room for…something you want to add to the hive. Is it a spacer, a rim, or what?
Kim has always called it a ‘rim’ and thought he had one until this week. Because it’s getting time to think about winter feeding, and he always used a rim to make room for the pollen patties he feeds, couldn’t find it. He looked in a few catalogs, but could not find them listed.
Jim simply calls it a ‘feeding rim’, not just a ‘rim’ and you can find those, he says. In fact, they are easily made!
So what else are rims, or spacers used for in a beehive? Turns out there are lots of uses with just minor tweaks here and there! Listen today to learn what Jim and Kim find out about something as simple as a rim or feeding rim or spacer.
We hope you enjoyed today's episode. Please follow or subscribe today and leave a comment. We'd love to hear from you!
___________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2022 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
Post-harvest time is a good time to look for wax moth in your colonies. Believe it or not, wax moths are around pretty much all of the time. On today’s episode, Kim and Jim discuss wax moths!
Strong colonies keep them pretty much under control, but weak colonies sometimes can’t keep up and soon they’ll have more wax moth larvae than honey bees.
Stored equipment is another challenge. Some beekeepers will freeze supers after harvest to kill any moth larvae before storing them away for the winter. If you have unheated winter storage you can pretty much avoid problems – if it gets below freezing before the wax moths take over. But if you have mild winters, you need to stack your supers so they get fresh air and light all the time. Fresh air and light are a moth’s worst enemies, so keep your combs exposed.
There are control products you can consider and use, too.
Moths can be beneficial. They can quickly clean up old comb for you! Plus, the larvae are great fish bait!
Wax moths are a natural part of the bee ecosystem. Learning how to work with them is a part of beekeeping.
We hope you enjoyed today's episode. Please follow or subscribe today and leave a comment. We'd love to hear from you!
___________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2022 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
Towards the end of the season, it’s a good idea to take a look at the equipment and other management tricks you’ve been using all summer while it’s still fresh in your mind. Today, Jim and Kim talk about how well the veils they use worked this summer, and the bee suits they occasionally wear (did you know a good way to wash a smokey, propolis covered bee suit is to use a pressure sprayer?) and is that old smoker good for another year, or not?
There’s a lot to consider… How’s your location working out? What about neighbors? Have they complained about your bees? Swimming pools got used a lot this year, and were your bees in the way?
Have you experienced animal pests? Mice, bear, racoons, skunks… are any or all of them giving your bees a problem? Will moving somewhere else help solve that?
Now’s the time to think about all this while it’s still fresh in your mind.
We hope you enjoyed today's episode. Please follow or subscribe today and leave a comment. We'd love to hear from you!
___________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2022 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
Have you ever thought much about the hive stands you use? On today’s episode, Jim and Kim take a long look at the hive stands they use and why they favor them. They also look at a lot of other choices available to beekeepers – all based upon personal preferences, terrain, individual strength and even weather!
Are some better than others? Absolutely! Are some expensive, while others free? Absolutely! Do you get what you pay for? Most of the time.
Your hive stand can tall a lot about how you keep bees, you know. Old, sloppy, ugly, uneven and too crowded is one extreme (We’re talking stands here, not beekeepers). At the other end of the spectrum is, new, painted, just the right height, and perfectly level with enough room to work bees with ease.
How do your hive stands look?
Learn more about hive stands right here, with Kim and Jim.
We hope you enjoyed today's episode. Please follow or subscribe today and leave a comment. We'd love to hear from you!
___________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2022 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
How much honey do you leave for the bees this winter? Like lots of things in beekeeping, it depends. Since “all beekeeping is local”, it is good to start in your own backyard. Do you live in the south? Midwest? North? Far north? When are you pulling your honey? In August? Or November? Do you typically have a fall nectar flow? Is it strong or just… meh. If you don’t know, check with another beekeeper. They can give you added insight to the local conditions. (This is yet another time knowing an experienced local beekeeper comes in handy. Join a local club! – ed.)
Even if you have an idea of HOW many pounds of honey you should leave, you need to determine how much your colony has in surplus of what they will need to get them through fall and winter to spring. How do you do this? If you have your colony sitting on a scale, you have a good idea – regardless of the size of equipment. But if you don’t, you need to get some form of estimate. Can you ‘heft’ the hive like the old books suggest? Does that work for all beekeepers? What about counting honey supers and brood boxes. Whether you are counting deeps or mediums, you can estimate, based on the ‘typical’ weight of a super or deep and the number of frames you run.
Kim and Jim work through all your options in this episode and provide insightful direction that should help you leave enough honey on your bees, regardless where you live.
We hope you enjoyed today's episode. Please follow or subscribe today and leave a comment. We'd love to hear from you!
___________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2022 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
It’s hot out there and it looks like it isn’t going to cool off for most of us for awhile. Also, since mite treatments should be starting now, getting honey off in the heat is the rule of the day. So how do you stay cool when it’s hot out there? Well, Kim and Jim take a good long look at how to stay cool and what happens if you overdo in the heat.
We hope you enjoyed today's episode. Please follow or subscribe today and leave a comment. We'd love to hear from you!
___________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2022 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
If you have a colony of honey bees, chances are, at some point, some year, that colony will become queenless. If you do not realize it and the bees are unsuccessful at re-queening themselves, there is a pretty good chance, your colony will end up with laying workers.
In this episode, Jim and visiting cohost, Jeff Ott from Beekeeping Today Podcast, talk about laying workers. How can you tell if you have laying workers? The first sign many beekeepers recognize is the appearance of multiple eggs in a single cell. Not only are there multiple eggs, but they are not centered in the bottom of the cell, and haphazardly laid. There are other signs too, that are discussed in this episode.
Also discussed are the options you can take as a beekeeper and what you can expect for the future of that colony.
Laying workers is a tough management challenge for a beekeeper with no easy solution. Listen today as we discuss the problem and the management approaches you can consider.
Watch a special Honey Bee Obscura VideoMoment on YouTube about Laying Workers, here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0QWZ2Ob3tM
We hope you enjoyed today's episode. Please follow or subscribe today and leave a comment. We'd love to hear from you!
___________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2022 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
Swarm season is fun and exhilarating. Much has been written about swarms. They’ve been studied, photographed, pursued and just… watched. But what does the beekeeper do with the parent colony the next day? What do they do with the swarm after they’ve caught it and put it in a box? In today’s episode Jim and Jeff Ott (from Beekeeping Today Podcast) talk about… what should you do, After The Swarm?
Listen as Jim and Jeff talk about the post swarm queen. Which queen? Both! Either the new queen in the parent hive or the old queen in the new swarm. If you are wanting the colony to make honey or even make it through the next winter, those considerations must start now. You have some time to think about it, but not weeks or months.
It’s an interesting discussion and one you don’t often hear.
We hope you enjoyed today's episode. Please follow or subscribe today and leave a comment. We'd love to hear from you!
___________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2022 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
On today’s episode, Kim and Jim talks about what it takes to be a mentor to another beekeeper, and therefore what you can look for in a good mentor.
As a mentor, you have to develop good communication between you and your mentee. That means communication both ways – them to you, you to them. Establish guidelines for times, locations, and other requirements that you both respect.
Go into the relationship knowing that constructive criticism is necessary. Not only for mistakes, but for chances to learn something new they didn’t see, or know about.
Understand that not all students learn at the same speed. Some will get it right the first time, some – will take a few more tries. Be prepared to let your mentee make decisions, and then, follow through on those decisions to see if they were good, bad or ugly. Discuss afterwards what worked and what did not. Then… why. Use that experience, good and bad to help them grow as beekeepers.
Everyone has mentors or should!
We hope you enjoyed today's episode. Please follow or subscribe today and leave a comment. We'd love to hear from you!
___________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2022 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
On today’s episode, Jim and Jeff Ott (from Beekeeping Today Podcast), discuss the value and use of the ‘love it or hate it” piece of equipment, the Queen Excluder. Queen excluders are included in almost every “Honey Producer Starter Package”, but why and how are they used?
Jim and Jeff discuss the multiple uses of a queen excluders (Did you know they will also exclude drones? Or that you can use one to help while uncapping frames of honey? Of course you did!) They discuss the types of queen excluders and why wood bound excluders are likely preferred by the bees.
When it is time pull honey, excluders make the process much faster, as the beekeeper can simply pull the honey supers above the excluder, blow out the bees and take them home to extract.
Some beekeepers don’t like them and call them “honey excluders”. Is this name justified? Or is it a management issue that can be addressed? But yes, many beekeepers produce honey successfully without ever touching a queen excluder.
Listen today as Jim and Jeff talk about the use of queen excluders. Afterwards, head over to the Honey Bee Obscura YouTube Channel to watch a special VideoMoment ‘Queen Excluders - Love Them or Hate Them… or don’t care.
You can find different types and forms of queen excluders on our sponsor's website: https://www.betterbee.com
We hope you enjoyed today's episode. Please follow or subscribe today and leave a comment! We'd love to hear from you!
___________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2022 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
After you get through the winter, spring buildup, swarming season and the ever present varroa, you can sit back and smell the flowers, right? You’re a beekeeper! There is no time to rest! Jim has a question for you… “Where are your bees getting the water they need?”
On today’s episode, Jim and Jeff Ott (from Beekeeping Today Podcast) talk about where your bees are likely to find the water they need. If you are miles from your nearest neighbor, then you only need to consider whether or not there is water available for your bees in the driest time of the year. If you are located in a suburban, urban area, then you may not need to worry whether or not your bees have enough water. Your concern should shift to where your bees are finding their water.
Jim’s bees are usually at his neighbor’s bird bath.
It doesn’t take much water for a honey bee to find it. Even a single drip from a hose bib can attract a bee or two. How do they find that?!
Have you ever seen a collection of honey bees at the edge of a bag of damp potting soil? At the edge a silage or manurer runoff? Are they collecting water or are they collecting minerals? Interesting question.
Listen today as Jim and Jeff talk about water for your bees. Afterwards, head over to the Honey Bee Obscura YouTube Channel to watch a special VideoMoment on Honey Bees and Water.
We hope you enjoyed today's episode. Please follow or subscribe today and leave a comment! We'd love to hear from you!
___________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2022 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
Pretty much every beekeeper, at one time or another, ends up with a queen that’s not doing what they think she should be doing or - not doing what all the rest of your queens are doing. So, what is happening and can you do anything to get her going?
Marginal queens are tough to identify. There is one easy fix: You just replace her. That said, how long do you wait to make a decision?
Wait!
Perhaps it is not the queen that’s marginal. Maybe something else going on. Once you figure that out, when do you fix it? Or just let it go until you can combine it with a better colony? Maybe that will just spread a problem.
Marginal queens are a conundrum and the answer lies somewhere between your goals, the time of year and ultimately, Mother Nature and what she thinks should happen.
If you like the episode, share it with a fellow beekeepers and/or let us know by leaving a comment in the show notes. We'd love to hear from you!
We hope you enjoyed today's episode. Please follow or subscribe today and leave a comment! We'd love to hear from you!
