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Pub. DateTitleDuration
08 Jul 2024Apiary Inspectors of America with Brooke & Natasha (286)00:45:21

Brooke Decker Natasha Garcia-AndersenIn this episode, hosts Jeff and Becky chat with Brooke Decker and Natasha Garcia-Anderson from the Apiary Inspectors of America (AIA). Brooke and Natasha share their extensive knowledge and experiences as regulatory officials dedicated to supporting beekeepers and maintaining bee health across North America.

Brooke, the Pollinator Health Specialist from Vermont, and Natasha, the Apiary Inspector for Washington, D.C., discuss their unique backgrounds and how they became involved in beekeeping and regulatory work. Their roles encompass a wide range of responsibilities, from writing regulations and inspecting hives to educating and supporting local beekeepers. They highlight the crucial role of apiary inspectors in monitoring bee health and preventing the spread of diseases and pests, such as Varroa mites and the potentially devastating Tropilaelaps.

Listeners will learn about the structure and mission of the AIA, a nonprofit organization made up of regulatory officials from various states, provinces, and territories in the U.S. and Canada. The AIA serves as a support network for these officials, facilitating collaboration and information sharing to address common challenges in beekeeping. Brooke and Natasha emphasize the importance of their annual meetings, which provide a platform for inspectors to exchange knowledge, develop strategies, and foster camaraderie.

The episode delves into the challenges faced by apiary inspectors, including funding limitations and the ever-present threat of emerging pests and diseases. Natasha and Brooke discuss their efforts to stay ahead of these threats through training programs, sentinel hives, and regional collaboration. They also touch on the need for more states to establish apiary inspector programs, particularly in regions with significant beekeeping activities but no dedicated regulatory support.

Natasha and Brooke share insights into the benefits of having an apiary inspector, such as improved communication during emergencies, better pest and disease management, and enhanced support for beekeepers. They encourage beekeepers to view inspectors as allies and resources, rather than as regulatory burdens, and to take advantage of the valuable expertise inspectors offer.

Join us for this informative episode to gain a deeper understanding of the vital work done by the Apiary Inspectors of America and how their efforts contribute to the overall health and sustainability of the beekeeping industry.

Listen Today!

Links and websites mentioned in this episode:

Additional websites we recommend!

 

HBO Logo

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Betterbee Beekeeping Supplies

Betterbee is the presenting sponsor of Beekeeping Today Podcast. 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

Global Patties Pollen Supplements

This episode is brought to you by Global Patties! Global offers a variety of standard and custom patties. Visit them today at http://globalpatties.com and let them know you appreciate them sponsoring this episode! 

Bee Smart Designs

Thanks to Bee Smart Designs as a sponsor of this podcast! Bee Smart Designs is the creator of innovative, modular and interchangeable hive systems made in the USA using recycled and American sourced materials. Bee Smart Designs - Simply better beekeeping for the modern beekeeper.

StrongMicrobials

Thanks to Strong Microbials for their support of Beekeeping Today Podcast. Find out more about heir line of probiotics in our Season 3, Episode 12 episode and from their website: https://www.strongmicrobials.com

Northern Bee Books

Thanks for Northern Bee Books for their support. Northern Bee Books is the publisher of bee books available worldwide from their website or from Amazon and bookstores everywhere. They are also the publishers of The Beekeepers Quarterly and Natural Bee Husbandry.

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We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments in the show notes of this episode or: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com

Thank you for listening! 

Podcast music: Be Strong by Young Presidents; Epilogue by Musicalman; Faraday by BeGun; Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus; A Fresh New Start by Pete Morse; Wedding Day by Boomer; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; Red Jack Blues by Daniel Hart; Original guitar background instrumental by Jeff Ott.

Beekeeping Today Podcast is an audio production of Growing Planet Media, LLC

Copyright © 2024 by Growing Planet Media, LLC

Growing Planet Media, LLC

03 Jan 2025North American Honey Bee Expo 2025 - Thursday (312)00:19:50

Join us for a special series of episodes recorded live from the floor of the North American Honey Bee Expo in Louisville, KY, January 2–4, 2025. Jeff and Becky bring you the latest beekeeping insights, trends, and innovations directly from one of the biggest beekeeping events of the year.