___________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2022 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
It doesn’t take long after getting into beekeeping and then repeatedly, as long as you have beekeeping equipment laying around or stacked neatly, until you have to deal with small furry pests. Mice, rats and other critters love the shelter, warmth, relative safety and often food, found in beekeeping equipment. In today’s episode, Jim Tew talks with Jeff Ott, from Beekeeping Today Podcast, about Small Furry Pests.
There are ways to deal with mice and rats. What works in a bee yard? The guys talk about the use of poisons and traps and non-lethal approaches minimizing the damage these little critters can quickly do.
The “why’s” of wanting to manage or avoid small furry pests are almost instinctually known. They chew through wood (and plastics) as if it is not even a barrier. They destroy frames and foundation (and car wiring harnesses), they urinate and defecate where they live. They can make a real mess of stored equipment. They love to get into hives late in the fall and winter when the bees are clustered.
Have you ever picked up a hive box to have mice drop out and scurry off? What if one seeks the relative safety of the nearest dark opening… such as your pant leg? Jim has. Listen to find out your options should you face this quickly evolving situation!
Like all other pests you will deal with as a beekeeper, you will come to your own management approach that suits your personal philosophy on life (and death) when it comes to small furry pests. Like everything else, it is good to learn from the mistakes - and adventures - of others and chose your own way forward.
Listen in as Jim and Jeff discuss Small Furry Pests.
If you like the episode, share it with a fellow beekeepers and/or let us know by leaving a comment in the show notes. We'd love to hear from you!
___________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2022 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
During a recent trip to a big-name US drug store, Kim saw honey on the shelf for $4.99 per pound. It was a blend of honeys from Argentina and India. A US commercial beekeeper shoots for a price of honey (in the 55-gallon barrel to a packer) for about the going price of diesel fuel, which, at the end of May was pushing $7 per gallon.
In today’s Honey Bee Obscura episode, Kim and Jim dissect this problem a bit.
This quickly leads to the question we should all ask ourselves before we casually hand out honey to friends, family and the cable repair guy - how much does it cost you to make a pound of honey? Commercial beekeepers know and know what they have to get to stay in business.
And to compete with cheap imports, US beekeepers must either lower their prices, which isn’t possible, or force foreign exporters to sell for more, through applied tariffs on imported honey.
To compete, US Beekeeping associations and other groups requested such a tariff on honey coming into the US from Brazil, India, Mexico and Vietnam, the four largest and cheapest, exporters of honey to the US.
Time will tell if this provides any lasting relief or just pushes the problem to come into the USA from other countries.
Listen in as Kim and Jim discuss this issue.
If you like the episode, share it with a fellow beekeepers and/or let us know by leaving a comment in the show notes. We'd love to hear from you!
___________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2022 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
Jim’s beeyard is the center of attention this week, because his bees were bothering his wife and a very patient, longtime neighbor. That’s not a good thing. So, exasperated, Jim asks Kim for his ideas about all that was going on and to help figure out why.
Two of his colonies were swarming or at least it looked that way. Plus, he is experiencing a nectar dearth at the moment. Is robbing part of the problem? Regardless, his bees are feisty and others are paying the price.
It was a mixed bag of bee behavior going on in that beeyard that day and it can happen in your yard, too. Just when you think you got bees figured out, they will show you that you don’t. It happens to the most experienced and practiced beekeepers!
Listen in and see how it turns out, and how to try and handle feisty bees.
If you like the episode, share it with a fellow beekeepers and/or let us know by leaving a comment in the show notes. We'd love to hear from you!
___________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Photos copyright © One Tew Bee, LLC
Copyright © 2022 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
If a pollinator garden is in your future this summer, constructing a raised bed is one way to keep it under control and is a much easier approach to providing food for your bees, beauty for your yard and not an aching back for you.
There are all varieties of raised bed gardens. The one pictured below is made of metal, purchased from a gardening company that specializes in these and will last years with little maintenance.
Simpler models have only metal corner posts, the gardener supplies the wooden boards. They are simpler, less expensive and over time can be enlarged or reduced to fit the needs of the garden.
Or you can simply bury some 4”x4” beams at the corners and nail the sideboards to them. They’re probably the most simple and least expensive, but will have a shorter life span than the others.
No matter which style you use, a raised bed makes your pollinator garden easier to manage and will be a grand addition to your yard. Be like Jim and try one this season!
If you like the episode, share it with a fellow beekeepers and/or let us know by leaving a comment in the show notes. We'd love to hear from you!
___________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Photos copyright © One Tew Bee, LLC
Copyright © 2022 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
So you have already put in your two packages (you did get two, right?) and a few days, or maybe a week later you checked them and…..something’s wrong!
What can go wrong with a new package? Kim and Jim chat a bit about the things that can and for some, will go wrong with new packages.
First check, the queen’s dead in her cage. Get a new one, find some brood from another colony, join with another colony? All work, but which is best?
After a week you check and…..no bees! They all left! Where did they go and why did they go? Maybe they just moved over to that colony next door that has brood, food and a queen. Or maybe they just left. What now?
Sometimes about half of them will drift to that colony next door, so you have a colony that’s really strong and one that’s really weak. How do you fix that?
What about a queen that’s released and isn’t laying? Do you replace her? If not, how long do you wait and see if she’ll start, or not start?
Kim and Jim take a quick look at all of these things that can go wrong. If you've had any or all of these experiences... you have our condolences! Listen to this episode today as maybe they can help you fix your package this spring.
If you like the episode, share it with a fellow beekeepers and/or let us know by leaving a comment in the show notes. We'd love to hear from you!
___________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Photos copyright © One Tew Bee, LLC
Copyright © 2022 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
Package season is about over for 2022. Perhaps thankfully too, depending on where in the country you live. Installing packages does not always go well or as depicted in bee books or Internet videos. Sometimes, the weather just does not cooperate. In this week’s episode, Jim talks with Jeff Ott from Beekeeping Today Podcast about installing packages in bad weather.
When you order and pay your deposit in January and February for your packages later in the spring, you envision they will show up on a sunny, warm Saturday. The birds will be singing and the flowers all in bloom. The reality can be way different when the call or email arrives saying the bees are “arriving two weeks early,” and to, “please come pick them up between 6-8:00a this Saturday…”
A quick glance at the weather app calls for rain, sleet, and a high of 38-degrees (Fahrenheit) on Package Day! What do you do?!
Jim and Jeff discuss two different ways of approaching the issue of installing packages in bad, in climate weather… and then… following up - releasing the queen.
How do you install packages when it is not a Chamber of Commerce weather day? Do you dump and run? Do you do a gentle release? Do you let the workers release the queen? Do you keep her confined until you are certain they’re ready to accept her? Or… do you quick release her with the new package?
Let us know!
If you like the episode, share it with a fellow beekeepers and/or let us know by leaving a comment in the show notes. We'd love to hear from you!
___________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Photos copyright © One Tew Bee, LLC
Copyright © 2022 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
Have you ever been involved in planning and carrying out a beekeeping meeting? If not, there are a host of things to consider that you may have missed when you simply ‘attend’ a meeting.
Kim and Jim have attended probably thousands of meetings, and over the last 30 plus years, have seen everything that can go wrong, go wrong, and what those who make good plans did to fix it. They’ve seen lots of meetings run as smooth as glass. Plus, Kim has served as President of both the Connecticut and Ohio State Beekeepers, Chairman of EAS, and President of the Medina Beekeepers. He has the experience of dealing with literally hundreds of planners, speakers, room organizers and all the rest. If planning meetings is, or might be in your future, listen in to this wealth of information.
Take notes from the transcript below, as you will want to make sure your meeting runs smoothly, by taking into consideration their suggestions!
If you like the episode, share it with a fellow beekeepers and/or let us know by leaving a comment in the show notes. We'd love to hear from you!
___________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Photos copyright © One Tew Bee, LLC
Copyright © 2022 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
What are the important considerations for finding a new bee yard? There are a whole lot of right answers to this question and Kim and Jim explore almost all of them. For starters, year-round access, locked gates, dangerous animals, safety, and liability (yours and the property owner)?
There are many questions you should ask.
The answers, of course, are going to be all over the map (sorry) and you will need to know (and probably have in writing) the answers to all of them. Plus, talk to as many beekeepers as you can find that have outyards and find out what, if any troubles they had, so you can be prepared before you move your bees. Be careful, be safe and behave when it comes to moving bees, setting bees on other property, and getting to and from your new beeyard.
If you like the episode, share it with a fellow beekeepers and/or let us know by leaving a comment in the show notes. We'd love to hear from you!
___________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Photos copyright © One Tew Bee, LLC
Copyright © 2022 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
If your colonies make it through the winter, or if you simply purchased more bees as a package or nuc, their next challenge is making it through the changeable spring weather. (Especially this year, it seems.) Your management challenge is deciding what and how to feed them. In this episode, Jim Tew and Jeff Ott discuss supplemental spring feeding.
Specifically, they discuss the feeding of carbohydrates or sugar water. (The supplemental feeding of protein (pollen) will be covered in a future episode.) So how do you feed a sugar syrup? Use a Boardman entrance feeder? A hive top feeder? Division board feeder? Jim and Jeff (who is sitting in this week for Kim) discuss their experiences and pro's and con's of multiple types of feeders.
Is there a preferred ratio for mixing water to sugar? Is tap water OK? What about additives?
What about ditching sugar solutions and going with fondant?
Decisions, decisions...
What is your preferred way of feeding in the springtime before the flowers are in full bloom? Let us know in the comments section of this episode! Start a discussion.
If you like the episode, share it with a fellow beekeepers and/or let us know by leaving a comment in the show notes. We'd love to hear from you!
Checkout this VideoMoment on hive top feeders from Jim Tew: https://youtu.be/CfKiHnmbzCU
___________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Photos copyright © One Tew Bee, LLC
Copyright © 2022 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
This time of year, experienced and new beekeepers are receiving their packaged bees and nucs. Only a few of these packages and nucs are going home to new equipment. Many will go home to equipment left over from last year's failed colonies. Is it safe to use this equipment?
In this episode, Jeff Ott (from Beekeeping Today Podcast) fills in for Kim Flottum and asks Jim, can he use his old equipment. What about the old honey? Will it hurt if the honey is fermenting or crystallized? What about mold? Dead bee carcasses - are they a problem? Can you reuse old brood comb? What about diseases or pesticides or old pupae casings?
Jim's answers may surprise you.
Did you buy packages or nucs this year? How many? How did you hive them? Did you use new or old equipment? Let us know in the comments section of this episode! Start a discussion.
If you like the episode, share it with a fellow beekeepers and/or let us know by leaving a comment in the show notes. We'd love to hear from you!
___________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2022 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
A beekeeper's most exciting moment is undoubtedly, capturing and hiving a swarm... especially when it is someone else's bees! In today episode, Jim Tew and Jeff Ott - who is filling in for Kim Flottum this week - discuss capturing swarms and how you can be prepared this year.