Tune in as we chat with industry leaders, researchers, and beekeepers from across the country. Whether you’re attending in person or catching up from home, these episodes will keep you connected to the hive buzz at NAHBE!

Stay tuned for insights into the hottest topics in beekeeping, new product launches, and live Q&A from the Expo floor!

Listen Today!

Websites we recommend:

Copyright © 2025 by Growing Planet Media, LLC

 

HBO Logo  

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Betterbee Beekeeping Supplies

Betterbee is the presenting sponsor of Beekeeping Today Podcast. 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

Global Patties Pollen Supplements

This episode is brought to you by Global Patties! Global offers a variety of standard and custom patties. Visit them today at http://globalpatties.com and let them know you appreciate them sponsoring this episode! 

Bee Smart Designs

Thanks to Bee Smart Designs as a sponsor of this podcast! Bee Smart Designs is the creator of innovative, modular and interchangeable hive systems made in the USA using recycled and American sourced materials. Bee Smart Designs - Simply better beekeeping for the modern beekeeper.

StrongMicrobials

Thanks to Strong Microbials for their support of Beekeeping Today Podcast. Find out more about their line of probiotics in our Season 3, Episode 12 episode and from their website: https://www.strongmicrobials.com

Northern Bee Books

Thanks for Northern Bee Books for their support. Northern Bee Books is the publisher of bee books available worldwide from their website or from Amazon and bookstores everywhere. They are also the publishers of The Beekeepers Quarterly and Natural Bee Husbandry.

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We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments in the show notes of this episode or: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com

Thank you for listening! 

Podcast music: Be Strong by Young Presidents; Epilogue by Musicalman; Faraday by BeGun; Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus; A Fresh New Start by Pete Morse; Wedding Day by Boomer; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; Red Jack Blues by Daniel Hart; Original guitar background instrumental by Jeff Ott.

Beekeeping Today Podcast is an audio production of Growing Planet Media, LLC

Copyright © 2025 by Growing Planet Media, LLC

Growing Planet Media, LLC

09 Oct 2023Rooftop Beekeeping with the Bee Buddies in Chicago (S6, E17)00:39:33

Admiral at the Lake Bee BuddyOn today's episode, guest cohost Becky Masterman, PhD, joins Jeff to talk with Al Renslow, who lives at a Chicago senior living community, The Admiral at the Lake. Al, a retired schoolteacher turned beekeeper, has assembled a corp of like-minded ‘bee-lievers’, who refer to themselves as The Admiral Bee Buddies.

Al developed this hobby as a passion project, a way to learn new skills and contribute to the environment. As a bonus, he now has an outlet that benefits his mental well-being! 

Al launched The Admiral’s beekeeping program in 2019 based on his belief that we must be good stewards of the environment. With the support of The Admiral community, he began dedicating time to the start-up. Through his own research, he taught himself how to manage his bees and, in the process, discovered how unique the colony’s urban honey is. City bees create exquisite-tasting honey due to the diverse native plants, and this unique honey can only be found within The Admiral's campus.

The Admiral Bee Buddies have expanded over the years and now there are eight residents helping maintain the bees. Last season, over 400 bottles of urban honey were harvested, bottled, labeled and distributed with the help of Admiral community members who reside in the memory care unit, who volunteered to package the Bee Buddies’ prized possession.

The Bee Buddies rooftop program is a boost to everyone at The Admiral, whether they are helping manage the bees or just share in the sweet rewards.

We hope you enjoy listening to their story. Thank you!

Leave comments and questions in the Comments Section of the episode's website.

Links and websites mentioned in this podcast:

 

Honey Bee Obscura

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Betterbee is the presensting sponsor of Beekeeping Today Podcast. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer BetterBeeservice, 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

This episode is brought to you by Global PattiesGlobal PattiesGlobal offers a variety of standard and custom patties. Visit them today at http://globalpatties.com and let them know you appreciate them sponsoring this episode! 