How can you be prepared? Get some basic equipment pulled together. A container of some type (preferably bee-tight), such as a hive body with a frame or two of brood comb foundation, pruning shears, a tarp - white is best for spotting the queen, a bee suite and veil, a large piece of cardboard, a bee-vacuum, a bucket on the end of a long pole, and maybe a ladder. Some beekeepers keep this equipment or subset, loaded up in their car or truck during swarming season.
Once you find the swarm and figure out your approach, you can typically shake them into your collector or even vacuum them. Each situation is unique so be prepared for just about anything. If you can, ask bystanders or the caller, how long the bees have been in that location. That will largely determine their disposition. Not all swarms are ready for your YouTube moment, capture in flip-flops, t-shirt and shorts. They can be testy, especially if they've been in one location for three or more days.
There is a great satisfaction in bringing home a box of 'free bees', that are all biologically set to establish a new colony. Especially if they are not your bees!
What is your favorite swarm story? What is the most memorable location from which you captured a swarm? Let us know in the comments section of this episode! Start a discussion.
If you like the episode, share it with a fellow beekeepers and/or let us know by leaving a comment in the show notes. We'd love to hear from you!
___________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2022 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
In today's episode, Jim Tew and Jeff Ott (who's stepping in this week for Kim Flottum) discuss their experiences using swarm traps - sometimes called "bait hives". Swarm traps are used by beekeepers to lure the scout bees looking for a new home.
There are multiple types of swarm traps from the commercially available 'flower pot' type traps, to home-made traps to simply setting out old hive bodies with a frame or two of brood comb or foundation. Jim and Jeff talk about what they've used, what'd worked and what hasn't.
Lures are a second topic discussed. These are also commercially available, can be home made or even use store bought lemon grass oil. Some would consider the use of old brood comb as a lure!
Perhaps one of today's most noted authorities on the natural lives of honey bees is Dr. Tom Seeley. His pamphlet on setting up swarm traps can be on the Cornell website here: https://ecommons.cornell.edu/handle/1813/2653
Do you set up swarm traps? If so, what do you use? How do you set them up? Where? How high above the ground? Let us know in the "leave a comment" section above. Join or start a conversation!
If you like the episode, share it with a fellow beekeepers and/or let us know by leaving a comment in the show notes. We'd love to hear from you!
___________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2022 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
This week, Beekeeping Today Podcast's co-host, Jeff Ott sits in for Kim Flottum and joins podcast regular, Jim Tew to answer listener questions.
Kim and Jim have often discussed the pros and cons of using all medium equipment. Today, Jim and Jeff answer the listener question about how to move from deeps to mediums (or 'western') boxes for the brood boxes. What do you use? What do you like? What don't you like?
What is your favorite beekeeping tool not found in a beekeeping catalog or your local bee supply shop? Do you use anything? What is possible?
Finally, what use is flour in a bee yard? We'll give you a moment to ponder... Jim and Jeff answer a question involving flour, bees and apiaries. Have you used flour in a bee yard?
Listen today and let us know your answer on all these question and submit yours!
If you like the episode, share it with a fellow beekeepers and/or let us know by leaving a comment in the show notes. We'd love to hear from you!
___________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. BetterBee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, BetterBee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2022 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
So, what do you do with your old wax? For some of us, as little as possible, but for others, there’s money to be made.
There are different kinds of wax based on a couple of factors, including how long it was in the hive and how it was used by the bees. Bees wax from the brood area tends to get dark fast, in a couple of years, it’s nearly black from old cocoons, pollen, uneaten honey and the like.
In fact, after a couple of years those old combs will have enough dirt, grime, propolis and especially ag pesticides soaked up that they should be removed from the hive. But then what? Solar wax melters work, a hot plate and a double-boiler work too. Melt it down, get rid of it.
Cappings wax, that beautiful wax removed from honey frames however, is usually beautiful, light, bright and glowing yellow. That should be saved. There’s high demand, high value and good money to be made from this wax.
What’s beeswax worth these days? You can check the journals, and other beekeepers. There is money in turning the wax into candles as well as selling it in bulk to other beekeepers, cosmetic manufactures and even beauticians.
In this episode, Kim and Jim talk about how you can mind your bees wax and maybe even make a good dollar or two at the same time!
Listen today!
If you like the episode, share it with a fellow beekeepers and/or let us know by leaving a comment in the show notes. We'd love to hear from you and how you deal with bees wax!
___________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. BetterBee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, BetterBee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2022 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
What can you do with all that old beekeeping equipment you don’t need, don’t want and is in the way most of the time? There are several ways to look at this, and the first way, of course, is to simply trash it, burn it, bury it. That works, but there’s maybe a better way.
In this week’s episode, Kim and Jim discuss how they deal with old equipment!
First question to consider: Is it clean? In some states, you’ll need an inspector’s seal of approval if you’re giving it to someone so you don’t spread AFB that you didn’t know you had. Know if there are regulations to consider.
Sell it if it’s in good condition and clean, is an option. Maybe not to new beekeepers, but certainly to experienced that know the value of what they are getting. A deep super, in good shape, without frames for $5? I’ll take 5!
Old frames….2 choices. Sell as is and let the buyer take care of the mess of old wax. Or, melt it down…or, no, get rid of them and the wax, or sell them and the wax.
What’s an old smoker worth? In an antique store, you can buy a week’s groceries with that, whether it works or not. If it works, a good smoker with all the parts for $10? I’ll take two.
What do you do with old equipment? Let Kim and Jim know by leaving a voicemail on the website or via email!
Listen and follow today!
___________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. BetterBee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, BetterBee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2022 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
In today’s episode, Kim and Jim discuss making money with honey bees.
Almost every beekeeper has had someone (usually a spouse…) say, “I thought you were going to make money as a beekeeper.” Well, it is possible to make money with bees, but you have to put some thought into it.
Do you have the time for the extra work required and can you afford to spend less time with your family?
Do you have the equipment you’ll need to do the things you can do to make money? Do you have the energy?
Well, start with the easy stuff – Honey.
Almost every beekeeper makes some honey most every year. Not always and actually the bees do the work, but honey is something you can sell. You can extract it yourself or pay somebody else to do it for you? No work, no mess and they get paid in the honey they extracted. Check that out.
What about taking bees out of other people’s houses? IT can be profitable if you’ve got the tools, the skills, the insurance, and the time?
Beeswax has a thousand uses. You can sell in bulk to other beekeepers, make candles, ornaments, wrap. They all have value. All take time and work. And almost none of this is actually keeping bees. It’s about marketing, packaging, and all the rest.
But it will make you money.
___________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. BetterBee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, BetterBee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2022 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
A good rule when raising a few queens is to keep it simple. And not having to graft larvae from one cell to another is as simple as could be. So, how can that be done?
The Hopkins method is one way, where you simply put a frame with eggs and larvae in a queenless colony and let them do their thing. You even have some controls of the genetics that way, depending on where that frame comes from.
Or you can simply do a split, remove the queen from one or both and get out of the way and let them raise a queen in one or both.
Commercial queens are expensive, but it costs to control all the variable costs of a big operation, the drones, the labor and all that. Those costs are passed onto you… plus overnight shipping, usually making it a $60 queen.
Using non-graft queens, such as in the Hopkins method, you can depend on the bees knowing what they want, probably better than you do. One thing you do have to control is the timing. You want that new queen producing full tilt before winter, so the bees that go into winter are the bees you want next spring.
Raising a queens can be fun and having a couple queens available throughout the season is good insurance. Listen today, as Kim and Jim discuss raising non-graft queens!
___________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. BetterBee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, BetterBee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2022 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
It’s early February and it’s winter. But winter in northern Ohio is a lot different than winter in the south, where bees are flying, foraging and raising brood. And where it’s cold, you can’t be doing things with your bees, but you can be doing things for your bees: Getting ready for spring.
Food can be a problem right now. How much did you leave last fall? It’s tough to look, but if you can get a glimpse inside, how would you feed them if you had to? Fondant works, usually, by cracking a super and sliding it in right next to the cluster. Candy boards might work, but they can be too far away.
What about protein? Same way. If you’re in the south and you open a colony up, robbing may get started. Not a lot of food out there maybe, but bees will be hungry.
What about your varroa load? Do you know? How were they going into winter? You can’t even sample up north, but you can in the south.
Finally - do the pests in a beehive die when the bees die?
___________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. BetterBee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, BetterBee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2022 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
Managing large observation hives is very different than working with those small observation hives that you can take to a school or county fair. Very different indeed. Especially if you are going to keep this hive in your home or classroom.
To begin, there’s really no standard design. They can be a single frame wide or 2 or more frames wide. And how tall? Two, three frames tall? More than one frame wide and you’ll probably never see the queen, if only a single frame, the bees never get to cluster. So, do you cover them to help keep warm?
How do the bees get outside? Jim has a pretty good way figured out with a window for part of the year, but it’s not perfect. And how do you feed them? Syrup is pretty easy, protein not so much. And what about ventilation? Gotta have some, but not too much.
And of course, varroa and small hive beetles will come visit, and probably decide to stay. Dealing with those pests can be a challenge no matter what hive, but here? And last, but not least, what about the smell? Sweet bees are a nice smell, but what about goldenrod honey? Or dead bees in winter? Figure that out before you start.
___________________
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. BetterBee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, BetterBee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2022 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
Kids are full of energy and accidents happen. Make sure you observation hive is rough and tumble ready, securely held in place for when kids are pointing, showing and asking questions.
How many bees should you have, what kind of comb should you use, how much ventilation is needed and what about showing this to a room full of kids when some of them might be allergic to honey bees? We explore all of this and more.
Jim Tew has years of experience using these will all kinds of classes and demonstrations and locations… and all kinds of things have happened to him. Tune in and find out what works and what doesn’t, when using single frame observation hives.
___________________
We welcome Betterbee as sponsor of today's episode. BetterBee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, BetterBee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2022 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
In today’s episode, Kim and Jim continue their exploration of Bee Beards… though this time… they go big… really big bee beards you see in the movies, where they use 20 maybe 30 pounds of bees, and the person is covered from the top of his head to his shoe laces? How can they do that?
You have to start with that many bees that have been queenless for up to a couple three days. Queenless packages work well here.
Then, you put them all in one big box, and using a piece of screen, with Vaseline smeared on it and artificial queen substance at the top, you dip that screen into the box, and the bees crawl up onto the screen.
Of course, you need a person willing to do this. They daub queen pheromone on his body, and the screen is moved next to him and the bees crawl onto that person. Simple as 1, 2, 3. Right?
Well, not quite that simple. There's a fourth step...You have to get them off when this is over and you have to figure out what to do with them then.
Listen in and learn how all this works from a couple of guys who have been there and done that. You’ll probably never do one, but being aware of the biology at work will make you a better beekeeper.
___________________
We welcome Betterbee as sponsor of today's episode. BetterBee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, BetterBee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2022 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
Really? You want to do a bee beard?
OK, let’s think this through. How much do you know about bees and bee beards, and why do you want to make a bee beard anyway? Some people will think you are as crazy as a loon to try this and that you will die. But others think bee beards are a great way to demonstrate that bees are gentle, safe and actually fun to work with, if you know what you are doing. In today’s episode, Kim and Jim start a discussion on… Bee Beards.
First, if your club is doing this for a county fair or some demonstration, is everybody in your club OK with this? Is the demonstration location owner OK to do this? There may be liability questions. Be prepared.
Will this be an open demonstration in a field or within an enclosed and screened tent? You need to consider where will the bees come from – package, hive, nuc, etc. Regardless, make sure they are well fed!
Jim and Kim discuss making a small-scale bee beard for a public demonstration this week.
It’s OK, you can listen and not get stung.
___________________
We welcome Betterbee as sponsor of today's episode. BetterBee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, BetterBee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2022 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
Jim has finally figured out where he wants his flowers to be next spring, so what’s next is getting those sites ready to plant, so that what he plants does the best it can for Jim, the bees and anybody who walks by.
In this episode, Kim and Jim discuss the next steps in planning his garden including the time and amount of light the spot receives, soil tests, sod removal options, and… what to plant!
Listen and learn as Kim & Jim discuss the ins and outs of flower garden site preparation, so Jim can sit on his deck and enjoy his bees!
___________________
We welcome Betterbee as sponsor of today's episode. BetterBee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, BetterBee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2022 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
You can buy all of your beekeeping equipment already assembled and if wooden boxes, already painted. They cost more than if you do it yourself, but you don’t invest any time in assembly. Or, you can buy everything unassembled; nail and glue all the parts and pieces together, then paint it. You’ll need the right tools of course, the room and occasionally have to get something that didn’t get packed.
Buying assembled boxes can be a good idea, as long as they are put together correctly at the factory, and as long as the wooden pieces are the correct size and not warped. Check out those boxes when you get them to make sure they’re square, and while you’re at it, take a look at the paint job. Is it good paint, enough paint, paint where it should be?
Frames can arrive in many pieces. There are the wooden parts and possibly the wire to hold the foundation in place, eyelets to pass the wire through the end bars and all the nails you’ll need to put all this together. Or, as simple as one single integrated piece of plastic: frame and foundation – complete. But wait, you can also get a hybrid. Wood frame pre-assembled, plastic foundation already snapped in and the whole thing ready to go right out of the shipping box. Fast, easy and usually in good shape.
Which is better? Listen as Kim and Jim talk about getting new beekeeping equipment and the pros, and cons, of buying it ready to go, or putting it together.
You can buy all of your new equipment (assembled or not) from our sponsor, Betterbee!
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We welcome Betterbee as sponsor of today's episode. BetterBee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, BetterBee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2021 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
Jim has finally taken to heart the old saying, “Plant a flower - Feed a bee” and wants to add some plants to his yard that will not only feed bees, but add beauty to his landscape. But Jim’s a hard-core entomologist and hasn’t spent a lot of time studying the how’s and why’s and where’s of creating his semi-urban plain old lawn into a Garden of Earthly Delights.
Lucky for Jim, Kim went to college to learn those exact skills and has offered to give him a hand. He guides Jim in finding out what resources are at hand, what city rules and regulations he may have to follow, and what to do, and especially what not to do relative to his neighbors – both next door and across the street.
This is the first of a three part series on getting all of this done, starting out with what can and can’t you do, followed by what and how and where exactly is it that you want to do all this, exactly, and finishing up with what will you plant, and why and when and will it bloom when I want it to and make sure it isn’t a weed.
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We welcome Betterbee as sponsor of today's episode. BetterBee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, BetterBee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2021 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
The December, 2021 issue of Bee Culture magazine arrived this month. In this episode, Kim and Jim look at this special issue and discuss why it’s special every December.
Starting right off, it’s the Interview issue, where the regular writers, and some others, introduce the readers to industry people, friends in bees and beekeeping, or just someone they think their readers would like to get to know.
The issue includes the annual honey price report too, which shows honey prices for a couple dozen honey products (bulk, 1-lb., 2, 5-lb., comb and the rest), plus prices for beeswax and pollination for each or their seven regions across the country. Of course, that happens every month, but the December report shows those average prices for prior years so you can see what’s changing, and by how much. How much do you charge for a one-pound jar, retail? We’ll bet not enough. You can compare your prices with others in your region in this issue
Finally, for the last 30 some years, Kathy Summers has been making the Publications Department run as smooth as warm honey. Ordering supplies, managing inventories for the books, keeping track of the accounting part of the department, plus doing all of the layout and design for every issue. Kathy is stepping down at the end of this month for a well-deserved rest.
Imagine creating over 360 different magazines! That’s a lot of looking good, reading good and making it all work, work.
Thank you, Kathy!
___________________
We welcome Betterbee as sponsor of today's episode. BetterBee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, BetterBee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2021 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
Will it be packages of nucs next spring?
It’s only December, how do I know what I’ll want, and, if any, how many I’ll want? Getting nucs or packages in the spring has changed a lot in the last several years. The quality of queens has changed. Everybody has varroa, well almost everybody, so how and when do I treat these new entries into my apiary?
How many of what I have now will still be here next spring? What if they all are? Or what if none are? And where can I get packages now? The post office used to deliver. That’s gone. Used to be a bee supply outfit up the road, but they don’t do nucs, only packages. And how much will they cost? If I can find some?
An overwintered nuc with an overwintered queen is probably the best bet for making it to next fall, and I might make some honey, too. But is that queen overwintered, or brand new? And how much time and money will it cost me to get a package established next summer if it doesn’t rain until August, or it doesn’t quit raining until next August? Do I have the time, and the money?
Gotta figure this out pretty quick, because the suppliers are already telling me they will run our fast next spring. Get your order in now, or maybe go without.
Listen as Kim & Jim discuss the pros and cons of Packages and Nucs!
___________________
We welcome Betterbee as sponsor of today's episode. BetterBee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, BetterBee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2021 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
Can You Put New Swarms on Old Comb?
You’ve caught your first swarm. Where should it go? You don’t have any new equipment to put it on, but you have an overwintered colony that didn’t make it. Can you use the combs from that colony? Always the best answer – It Depends!
First, ask yourself, why did that colony die? Was it maybe American Foulbrood? European Foulbrood? If you don’t know you need to find out BEFORE you put more bees in those boxes. Have them tested.
If the colony went queenless overwinter, there will probably be some dead bees and lots or at least some honey. But if there’s no bees, none, and lots and lots of honey, maybe varroa and virus.
Did you count mites last fall? Did you treat when you should have?
Drawn comb is an incredible resource for your bees and for you, but how old is that comb? Do you date frames, is that wax clean enough to use another season?
Listen today as Kim & Jim discuss the ins-and-outs of using that dead colony’s comb with a new swarm!
___________________
We welcome Betterbee as sponsor of today's episode. BetterBee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, BetterBee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2021 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
Back about 100 years ago, there was so much adulterated honey for sale that people were reluctant to buy it at all. Comb honey was seen as being different because that couldn’t be adulterated, right? Well, A. I. Root put up an award looking for fake comb honey because he was sure it couldn’t be done.
Fast forward 100 years or so and that may not be the case anymore. People can digitally print fully drawn comb for bees to use, from either beeswax, or other edible waxes. Bees seem to like it and it works just fine in a beehive, giving bees a boost when they need it the most.
So, can you make fake comb honey? Well, perhaps. Tune in and listen to Kim and Jim examine these old and new rules about comb honey, and see what the world is up to with these newfangled inventions.
___________________
We welcome Betterbee as sponsor of today's episode. BetterBee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, BetterBee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2021 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
Bees, honey, smoker smoke, and lots more all have their own aroma. Beekeeping is rich in its own smells. Most are fragrant, rich and a delight to work with. Some, not so much. This is a two-part series, started in the last episode, #47.
In today’s Part 2, we spent some time smelling honeys, the types and seasons and sources and times. Then we looked the wonderful aromas the come from beekeeping products. Beeswax being rendered, honey being uncapped, the smell of brand-new wax foundation, burning wax candles, the smell of your workshop as you put together new equipment.
Come on along and learn what you can expect when dealing with honey, honey bees and all that comes with them, and what you already may have experienced and not thought much about. One aroma is worth a thousand words.
What are YOUR favorite smells of beekeeping? Let us know!
___________________
We welcome Betterbee as sponsor of today's episode. BetterBee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, BetterBee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2021 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
Bees, honey, smoker smoke, and lots more all have their own aroma. Beekeeping is rich in its own smells. Most are fragrant, rich and a delight to work with. Some, not so much. This is a two-part series.
In today’s Part 1, we looked at smells from the smoker, which are many and varied, rich and awful, all at the same time. Then we discussed the smells of bees, the good, the bad and the ugly.
Come on along and learn what you can expect when dealing with honey, honey bees and all that comes with them, and what you already may have experienced and not thought much about. One aroma is worth a thousand words.
Watch for Part 2 - The Good, next week!
___________________
We welcome Betterbee as sponsor of today's episode. BetterBee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, BetterBee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2021 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
At some point, whether by design or accident, many beekeepers consider expanding into pollination for hire with their bees. What does that mean and what does it take? What should be considered before undertaking a small-scale pollination job?
In this episode, Kim and Jim discuss their experiences and offer their observations.
First, start thinking about what you’ll need next spring NOW, so you’re ready next spring! If you wait until the first dandelion, you will be late to the game!
If you are starting from scratch, talk to other beekeepers, talk to growers, talk to anybody who has done this before. Make your contacts now and remember, when exploring pollination opportunities, you are probably competing with another beekeeper.
The most important two things to research? Know what your costs will be, and know what your time is worth. Start there.
Remember this is mostly night work, do you have a day job? Do you have a good friend you can convince to help you? And what about insurance? And can you do this with your truck, or somebody else’s, or do you have a trailer you can leave at the orchard with your hives on it.
Contracts are critical. Scope out the property. Know where you will place the bees. Know the crop better than the grower so you already anticipate their needs and schedule.
You can make good money pollinating a crop, but only if you know what you are getting into.
___________________
We welcome Betterbee as sponsor of today's episode. BetterBee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, BetterBee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2021 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
Every kind of hive has some kind of bottom board. Typically, Langstroth type hives have a bottom board that is removable. Many are reversible, too. That is one side has a ridge going around three sides that is only 3/8th of an inch tall, leaving an opening so small in the front that a mouse should not be able to get into the hive. These are used this way in the winter. The other side of this bottom board has a ridge that is 3/4th of an inch tall, to be used in the summer for better ventilation and traffic control out front.
For awhile, bottom boards with a screen were common, developed to help control varroa that would fall through if they fell off a bee above. Some people would put cardboard sticky boards under the screen to catch the varroa and give an idea of how many a hive had. These had to be covered in winter, which was sometimes a problem because of lost covers, warped covers or bent screens. They are still around, but mostly for ventilation, not varroa control.
Mostly, we use what we have, because that’s the way we’ve always done it.
But now there are several styles of bottom boards to use. Many are now heavy duty plastic, some with built in screens and a cover, some are insulated for winter use, and some will fit an 8 frame or 10 frame hive, so no matter what kind of hive you have they will fit just right. Bottom boards are getting to be as technical as the rest of our bee hives. Finally.