Thanks to Strong Microbials for their support of Beekeeping TodayStrong Microbials Podcast. Find out more about heir line of probiotics in our Season 3, Episode 12 episode and from their website: https://www.strongmicrobials.com

Thanks for Northern Bee Books for their support. Northern Bee Books is the publisher of bee books available worldwide from their website or from Amazon and bookstores everywhere. They are also the publishers of The Beekeepers Quarterly and Natural Bee Husbandry.

_______________

We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments in the show notes of this episode or: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com

Thank you for listening! 

Podcast music: Be Strong by Young Presidents; Epilogue by Musicalman; Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus; A Fresh New Start by Pete Morse; Wedding Day by Boomer; Original guitar background instrumental by Jeff Ott

Beekeeping Today Podcast is an audio production of Growing Planet Media, LLC

Copyright © 2023 by Growing Planet Media, LLC

Growing Planet Media, LLC

03 Sep 2018Dewey Caron - Master Beekeeper Certification, Beekeeping in Oregon and Bolivia, Honey Bee Health Coalition (010)00:49:55

Dr. Dewey Caron has been working to help educate beekeepers for years starting with his work with Dr. Roger Morse (Cornell) and Eastern Apiculture Society (EAS). He helped to establish the EAS Master Beekeeper Certification program and has worked with other regional beekeeper groups to set up their own. Now that he lives on the West Coast in Portland, Oregon, he is learning the trials and tribulations of the beekeeping in the Pacific Northwest.

In this podcast, Dewey talks about the different Master Beekeeper Certification programs and his move to Portland.  We also learn about his family's beekeeping experience with africanized honey bees in Bolivia.

Last, but certainly not least, Dewey talks about the importance of the Honey Bee Health Coalition, the Mite-a-thon and the free resources the Coalition makes available for beekeepers.

Links mentioned in the podcast:

Kim wraps up the show with his Inner Covered.

Questions/Comments: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com

Thanks to Bee Culture, the Magazine of American Beekeeping, for their support of The Beekeeping Today Podcast. Available in print and digital at www.beeculture.com

 Thanks for listening! 

Podcast music: Young Presidents, "Be Strong"

 

24 Jun 2020Pollinator Week Series: The PolliNation Nation & More with Dr. Andony Melathopoulos (S3, E3)00:53:09

Andony MelathopoulosAndony Melathopoulos is the Pollinator Health Extension Specialist for Oregon State University. He’s not just about honey bees, but every pollinator out there. But honey bees are a big part of what he does because of the multitude of crops grown in Oregon that need ‘mostly’ honey bees for pollination. He works equally with the farmers who grow the crops, spray the crops, and provide additional forage for the bees. Additionally, Andony works with the Oregon Department of Transportation, home owners, and Oregon’s huge Master Gardener programs. He’s even helping with the new Master Mellipolous Program, sort of like a beekeeping club, but for native bees.

Visit his web page, listen in and learn a lot about a lot of pollinator work in Oregon and across the US!

Links and websites mentioned in this episode:

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Pollinator Week episodes are brought to you by BetterBeeBetterBee. BetterBee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. How do they do this? Because many of their employees are also beekeepers, so they know the needs, challenges and answers to your beekeeping questions. 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

This episode is brought to you by Global Patties! Global Patties is a family business that manufactures protein supplement patties for honey bees. Feeding your hives protein supplement patties will help ensure that they produce strong and health colonies by increasing brood production and overall honey flow. Global offers a variety of standard patties, as well as custom patties to meet your specific needs. Visit them today at http://globalpatties.com and let them know you appreciate them sponsoring this episode! 

2 Million BlossomsWe want to also thank 2 Million Blossoms as a sponsor of the podcast. 2 Million Blossoms is a new quarterly magazine destined for your coffee table. Each page of the magazine is dedicated to the stories and photos of all pollinators and written by leading researchers, photographers and our very own, Kim Flottum.