___________________
We welcome Betterbee as sponsor of today's episode. BetterBee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, BetterBee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2021 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
If you are comfortable outside on Christmas Day, you probably don’t have to worry about wrapping your colonies for winter protection. Otherwise, this episode is for you!
At least put up a windbreak. It’s easy, cheap and it helps. But what other insulation is available? There’s history of what has been used, and what’s available now isn’t much different, but it’s better.
Tar paper was common, roofing insulation is often used, already packaged units like a Bee Cozy, or those made by BetterBee are available and work well.
New insulated tops are available and should be considered for both keeping warm in during winter, and heat out during summer.
Winter ventilation is still an issue with some kinds of wintering techniques and you have to deal with that, too. Styrofoam boxes, and sheets are used with good success.
Winter protection, wrapping, and all the different kinds of hives….now is the time to figure it out.
___________________
We welcome Betterbee as sponsor of today's episode. BetterBee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, BetterBee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2021 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
Do you remember what it was like when you first started keeping bees? Beekeeping was easier years ago, and most of us wanted more bees, more hives, more skills, more of everything beekeeping.
But there’s a next chapter. Beekeepers today are better educated because there’s more to do now. So, it’s not wrong to want to take a day, a week, a whole season off. And there will be good times and bad times. And yes, some won’t come back.
Sometimes, learning something new will keep you going. Learn queen rearing, or pollen collection, or…. something you haven’t done before to get you going again.
But it’s OK to do something else for a while. Beekeeping will come back, or it won’t. And no matter what, it is alright!
__________________
We welcome Betterbee as sponsor of today's episode. BetterBee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, BetterBee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2021 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
There are, in most places, a mix of native and invasive plants that our bees will visit because they don’t distinguish good from bad, noxious from native. They are looking for food, regardless of the source.
This week Kim and Jim touch on a few of these, and try and come up with some recommendations and perhaps some plans on dealing with invasive plants and your honey bees.
They start with the Chinese Tallow lawsuit going on in the south, with USDA wanting rid of it by introducing a natural pest. And purple loosestrife is now starting to diminish because they already have introduced a natural pest for that handsome weed and very predictable honey crop.
But Black Locust, Norway Maple, Japanese Knotweed, Kudzu vine, English Ivy and Autumn Olive are looked at too. There are pages of introduced species of plants, many of which are terrific honey plants.
The message is….if you and your bees are dependent on introduced or noxious weeds as food sources and a honey crop, you may want to be aware, because those plants might not be there for long.
__________________
We welcome Betterbee as sponsor of today's episode. BetterBee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, BetterBee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2021 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
If you have to feed your bees this fall, something probably went wrong this summer. Spring feeding, or feeding packages or splits is maybe more common, but there are some things to think about if you have to feed your bees in the fall.
Is what went wrong the fault of your bees, your management, or the environment your bees have to live in. Too many row crops, pesticides, too much lawn…is there really any food out there at all?
How much food does a colony actually need to get through the winter?
You also have to think about what kind of feeders will you use, what will you feed, how much should you feed, and when do you stop feeding.
All of these questions have to have answers, before you start.
Fall feeding may not be as simple as you thought it was.
__________________
We welcome Betterbee as sponsor of today's episode. BetterBee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, BetterBee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2021 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
Think about honey bees overwintering in a tree. There’s 4 to 6 inches of insulation, pretty good ventilation, and it’s lined with propolis. Now think of our bees living in a box with less than an inch of wood for protection. We pretty much don’t think of wintering anymore. There’s lots of bees, swarms, we can replace what we lose easily…. well, it was easy, but it’s not so much anymore. Varroa changed that.
We can protect them if we want. Insulated covers, insulated wraps, roofing paper, all manner of things we can get, and all require some level of labor to make work.
Expanded styrene boxes seem to be pretty good. Lots of insulation for both winter cold and summer heat and they use both sides of every frame. They don’t recognize warm winter days though, so there’s that.
In the old days beekeepers went to a lot of trouble to keep their bees alive overwinter and with the new controlled environment buildings, that sort of care is coming back.
Winter protection can mean different things based on where you live – after all, all beekeeping is local. However, no matter where you live, preparing for winter and protecting the colony inside a hive is something our bees need now more than ever.
__________________
We welcome Betterbee as sponsor of today's episode. BetterBee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, BetterBee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2021 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
There’s a saying – Winter Begins in August and it’s already September. It’s time to start thinking about getting ready for winter.
What can and what should you be thinking about? Well, if winter is cold where you are, can you move your bees to somewhere that’s warm? If moving bees is at all possible.
What about indoor wintering? It used to be popular and it’s coming back, but the indoors are a lot more sophisticated than they used to be. Is that possible?
And are your bees winter hardy, or are they softies? And can you fix that yet this year with a tougher queen? And absolutely get varroa under control. Yesterday.
What about food? How was/is/will be the fall flow this fall? Enough, not enough, need more? And if not, how much will you have to find for them?
And what equipment will you need when you really get ready for winter? Get it now, or it may be gone. It’s time to start thinking about winter, isn’t it.
______________________
We welcome Betterbee as sponsor of today's episode. BetterBee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, BetterBee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2021 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
Right now, you have to make some decisions about how to overwinter your colonies. If you live in the deep south, there probably isn’t much to think about. But if you live north of warm winter weather, there’s a lot that has to be done. One of these tasks is what to do with a couple of small, weak colonies, because they are just not big enough to make it on their own.
Several options are available. In this week’s episode, Kim and Jim look at the strengths and weaknesses of each to help you better decide what you can do with your weak colonies.
Combine the two and keep the best queen? That’s one way, but which queen is the best queen, and why? And why were both colonies small and weak? And what do you do with the queen that you decide to remove?
Or, perhaps you can combine the two and add some bees and comb and make one stronger colony or nuc to overwinter, so you will have a nuc in your beeyard next spring, which is always a good thing.
Or, what about putting those small colonies in a well-insulated hive box so they don’t have to work so hard, and maybe both will make it?
Other overwintering schemes are discussed, but the most practical, perhaps, is the most common way to handle this overwintering question. Listen in and you can decide what is best for your operation.
______________________
We welcome Betterbee as sponsor of today's episode. BetterBee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, BetterBee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2021 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
Beekeepers are very often asked to help friends or neighbors that have “bee” problems…. honey bees, carpenter bees, yellow jackets, hornets, bumblebees and the like. But most of us aren’t exterminators. We don’t have the tools, the experience, or the time to help. But “can’t you just get rid of them for me?” lets you know they think you know how to do this… and are ‘glad to help.’
Sometimes they are your bees. A colony swarms and if you are lucky lands in a tree or bush and are easy to retrieve. Sometimes though, they head for that hole in the siding and take up residence in the wall of your neighbor’s house. What then?
What about liability? What happens if you do decide to help, climb a ladder and fall off. What then? Or you tell your neighbor what to do and they fall off the ladder?
Do you lend them your gear? Suit, smoker, hive tool? If you do it, are you serving as an exterminator then? Practicing without a license?
But what about a dangerous situation, like a kid coming home from school and seeing for the first time that huge bald faced hornet nest? Shouldn’t you have been out there long before, just to help?
Listen today! You’ll find that it may not be as easy as just saying, “call an exterminator”.
______________________
We welcome Betterbee as sponsor of today's episode. BetterBee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, BetterBee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2021 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
When you finish extracting your honey crop, you have frames that have sticky, gooey honey in the cells, and on the frame surfaces. There may be some crystalized honey in some of the cells, too. Maybe even some pollen stored there.
So how do you clean up this mess so when you go to store the supers with these frames in them for the winter, they will be safe? Kim and Jim take a look at dealing with these wet combs so they get clean and are easy to store for the winter, no matter where you winter.
The most common way is to put the frames back in the supers just harvested and put the supers back on your hives. Then in a few days, the bees will have cleaned up the mess and you’re left with a super full of clean, dry, not sticky frames. Usually.
Some beekeepers just set the just-extracted supers outside and let the bees clean them up. But there are a lot of problems with this you may want to avoid. Robbing, sharing diseases and more can happen.
Once the frames have been cleaned by the bees, they are dry, not sticky and have no more honey in them. But what about that crystalized honey that was there, and how do they clean them, really? And what about wax moth, and small hive beetles?
Storing these now clean supers can be a problem needing solved before you decide where to store them. Unheated storage in the north works because these pests don’t do well in the cold, but what about storage in heated buildings or in the south, where it’s warm all year?
Some beekeepers just store this equipment on the bees overwinter. Will the bees keep these pests at bay?
Extracting is a messy business and with it comes the afterlife of those wet, sticky frames that need a good cleaning, and then safe winter storage. Check out some of the ways Kim and Jim make sure this happens to your frames.
______________________
We welcome Betterbee as sponsor of today's episode. BetterBee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, BetterBee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2021 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
What do you do about ugly or mean bees? It can be difficult to determine which colony in a beeyard with several colonies is the one, or maybe one of several, that has scouting guard bees meet you at the gate when you go to a beeyard.
If you can determine which colony is the one with the problems, why is it behaving so aggressively? Several reasons come to mind – something is bothering it at night, maybe a skunk for several nights, then you come along and they’ve about had it with being disturbed.
Or, you caught a swarm. Where did those bees come from? Did you make a split, keep the mother-queen and let the other half raise their own queen? Who she mated with could result in a mean colony due to genes.
Sometimes, it’s just because a big colony has more bees, more guards, more foragers…just more bees. So, a big colony is going to be more of everything…more bees, more honey, more guards. More mean.
What do you do? Worry about the neighbors? Wear heavy duty equipment? Work them at a different time of day? Have a second, isolated beeyard?
Do mean colonies make more honey than gentle colonies? Sometimes.
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We welcome Betterbee as sponsor of today's episode. BetterBee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, BetterBee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2021 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
Every spring we beekeepers buy packages and set up nucs. Come summer, we start to look at what is going right and what may be going… well… not so right. Or at least, something is going but we’re not quite certain just what!
In this episode, Kim and Jim discuss the hives they started this past spring and compare notes. They’re only 30 miles apart and you might think weather and time have treated them equally and… you would be surprised.
How was the new queen accepted? How has the honey flow from tree crops such as Tulip, Poplar, and Basswood? Is any clover blooming?
How are the over-wintered colonies doing this summer? Are they kicking it into overdrive and really producing? Or were they super swarmy, and/or busy replacing the queen and/or highly defensive compared to the prior season? Can the Queen be root of all the problems?
Speaking of problems… who’s dealing with Hive Beetles? Kim or Jim?
Listen today as Kim and Jim discuss all things honey bees.
______________________
We welcome Betterbee as sponsor of today's episode. BetterBee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, BetterBee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2021 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
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Beekeepers talk a lot about not having enough food or enough good food for their bees due to all manner of development, agriculture spread, and agriculture in general. To help fix that problem beekeepers should be looking at doing some planting for bees, which is what Kim and Jim talk about this week.
But it’s not as simple as it might sound. If you are planning on something for your yard, the basic gardening techniques can be an issue – dealing with sod removal, local animals that will enjoy what you plant, and even neighbors that might find what you are doing, ummmm, less than appealing for the neighborhood.