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We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com

Thanks to Bee Culture, the Magazine of American Beekeeping, for their support of The Beekeeping Today Podcast. Available in print and digital at www.beeculture.com

Thank you for listening! 

Podcast music: Young Presidents, "Be Strong"

03 Jan 20222021 Asian Giant Hornet Update with Sven-Erik Spichiger (S4, E29)00:54:56

This is the third time we’ve talked with Sven-Erik Spichiger about the Asian Giant Hornet in the state of Washington, and this time he shares some history, enlightens us with the discoveries they’ve made so far, what they managed to accomplish this past season, and what they plan for next year. All this to keep this pest, or better, get rid of this pest, before it becomes established in the Pacific Northwest.

The good folks in Washington have spent their third season searching for that newest pest – sometimes called The Murder Hornet – with some amount of success, and a lot of good experience and a host of new techniques for finding, capturing and measuring what this new pest is up to.

At The EntranceThe AGH was originally found in British Columbia in 2019. In 2020 Citizen Scientists, USDA, APHIS and Washington State Entomologists set up thousands of traps in the northern part of the state. They captured one nest. But they began to refine their equipment, condense the areas they were looking in, and get more people interested in helping them find more.

In 2021 they again set thousands of traps and caught several, used better tracking tags for live captured hornets, and began looking at where they were living, and what they were eating. Alder trees are popular, but so are holes in the ground at the base of trees.

The researchers observed the AGH favored the paper wasp nests of the PNW. The wasp nests are a great source of food, and figuring out how the AGH attacked, destroyed and then ate their wasp lunch was an interesting find. They also determined the WA State AGH was genetically related to AGH in Korea.

In 2022, more citizen scientists will help out, and Washington researchers will worth with counterparts in Korea to study the native population of these creatures. This will provide better insight to the biology, diet, nesting habits and more, of the AGH of Washington State.

Oops... sorry, we couldn't find the photo of Sven-Erik eating a larvae... dipped or otherwise.

Listen today and FOLLOW today!

Links and websites mentioned in this podcast:

Honey Bee Obscura

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We welcome Betterbee as sponsor of today's episode. BetterBee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer BetterBeeservice, 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

Thanks to Strong Microbials for their support of Beekeeping TodayStrong Microbials Podcast. Find out more about heir line of probiotics in our Season 3, Episode 12 episode and from their website: https://www.strongmicrobials.com

This episode is brought to you by Global Patties! Global Patties is a family business that manufactures protein supplement patties for honey bees. Feeding your hives protein supplement patties will help Global Pattiesensure that they produce strong and health colonies by increasing brood production and overall honey flow. Global offers a variety of standard patties, as well as custom patties to meet your specific needs. Visit them today at http://globalpatties.com and let them know you appreciate them sponsoring this episode! 

We want to also thank 2 Million Blossoms as a sponsor of the podcast. 2 Million Blossoms is a quarterly magazine destined for2 Million Blossoms your coffee table. Each page of the magazine is dedicated to the stories and photos of all pollinators and written by leading researchers, photographers and our very own, Kim Flottum.

_______________

We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com

Thanks to Bee Culture, the Magazine of American Beekeeping, for their support of The Beekeeping Today Podcast. Available in print and digital at www.beeculture.com

Bee Culture Magazine

Thank you for listening! 

Podcast music: Young Presidents, "Be Strong"; Musicalman, "Epilogue". Original guitar background instrumental by Jeff Ott

Beekeeping Today Podcast is an audio production of Growing Planet Media, LLC

Growing Planet Media, LLC

05 Oct 2020Almond Contracts: An Economist's Analysis with Brittney Goodrich, Ph.D (S3, E19)01:01:55

Dr. Brittney GoodrichIn this episode, we invited Dr. Brittney Goodrich to discuss what her research has found in almond pollination contracts.  Brittney is a Cooperative Extension Specialist at the University of California, Davis. She is an Agricultural Economist and one of her favorite topics to research are the contracts between beekeepers and growers for pollination services. She is sitting in the middle of the biggest pollination contract industry in the world: Almond Pollination.

She did a survey of almond growers to find out what they think about pollination contracts. She looked at colony strength, number of colonies per acre, and number of frames per acre and cost. She asked about actual contracts, both formal and informal even including just a handshake and what happens when a beekeeper can’t fulfill a contract.

She also looked at the expanding role of pollination brokers, and beekeepers acting as brokers and the shared risk each of these three players have in this business.

Almonds growers continue to expand their acres, but they are using essentially all of the commercial honey bee colonies in the US right now. What happens when another 10,000 acres or more come on line in the next few years and what role do pesticide applications play in all this? And what pesticides are OK and which ones aren’t?

And what happens if colony health issues don’t go away? Can growers pay a little more so beekeepers can afford to keep colonies healthy? Can some of the risk be divided so everybody does better?

Brittney Goodrich explores all of these issues, and more. Listen in and learn.

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Brittney provides Beekeeping Today Podcast listeners these points to include in a pollination agreement, whether written or verbal.

  • Specific contact information for grower or owner, and beekeeper, or broker
  • Crop and specific location
  • Number of colonies needed
  • Payment per colony based on agreed upon maximum and minimum strengths
  • Payment schedule, e.g. half on delivery, half when removed, other terms
  • Minimum strength and health of colonies that will be paid for and frames of bees, brood, queen, food
  • Minimum average frame count
  • Average strength to be paid for
  • Bonus for colonies exceeding average strength, per frame
  • Evaluation/inspection procedure and payment for services
  • Colony strength enforcement mechanisms
  • Delivery notification agreement, or per cent bloom, or specific date
  • Colony density per acre
  • Delivery access – gates, irrigation pipes, flooding, roads, assistance from grower
  • Removal date, per cent bloom, advance notice
  • Liability while on location for bees and equipment, injury of crew or non-crew individuals
  • Access during bloom for maintenance, advance notice, time of day or night
  • Location and colony count/drop minimum and maximum
  • Pesticide application warning and procedure
  • Compensation for pesticide damage applies by grower/owner
  • Additional fees for additional moves
  • Continuous water access
  • Contract cancellation or transfer
  • Acts of God

Links and websites mentioned in this podcast:

______________

Thanks to Strong Microbials for their support of Beekeeping Today Podcast. Find out more about heir line of probiotics in our Season 3, Episode 12 episode and from their website: https://www.strongmicrobials.com

This episode is brought to you by Global Patties! Global Patties is a family business that manufactures protein supplement patties for honey bees. Feeding your hives protein supplement patties will help ensure that they produce strong and health colonies by increasing brood production and overall honey flow. Global offers a variety of standard patties, as well as custom patties to meet your specific needs. Visit them today at http://globalpatties.com and let them know you appreciate them sponsoring this episode! 

We want to also thank 2 Million Blossoms as a sponsor of the podcast. 2 Million Blossoms is a quarterly magazine destined for2 Million Blossoms your coffee table. Each page of the magazine is dedicated to the stories and photos of all pollinators and written by leading researchers, photographers and our very own, Kim Flottum.

_______________

We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com

Thanks to Bee Culture, the Magazine of American Beekeeping, for their support of The Beekeeping Today Podcast. Available in print and digital at www.beeculture.com

Thank you for listening! 

Podcast music: Young Presidents, "Be Strong", Musicalman, "Epilogue"

25 Jan 2020"How To Bee" - Talking With Movie Writer, Director and Co-Star, Naomi Mark. (S2, E13)00:45:52

Naomi Mark grew up and lives today in Whitehorse, Yukon Territory. Her mom and dad homesteaded there and raised five kids. Along with the way, he started beekeeping and passed the love of bees to Naomi. Her movie, How To Bee, chronicles a period of three years after Naomi moved back from college, and her learning how to keep bees with her chronically ill father.

It is a touching movie about beekeeping in the far North and how honey bees strengthened family bonds through life and death.