And of course, if you don’t have enough good food, you need something, like, right now for starters, like some annuals, then some longer-term plantings of perennials and shrubs, and of course some permanent plantings like blooming trees and fruit trees.
Making this all work certainly takes a lot of work, which, if you’re not a spring chicken any more, means a lot of work you may not want to get too involved in. So what then? And that’s what Kim and Jim try and figure out.
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We welcome Betterbee as sponsor of today's episode. BetterBee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, BetterBee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2021 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
Kim and Jim ask some interesting questions this week, maybe some you’ve asked yourself, or perhaps you asked a close friend.
For instance, should a colony being used for honey production spend time and energy raising drones? Or should a beekeeper be getting rid of drones? There are some who believe so.
And where do you go to get good information when you have a honey bee question? The web? And if so, which websites do you seek out? What about books and magazines? And for what subjects? Is there a single source?
And was there some advice a respected and trusted source gave you long ago that you used for years, but finally figured out it was bad advice? There’s probably several things you still do that you shouldn’t, right?
And the first question? What’s the one thing in your beekeeping life that you are most proud of? And why?
Join Kim and Jim, and try and answer their questions this week. Let them know if you can…..
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We welcome Betterbee as sponsor of today's episode. BetterBee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, BetterBee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2021 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
Have you ever had European Foulbrood (EFB) in one or more of your hives? How do you know if it was EFB? What does it look like? What does it smell like? Does it smell like American Foulbrood (AFB), or look like AFB?
If you’re not sure, how do you find out? Who can you call? And what can you do about it if it is EFB? Burn, treat, scorch, feed, let it alone because it will get better? And if you need to treat, do you know a veterinarian who can give you a prescription so you can buy an antibiotic to treat with?
Kim and Jim talk about EFB today. They don’t necessarily give you all the answers, because ID and treatment aren’t perfectly defined anymore.
Tune in and hear why!
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We welcome Betterbee as sponsor of today's episode. BetterBee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, BetterBee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2021 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
It’s been hot in Ohio so far this summer (and a lot of other places too) but it’s also been wet. Hot and wet can make keeping bees a lot harder than normal. Kim and Jim talk about hot summers and their bees.
Kick the air conditioner down a couple of degrees, pour yourself a glass of your favorite beverage and listen in.
Jim is visiting up in Michigan this week, and it’s been hot there, too. They share the same loss of enthusiasm and eagerness for working bees when it’s hot and it seems the bees are crankier than usual. Is that normal? There are lots of bees bearding on the front of the hives…
The ‘personality’ changes in the bee yards every summer, hot or not. Up to the middle of June of so, the bees don’t even notice a beekeeper, but then that changes and the bees give all manner of trouble each visit visits. What’s going on? Dearth, robbing, what ever it is it lasts until at least early October, when they quite down again.
Shade helps. Get them in afternoon shade if you can. It’s a lot easier on the bees, and even more so for the beekeeper.
What about water? You have to make sure there’s always water available in your yard. Keep your bees out of your neighbor’s pools and pet dishes, so they stay out of trouble.
Hot summers and honey bees. Turn that air conditioner down a couple more degrees, will you please?
Watch the Honey Bee Obscura VideoMoment for this episode here: https://youtu.be/IWr7Bj0EUQs
______________________
We welcome Betterbee as sponsor of today's episode. BetterBee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, BetterBee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2021 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
How many colonies had to be replaced last year? How many in winter, summer, total? How many beekeepers were surveyed? How many commercial operations, how many sideline operations, and how many hobby beekeepers? It used to be called the annual colony loss survey, but even that has changed because one thing they have found is that colony counts aren’t decreasing, because they are replaced, and are now considered turnovers, not losses. The Bee Informed Colony Management survey went looking for the answers to these questions, and more in their 15th annual survey and the preliminary results are in.
The value of this survey, and the information that you can get out of it is incredible, if you use it the right way if you are having the same kinds of problems, or successes these beekeepers are having.
This time, Kim and Jim take a look at the some of the data, putting it into everyday beekeeping language that everybody can use. Varroa, of course is a major issue, but not for everybody. Queen issues the same, some replace annually, some never, at least on purpose. Queens, you know, are the second biggest problem Kim and Jim have every year. What about you? Is summer a greater loss period than winter? What can be done about any of these issues? Can you change the way you are doing things to reduce your annual turnover?
Everybody, it seems, is more or less in the same boat. But the data here is good for planning for the coming winter, next spring, next summer, where to get queens. All the info is in the preliminary report, and will be explained in detail when the full report is released. Stay tuned!
Links and websites mentioned in this podcast:
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We welcome Betterbee as sponsor of today's episode. BetterBee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, BetterBee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2021 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
A question from a book written 107 years ago comes up for discussion.
“How do you keep your bees from bothering your neighbors?” Back then, it was mostly cattle and horses beekeepers were worried about Today? It’s the people in the house right next door, their swimming pool, their bird feeders and waterers and the water for their pooch.
First, is it legal to keep bees where you are? Then how do you get along with your neighbors? Where are your bees? Do you have a fence? (It’s still true – Good fences make good neighbors.) No question when you have bees. Fence or no fence, robbing is still an issue, all of the time. It was good advice to avoid robbing 107 years ago, and it is good advice today.
When you go to your bee yard, it’s hard to be subtle – smoker going, white suit, veil…neighbors are going to notice. Just how do you keep your bees will determine just how well you get along with your neighbors! In this episode, Kim and Jim discuss some finer aspects of dealing with neighbors!
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We welcome Betterbee as sponsor of today's episode. BetterBee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, BetterBee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2021 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
It’s rare, very rare, but sometimes beekeepers have to kill all the bees in a colony. It can be a tragic, emotional and usually it’s an expensive experience. Or it can be a life saving act to save the lives of friends, neighbors and family. At the very least, it will render a box of dangerous or sick bees no longer dangerous or reduce the chance of spreading disease across the county. At any rate, it is painful to have to do this.
There are usually only 2 reasons this has to be done. The presence of American Foulbrood in a colony that has been identified by a governing body, with state laws in place that essentially force this is probably the most common reason, but still, this isn’t very common anymore. The second reason is that the genetics of the bees in the colony are such that aggression is extreme, and the presence of the colony causes danger for the beekeeper and/or nearby people.
The why is often clear. The how can sometimes be less clear. If possible, late night so all the foragers are home and no stragglers are left in the bee yard to harass people, or to spread disease. Closing the colony so no bees can escape, rendering it essentially leak proof, and dumping in a 2 or 3-gallon pail of hot, very soapy water is usually the method of dispatching the bees. Leaving it closed for a day is a good idea before checking.
If aggression is the issue, occasionally moving the bees to a less dangerous place is an option, though not always the best option. Vehicle, time of day and the like can be issues to work through.
When dealing with overly defensive bees, safety for the beekeeper and the beekeeper’s neighbors should always be the top concern.
In this episode, Kim & Jim discuss this extraordinary, but necessary, course of action a beekeeper may face.
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We welcome Betterbee as sponsor of today's episode. BetterBee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, BetterBee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2021 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
Let’s face it. Unless you live in an isolated part of the world, if you keep bees, you will need to eventually deal with encounters between your bees and your neighbors. Encounters don’t have to be negative. There are strategies you can use to minimize ‘bad publicity’ and ‘hard feelings.’ Some beekeeping clubs have written down these strategies and developed rules, Golden Rules, for beekeepers to help guide them to keep friendly relations with their neighbors.
In this episode, our fearless hosts, Kim and Jim take up eight rules used by a UK beekeeping club and explore their experiences with neighbors, bees, and Golden Rules.
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We welcome Betterbee as sponsor of today's episode. BetterBee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, BetterBee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2021 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
Packages arrive with a queen and together are installed in a hive of some kind. In a few days to a week the queen is released from her travel cage by either the bees or the beekeeper. Then the evaluation of that queen, and the bees, too, begins. How good is this queen? And when should I be able to decide if she needs replacing. A week? 2 weeks? A month? And how do you decide?
There are some basic parameters you can use to evaluate her performance. You can look at the egg laying pattern she is producing, measure how many eggs she is laying each day, and note if most are workers and only a very few, if any, are drones.
Experienced beekeepers can, because of lots of practice, estimate the amount of brood in the colony after a quick inspection, and can determine if she is producing what she should be producing depending the time she has had. Returning in a week, there should be a week’s increase in the amount of brood noted. And how much is enough?
But what if she isn’t producing well? Spotty pattern? Hardly any brood - basically an unorganized nest? And when does she cross the line of being very new, to being very unproductive?
Package queens can be tricky to work with, and Jim and Kim look at the ways to measure how she is doing, and what can be done with a queen that’s only a C+ instead of an A+. There are several ways to make this work for the colony and for the beekeeper.
______________________
We welcome Betterbee as sponsor of today's episode. BetterBee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, BetterBee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2021 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
Today, Kim & Jim review questions and answers asked in an ancient A. I. Root Co. publication, published in 1910. What’s changed, and what hasn’t? Kim and Jim tackle questions asked 121 years ago. You’ll be surprised at what they find.
Do gentle bees make as much honey as mean bees? A question you still hear because sometimes it seems mean bees are more productive, right? Maybe, maybe not.
What’s the best smoker fuel? Oily rags? You’re kidding, right? Pine needles, sawdust and the like too, but a petroleum-based product? Will it blow up in your smoker?
What can you do when another beekeeper brings in a truckload of colonies and sets them down next door? Will everybody starve? Can you make them move? Can you stop them in the first place?
And how much does a painted 10-frame hive with wired foundation full of bees cost? Then adjust that for inflation. Be sitting down when you read the answer to this one.
______________________
We welcome Betterbee as sponsor of today's episode. BetterBee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, BetterBee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2021 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
What is tanging? Basically, beekeepers use some sort of device, an old cooking pot for instance, to make a loud noise by beating it with a spoon or stick, while chasing an escaping swarm. It is thought this may convince the bees that a storm with thunder is approaching and they need to find a place to land, now, and then the beekeeper can capture them and return them to their home.
When a beekeeper sees a swarm leave one of their hives, they will chase the swarm to recapture and return it to the apiary. While chasing it, the beekeeper typically crosses the property of several people, and by beating on a pan while chasing the swarm, will let property owners know that 1) the swarm of bees is theirs, and 2) the beekeeper is not there to trespass and offers no danger to the land owner.
Or…Perhaps both, but isn't tanging and drumming the same? Not quite.
When beekeepers want to move bees out of, say, a section of a hollow tree, they cut the tree, remove the section the colony is in and take it home. Then, they cut the bottom of this just so that there is a hole large enough for the bees to get through, turn the tree section upside down so the hole is now on top, place a new hive, skep or container on the section, and begin to ‘drum’ on the sides with a stick or old spoon. The sounds and effects of this cause the bees to want to leave, and leaving through the hole on what’s now the top is the only way to go. The beekeeper continues this until all the bees have moved up.
Kim and Jim briefly explore both of these older beekeeping techniques in today’s show. But turn the volume up, it’s loud out there.