Websites and links mentioned in the podcast include:

______________

This episode is brought to you by Global Patties! Global Patties is a family business that manufactures protein supplement patties for honey bees. Feeding your hives protein supplement patties will help ensure that they produce strong and health colonies by increasing brood production and overall honey flow. Global offers a variety of standard patties, as well as custom patties to meet your specific needs. Visit them today at http://globalpatties.com and let them know you appreciate them sponsoring this episode! 

2 Million BlossomsWe want to also thank 2 Million Blossoms as a sponsor of the podcast. 2 Million Blossoms is a new quarterly magazine destined for your coffee table. Each page of the magazine is dedicated to the stories and photos of all pollinators and written by leading researchers, photographers and our very own, Kim Flottum.

_______________

We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com

Thanks to Bee Culture, the Magazine of American Beekeeping, for their support of The Beekeeping Today Podcast. Available in print and digital at www.beeculture.com

Thank you for listening! 

Podcast music: Young Presidents, "Be Strong"

29 Nov 2021EpiPen Pricing Scandal & Natural Beekeeping with Ross Conrad (S4, E24)00:42:58

Ross

Joining us is Bee Culture contributor and author, Ross Conrad. Ross is a commercial beekeeper in Vermont. He runs a small commercial operation running about 100 colonies and all are treatment free. He makes honey, does a bit of pollination and does a good bit of teaching. He is the author of Natural Beekeeping, a serious look at keeping bees without the use of disease or pest management chemicals, which is in its second edition.  Just released is his new book, The Land Of Milk And Honey, with Bill Mares, a history of beekeeping in their home state of Vermont. Beekeeping in Vermont excels in overwintering and queen production that will help beekeepers anywhere.

Today Ross talks about the pricing scandal around the EpiPen, the syringe used to apply epinephrine to people experiencing extreme allergic reactions to a variety of substances including honey bee venom. Extreme price increases have made these difficult, if not impossible to obtain by beekeepers to have around to prevent problems.

Ross then talks with us about beekeeping history from several pioneers of Vermont beekeeping and ties it into his newest book with Bill Mare. Vermont’s history is full of fascinating beekeepers, unique to the area, who’s management techniques have touched us all.

Listen to this noted Natural Beekeeper today on Beekeeping Today Podcast!

Links and websites mentioned in this podcast: 

Honey Bee Obscura

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This episode is brought to you by Global Patties! Global Patties is a family business that manufactures protein supplement patties for honey bees. Feeding your hives protein supplement patties will help ensure that they produce strong and health colonies by increasing brood production and overall honey flow. Global offers a variety of standard patties, as well as custom patties to meet your specific needs. Visit them today at http://globalpatties.com and let them know you appreciate them sponsoring this episode! 

We welcome Betterbee as sponsor of today's episode. BetterBee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer BetterBeeservice, 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

Thanks to Strong Microbials for their support of Beekeeping TodayStrong Microbials Podcast. Find out more about heir line of probiotics in our Season 3, Episode 12 episode and from their website: https://www.strongmicrobials.com

2 Million Blossoms

We want to also thank 2 Million Blossoms as a sponsor of the podcast. 2 Million Blossoms is a regular newsletter and podcast focused on stories and photos of all pollinators and hosted by Dr. Kirsten Traynor.

_______________

We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com

Follow Beekeeping Today Podcast today!

Thanks to Bee Culture, the Magazine of American Beekeeping, for their support of The Beekeeping Today Podcast. Available in print and digital at www.beeculture.com

Bee Culture Magazine

Thank you for listening! 

Podcast music: Young Presidents, "Be Strong"; Musicalman, "Epilogue". Original guitar background instrumental by Jeff Ott

Beekeeping Today Podcast is an audio production of Growing Planet Media, LLC

Growing Planet Media, LLC

28 Feb 2022Combplex Update with Hailey Scofield and Nathan Oakes (S4, E37)00:55:54

This week we welcome back to the podcast Hailey Scofield and Nathan Oakes. They joined us back in November, 2019, when they were nominated as the one of the 18 finalists in the Empire State Development and Cornell University’s Center for Regional Economic Advancement for “Grow-NY” – a food innovation and agricultural technology business challenge. They introduced us to their ‘bee laser’ for the automatic removal (or ‘zapping’) of varroa from the body of a honey bee.