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Be sure to check out the selection of Honey Bee Obscura Video Moments on the OneTewBee YouTube Channel.
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This episode of Honey Bee Obscura is supported by the three generations of beekeepers at Leibengood Family Apiaries, providing Georgia certified, southern raised bee packages and queens to central Ohio each Spring!
______________________
We welcome Betterbee as sponsor of today's episode. BetterBee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, BetterBee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2021 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
Honey bees are purchased from commercial operations in business to sell bees to beekeepers. They can be sold as complete eight or ten frame hives with a queen, frames with comb, bees and brood and some stored food. Or, they may be sold as a 5-frame small colony, traditionally called a nucleus colony, or more commonly a Nuc, with a queen, comb, food and bees. Bees can also be bought in bulk – by the pound, traditionally in a container of some sort, without frames or comb. A queen accompanies the bees, protected in a wooden or plastic queen cage.
For over 150 years the containers used to ship the bees from the seller to the purchaser was a box with the top, two sides and the bottom made of wood, with the remaining two sides covered with wire screen so the bees inside had adequate ventilation. A feeder can of sugar syrup is fastened in the box to provide food for the bees for the several days. Once received, the beekeeper removes the feeder from the opening in the top and the bees dumped through this opening.
A new shipping box is now available and popular with some package producers. Made of plastic, it had the same dimensions as the traditional package, but all sides have tiny ventilation holes and the walls, top and bottom are thick enough that the bees inside can’t reach through and sting someone holding the container, like they could through the screened containers. These, too, have a feeder provided inside with an opening on top. However, one end of the package is attached so it can be opened and the bees removed easily through this much larger opening.
There are other significant differences between these two commonly used “packages,” in how they are handled, the feeder can, how the bees can be removed, and what to do with the package when the bees are gone. Is this new package better, the same, or not as good as that decades old wood and wire box?
Kim and Jim discuss these differences, both good and bad, in this segment of Honey Bee Obscura.
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Be sure to check out the selection of Honey Bee Obscura Video Moments on the OneTewBee YouTube Channel, including this one on hiving a package in the rain! https://youtu.be/HLNuFm27E64
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This episode of Honey Bee Obscura is supported by the three generations of beekeepers at Leibengood Family Apiaries, providing Georgia certified, southern raised bee packages and queens to central Ohio each Spring!
______________________
We welcome Betterbee as sponsor of today's episode. BetterBee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, BetterBee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2021 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
Old comb. What is old comb? Old comb is that which is darkened through generations of tiny bee's feet (ok, for the technically minded, tarsus and tarsal claws...) running across its surface. Is it good for years or should beekeepers pull and replace it? At what point should it be pulled?
In this episode of Honey Bee Obscura, Kim and Jim discuss all things Old Comb.
After listening to the episode, make sure you check out this Honey Bee Obscura video moment on the OneTewBee YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/s7GD29Z8zD4
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This episode of Honey Bee Obscura is supported by the three generations of beekeepers at Leibengood Family Apiaries, providing Georgia certified, southern raised bee packages and queens to central Ohio each Spring!
______________________
We welcome Betterbee as sponsor of today's episode. BetterBee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, BetterBee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2021 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
Spring inspections, especially early spring, need a balance of not too often, but often enough to avoid problems. The first thing you see is…what’s left from last fall. In the south, these inspections took place some time ago, and in the north, they are just wrapping up, but what you find early on will help determine what needs to be done now.
Mite testing is certainly on the agenda, but for today, we’re going to pass on that and look at food, the queen, where the bees are in the hive and what all this will tell us. Of course, if you see lots of bees with twisted wings, a mite test isn’t much of a question, but location of the bees, and is swarming or feeding going to be next?
If the bees are in the bottom boxes, you’re probably OK for a bit, but if they are in the top boxes, they are probably out of food, so check for honey right now. Too, if they are in the top, it may be crowded and swarming is on their agenda sooner rather than later…check to population’s location.
How’s the queen? How does her brood pattern look, how much brood is there, and where is the most brood? If a solid pattern, and there’s 6 – 8 frames fuller than not, you probably have a good queen with a hive full of bees thinking swarm. If a poor pattern, or only 2 – 3 frames, a new queen may be in order. Where can you get a queen now, and what kind of queen would you want? And what about feeding pollen sub and small hive beetles?
Right now, the season is being decided for you. Don’t let your bees down.
Check out Honey Bee Obscura's Video Moment on Spring Inspections HERE.
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This episode of Honey Bee Obscura is supported by the three generations of beekeepers at Leibengood Family Apiaries, providing Georgia certified, southern raised bee packages and queens to central Ohio each Spring!
______________________
We welcome Betterbee as sponsor of today's episode. BetterBee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, BetterBee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2021 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
Why do you keep a box full of bugs that you just know will sting? It should be an easy answer, but there’s more here that you might think, especially if you’re just getting started. Even if you’ve been doing this for years and you’re doing everything right, someday, you will get stung, no matter what.
But what about the beekeeper dressed in only shorts and a T-Shirt, who will take a colony apart, remove the queen, put it back together, and walk away with a smile – and no stings. You have to admire that skill or is it luck?
Basic advice – always wear a veil, always. If you’re going to be opening and moving things, wear at least a veil and a jacket. If you’re going to be moving bees in the middle of the night or harvesting honey, wear a full suit with gloves and elastic around your cuffs and wrists.
Even more basic advice – Respect stings, wear protective gear, take care of the people around you to reduce chances they will get stung, but just know, it’s going to happen. It’s all in a day’s work.
Listen to Kim & Jim today as they discuss this most basic and most painful aspect of beekeeping!
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This episode of Honey Bee Obscura is supported by the three generations of beekeepers at Leibengood Family Apiaries, providing Georgia certified, southern raised bee packages and queens to central Ohio each Spring!
______________________
We welcome Betterbee as sponsor of today's episode. BetterBee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, BetterBee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2021 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
So, how do you eat comb honey? It isn’t a mystery, but until you have tried eating comb honey, it can be a tad daunting.
At first, it’s a beautiful product. Snow white cappings, beautiful honey, the perfect sweetener. But then, you take a sample and that chunk of comb honey begins to leak, and the honey runs out and covers the bottom of the dish you have it on, along with tiny chunks of the wax from the cells and the cappings and the foundation. Suddenly it’s messy. Very messy. And the beauty of the honey only remains in the eye of the beholder.
The plastic honey bear has made eating honey easy, neat, clean, and not messy. It has taken comb honey mostly off the tables of several generations of beekeepers and the people who like eating honey. Beekeepers make far less of it than when your grandparents were keeping bees and people now don’t know what it is, how to handle it, nor how to eat it.
And consider - comb honey is the least processed, best tasting honey you can eat. And the bees do it all. No harvesting, no extracting, no filtering, no heating, no bottling, and never touched by human hands.
So, how do you eat comb honey? Just as fast as you can and then ask for seconds. It’s that good.
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This episode of Honey Bee Obscura is supported by the three generations of beekeepers at Leibengood Family Apiaries, providing Georgia certified, southern raised bee packages and queens to central Ohio each Spring!
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We welcome Betterbee as sponsor of today's episode. BetterBee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, BetterBee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
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Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2021 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
Trapping pollen will give you a source of good food for your bees, and it’s for free. And why more beekeepers don’t do it is interesting, but understandable. There are a host of pollen substitutes on the market that a beekeeper can simply buy and feed to the bees. Pollen traps add a layer of work and cost to their beekeeping efforts that many don’t want to undertake….and that’s too bad.
Of course trapping pollen changes what’s going on in the hive. Removing some amount of the only protein source bees are aware of changes their foraging behavior is several ways – especially, if you leave the trap on too long. Suddenly there’s not enough pollen coming in, so we need to recruit more pollen foragers, taking some of the nectar foragers off that task. And, having a pollen trap on a colony strongly selects for pollen foragers bringing home smaller pollen pellets that will get through the screen, which will take even more nectar foragers out of the equation.
Drones often get trapped in these things, too.
What do you do with the pollen? Sell it, eat it, feed it back to the bees? How do you store it once collected? How do you clean it so it can be sold?
Kim and Jim talk about collecting pollen, and what to do with it once collected. It’s good food for you, your bees and it’s free!
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This episode of Honey Bee Obscura is supported by the three generations of beekeepers at Leibengood Family Apiaries, providing Georgia certified, southern raised bee packages and queens to central Ohio each Spring!
______________________
We welcome Betterbee as sponsor of today's episode. BetterBee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, BetterBee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2021 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
If you keep good records every year, you’ll know about when to expect the various nectar flows your areas has almost every year and that your bees need to make a honey crop.
Of course, your bees will tell you when a nectar flow starts, and when it’s over. Tell you they will. Open a colony before a flow and the bees are busy looking for food. Open one during a good flow and you will find the happiest bees in the world. Open a colony just as a flow stops and you better have a good beesuit and veil, because they get real testy when the food stops coming in.
Nectar flows overlap, which is great for the bees and your honey crop, but how can you tell when one stops and the next one starts? Not even the bees can tell you that. So, you end up without a defined floral crop, like locust or clover, but with a more generalized “wildflower” blend.
Even after years of taking good notes, some years it’s too dry, too wet, there’s a storm…it’s always something to what should have been an average year.
One thing to remember if nothing else. Always have too much room on top, so the bees always have some place to put that nectar to dry early in the day during a flow, that you missed, again. Too little, and they quit chasing the nectar because there’s no place to put it.
Watch this Honey Bee Obscura video moment for additional great information on Nectar Flows! https://youtu.be/DhcHROgHkN4
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This episode of Honey Bee Obscura is supported by the three generations of beekeepers at Leibengood Family Apiaries, providing Georgia certified, southern raised bee packages and queens to central Ohio each Spring!
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus
Copyright © 2021 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
Imagine this… you walk out to your beeyard. There is a lot of activity. No problem. That’s good right? Probably a nectar flow, you think. But as you get closer, there is something else going on… more frantic, more commotion, more… frenetic; All directed at one or two hives. There are hundreds of bees trying to get into those hives, through any available crack and crevice.
Bees are all over in the air and it is definitely not a swarm. About the time you notice a faint smell of something like almonds, bees greet you face to face and you can tell, they are not happy. You deftly slip on your veil.
What the heck is going on?
Robbing. If you have hives you will eventually experience this natural(?) act, typically between one or more colonies against a weaker colony. Usually, but not always, during periods of dearth and a bored field force. What do you do? What can you do?
In this episode of Honey Bee Obscura, Kim and Jim discuss robbing, their experiences and what you can expect! Make sure to watch the Honey Bee Obscura Video Moment in the YouTube link below!
Honey Bee Obscura Video Moment of Robbing in action with narrative by Jim - https://youtu.be/SFf7zy32t7E
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This episode of Honey Bee Obscura is supported by the three generations of beekeepers at Leibengood Family Apiaries, providing Georgia certified, southern raised bee packages and queens to central Ohio each Spring!
______________________
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus
Copyright © 2021 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
Have you ever tried to capture a swarm while hanging on to the top of a 10-foot ladder that’s standing in the back of a pickup? No? Well, Jim Tew has and he’ll tell you all about retrieving swarms this week. Kim Flottum has a story about Richard Taylor walking into the middle of a swarm issuing from a hive, reaching up and catching the queen! No, really! It happened!
If you are a beekeeper, swarms are a fact of life. Keeping bees from swarming is a challenge and capturing them when they leave is even more of a challenge, most of the time anyway. (You could even consider them fun when they are someone else’s bees).
The economics of managing your bees so they don’t swarm or capturing the bunch after they swarm is worth the time and effort, at least sometimes. Falling off a 10-foot ladder is going to be much more expensive than simply buying a package to replace the one that got away.
Swarms are a biological wonder. Enjoy the experience.
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This episode of Honey Bee Obscura is supported by the three generations of beekeepers at Leibengood Family Apiaries, providing Georgia certified, southern raised bee packages and queens to central Ohio each Spring!
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus
Honey Bee Obscura is an audio production of Growing Planet Media, LLC
Copyright © 2021 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
How much space do bees need inside a beehive? Well, it’s between 3/16” and 5/16”, so you can figure just about a quarter inch should do. But what happens when bees don’t have bee space in a beehive? Propolis is what happens: Tighter than a drum if it’s too small and full of burr and brace comb if it’s too big.
Make it just right for the bees and they’ll make it right for you!
Are there differences between equipment manufacturers? (Yes) Where is the bee space? Above the frames or below the frames when they sit in the box? It’s different for different manufacturers. So, look and even measure before you buy. Brand X may not work with Brand Y, depending on just where they provide the bee space between boxes. This applies to hive bodies, honey supers and even inner covers!
Ever used a hammer to get frames out? No? Well, you’ve been lucky. Add one to your tool box before you head out to the beeyard. It just might be the only way to save a frame from certain destruction.
Bee Space, can’t live without it, and even if you have it, sometimes it still doesn’t work.
Watch Jim Tew explain bee space in this Honey Bee Obscura YouTube video: https://youtu.be/uloW43GykHg
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This episode of Honey Bee Obscura is supported by the three generations of beekeepers at Leibengood Family Apiaries, providing Georgia certified, southern raised bee packages and queens to central Ohio each Spring!
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus
Honey Bee Obscura is an audio production of Growing Planet Media, LLC
Copyright © 2021 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
When you have more bees at home than you want, or your family wants, or your neighbors want, it’s time to find an outyard. There’s a lot to consider when choosing an outyard.
There are many things to consider, such as: Are you able to get there in all seasons? Does your family knows where it is so they can find you if your truck or car won’t start? What about access? Are there gates? Combinations to locks? Here’s a consideration… What about cattle or horses or bear? Will you need some kind of fence? Do you leave tools and equipment there? What’s the weed situation like? Can you get cell phone reception? What about yard rent? How much honey do you need for that and did you remember to close that gate when you left?
At some point outyards will be a part of your beekeeping life. Know what, where, how and when to consider getting one, or more.
Listen today as Kim and Jim discuss outyards: the good, the bad and the ugly.
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This episode of Honey Bee Obscura is supported by the three generations of beekeepers at Leibengood Family Apiaries, providing Georgia certified, southern raised bee packages and queens to central Ohio each Spring!
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom
Honey Bee Obscura is an audio production of Growing Planet Media, LLC
Copyright © 2021 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
Everybody who has bees at some time will have to requeen a colony. You killed her when moving frames, she quit laying, a colony that swarmed didn’t make a queen, you stepped on her when she fell off the frame. It happens… and now you have to requeen that colony. If she’s gone it’s easier than if she’s there. If she’s there, you got to find and replace her. Right, find her first. Good luck with that.
Then, it’s where do you put that new queen in the colony and how long should she stay in that cage? Used to be, when the bees in that colony quit trying to kill her in that cage. Anymore, maybe not. Used to be, you’d get a queen in the wooden cage with candy, punch a hole in the candy and she’s out in 3 days, or less. Now, 7, maybe 10 days in that plastic cage and maybe she’ll be ok, but check twice. Maybe three times.
Not to add any stress to the exercise, but queens aren’t cheap. Even if you raise your own, you did invest time and energy to get her to age. On the other hand, if you just paid, $40+ for her… PLUS and applicable shipping… the pressure to get it right, piles on!
Listen today as Kim and Jim discuss the challenges of requeening and their personal approach to this task that every beekeeper ultimately has to face.
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This episode of Honey Bee Obscura is supported by the three generations of beekeepers at Leibengood Family Apiaries, providing Georgia certified, southern raised bee packages and queens to central Ohio each Spring!
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom
Honey Bee Obscura is an audio production of Growing Planet Media, LLC
Copyright © 2021 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
A smoker is that extra hand you always need when working bees. It’s the right tool for the job. But how smokers get used is mostly influenced by what the beekeeper is doing whether you are working hard, fast and in a hurry, or easy going, slow and gentle. Each approach demands different behaviors and different amounts of smoke.
What about smoker fuels? Certainly, what’s available helps decide what gets burned. Pine straw, wood shavings, punk wood, rolled burlap, sumac pods, even dried cow dung are some of the fuels of choice.
How long should a smoker stay lit? Once you get it going, set it down and don’t puff again. If it doesn’t stay lit for at least a half hour you need more practice. Or better fuel. Or a newer smoker.
Like everything in beekeeping….it just depends. Listen today as Kim and Jim discuss all things… Smokers!
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Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom
Honey Bee Obscura is an audio production of Growing Planet Media, LLC
Copyright © 2021 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
If you need or want to get some honey bees this spring, the two traditional means are to get a 3-pound package or a (usually) 5 frame nucleus colony. There are advantages and disadvantages to both and like so many things in beekeeping – it depends on the situation of which might be a better choice.
Packages aren’t cheap, and they are slower to develop, which is good for a less experienced beekeeper, but for somebody who wants a fast buildup, not so good. That first winter for a package is usually critical, especially if they were put on new equipment, because their time to get ready has been short, and they’ve been playing catchup all summer.
Nucs generally offer comb, eggs, brood of all ages, honey and pollen, and a laying queen, but there can be a lot of variables for all of these attributes that can throw any beekeeper a curve. They hit the ground running, so to speak, so from a beginner’s perspective it can be a steep learning curve. If it’s strong and a good season, a nuc will probably make you a bit of honey.
So, packages and nucs are both good options, depending on your abilities, goals and if you have mentorship to help answer questions throughout the season.
Listen to Kim & Jim for more information on Packages and Nucs!
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Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom
Honey Bee Obscura is an audio production of Growing Planet Media, LLC
Copyright © 2021 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
So, you just built brand new wooden hive boxes, tops and bottoms. It all sure looks nice, doesn’t it? How do you keep it from rotting, falling apart or just wearing out?
For many beekeepers using white latex paint on their equipment is the go-to. But for some, painting isn’t on the agenda this season. Painting takes time and colors can vary. Is it OK to use different colors different sized supers? Should you use oil base, or latex, or some other kind of water base material? How long will those boxes last, anyway?
What if you don’t want to use paint? What about natural materials? What works? Some find that a hot rosin dip may work, or dipped in hot bees wax or paraffin. Is that OK? Stains work, too, so your hives don’t stand out as much as a white box out in the backyard, in town. What about painting the inside? Is it safe? Is it good protection?
Of course, there is always the choice of just doing nothing. Is that acceptable?
In this episode, Kim and Jim explore all things Hive Finishes!
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Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom
Honey Bee Obscura is an audio production of Growing Planet Media, LLC
Copyright © 2021 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
What beekeepers choose to wear for protection is determined by many factors. Kim and Jim explore several of the most influential choices today when talking about Protective Gear.
Choices are mostly determined by what you have and what you will be doing during any particular visit. Or is it? Do you need to wear the same gear for a quick inspection as you do for moving hives? What about gloves? What kind of veil? There are so many different types to choose from. The catalogs are full of things to look at, dream about and order!
Of course, as you learn more, you’ll want more. That’s what Christmas and birthdays are all about.
Listen to Kim and Jim talk about their experiences with protective gear and you may save some money and look good at the same time!
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Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom
Honey Bee Obscura is an audio production of Growing Planet Media, LLC
Copyright © 2021 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
Kim and Jim trade notes of the things about bees and beekeeping that are fun, enjoyable, educational and generous. It’s about honey, gardens, a spring day, being an expert, capturing swarms and the things that work well when you work hard.
The pluses outweigh the minuses, every time.
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Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom
Honey Bee Obscura is an audio production of Growing Planet Media, LLC
Copyright © 2021 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
When you look at a hive, you will see many different variations in hive equipment, components, tools and things to “make the beekeeper’s job easier”. So, what kind of equipment do you use?
In this episode, Kim and Jim talk about covers and the rocks we put on them, inner covers, queen excluders, slatted racks and all kinds of bottom boards. It’s amazing how much stuff beekeepers use.
Listen today!
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Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom
Honey Bee Obscura is an audio production of Growing Planet Media, LLC
Copyright © 2021 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
Checking your colonies on a cold, snowy, winter day isn’t something you probably want to do, but colonies in our care need to be looked after – no matter the season. How and what you can and cannot check depend on where your bees are. A cold and blustery northeast Ohio is where Kim and Jim are today, but what about warmer places, like far southern Alabama, where Jim used to live?
Kim and Jim explore what a beekeeper should be looking after and what to do when something is amiss, such as:
Kim and Jim explore all these questions this time. Sit back and listen in on this short, informative discussion on checking your bees in mid-winter, no matter where your bees are sitting out the winter!
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Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom
Honey Bee Obscura is an audio production of Growing Planet Media, LLC
Copyright © 2021 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
Once you look at it, managing your space is probably the biggest challenge most beekeepers have. You have more bee equipment inside in the winter than the summer. What do you do with all of it? And once processing honey gets started, and done… what do you do with it all? Figure this out and keeping bees gets a lot less challenging.
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Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom
Copyright © 2021 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
Of course, it’s best to leave enough food on going into winter so the bees don’t get stressed or starve, but sometimes that isn’t in the equation. You take too much honey or they simply didn’t make enough during the summer. Then what? Several possibilities – fondant can work, sometimes or simply putting dry sugar on the inner cover or sugar blocks or what’s probably best, sharing honey from colonies that have more than enough with those that don’t.
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Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom
Copyright © 2021 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
Honey Bee Obscura is a brand new podcast focusing solely on honey bees and honey bee management. In fact... all things honey bees. Join each week as former Bee Culture editor and current cohost of Beekeeping Today Podcast, Kim Flottum and long time Bee Culture contributor and former OSU Extension Specialist, Dr. Jim Tew meet to explore and discuss important topics important to beekeepers everywhere in short, concise episodes.
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Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom
Copyright © 2021 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
Welcome to Honey Bee Obscura Podcast with Kim Flottum and Jim Tew!
Please check back regularly as we are working to release podcasts very soon. As soon as we do, currently expected on January 14, you will be able to download and listen here or soon thereafter on Apple Podcast or wherever you download or stream your shows!
Stay tuned!
En liten tjänst av I'm With Friends. Finns även på engelska.