Jump ahead 27 months and they’ve moved from upstate New York to just outside Austin, Texas and are about to release their new product – the bee laser frame. They’ve gone through multiple iterations of the laser, refining their approach, placement, software and hardware. They’ve settled on placing the laser in the corner of the frame with an opening just big enough for the passage of a single honey bee. If the laser detects a varroa clinging to the bee, it gets zapped, explodes and dies. They honey bee is none the wiser and goes on about her business. If no varroa is detected, the bee is counted and that’s it until the next bees passes through.  At the end of the day, a beekeeper can get a report of the number of bees that passed through the frame and the number of varroa detected and the number of times the laser fired. Through the software the beekeeper can get an understanding of the colony’s mite load.

It sounds like science fiction. It is definitely science… but fiction? They say not! Listen in to the episode to learn more about the Bee Laser and check out their updated website for more information.

Also on this week’s episode, Northern Bee Books presents “Bee Books Old and New with Kim Flottum”. This week, Kim reviews three books: Charles Dadant That Bee Man From Champagne, An Eyewitness Account of Early American Beekeeping: The Autobiography of A.I. Root , and Practical Small Scale Queen Rearing Using The Miller Method.  All are good reads and provide great information on the history of beekeeping and practical bee management techniques.

If you liked today's episode, subscribe/follow to keep up to date with the latest releases!

Links and websites mentioned in this podcast: 

Honey Bee Obscura

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We welcome Betterbee as sponsor of today's episode. BetterBee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer BetterBeeservice, 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

Thanks to Strong Microbials for their support of Beekeeping TodayStrong Microbials Podcast. Find out more about heir line of probiotics in our Season 3, Episode 12 episode and from their website: https://www.strongmicrobials.com

This episode is brought to you by Global Patties! Global Patties is a family business that manufactures protein supplement patties for honey bees. Feeding your hives protein supplement patties will help Global Pattiesensure that they produce strong and health colonies by increasing brood production and overall honey flow. Global offers a variety of standard patties, as well as custom patties to meet your specific needs. Visit them today at http://globalpatties.com and let them know you appreciate them sponsoring this episode! 

Thanks for Northern Bee Books for their sponsorship of Bee Books: Old & New with Kim Flottum. Northern Bee Books is the publisher of bee books available worldwide from their website or from Amazon and bookstores everywhere. They are also the publishers of The Beekeepers Quarterly and Natural Bee Husbandry. Check them out today!

We want to also thank 2 Million Blossoms as a sponsor of the podcast. 2 Million Blossoms is a regular podcast featuring interviews with leading bee and insect researchers in the world of pollination, hosted by Dr. Kirsten Traynor.

_______________

We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com

Thanks to Bee Culture, the Magazine of American Beekeeping, for their support of The Beekeeping Today Podcast. Available in print and digital at www.beeculture.com

Bee Culture Magazine

Thank you for listening! 

Podcast music: Be Strong by Young Presidents; Epilogue by Musicalman; Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus; Original guitar background instrumental by Jeff Ott

Beekeeping Today Podcast is an audio production of Growing Planet Media, LLC

Growing Planet Media, LLC

24 Feb 2025Upscaling from Hobbyist to Sideliner - The Business (322)00:48:23

Honey For SaleIn this episode of the Upscaling from Hobbyist to Sideliner series, we explore the business side of beekeeping with two beekeepers who successfully made the leap. Hosts Jeff Ott and Becky Masterman are joined by Tara Dawn Chapman of Two Hives Honey in Austin, Texas, and Jay Williams of Williams Honey Farm in Tennessee.

Tara and Jay share their personal journeys—both of which began outside of agriculture—detailing their challenges, missteps, and the pivotal moments that shaped their businesses. From scaling their apiaries to diversifying their revenue streams, they offer practical advice for beekeepers looking to turn their passion into a sustainable business. One of the biggest lessons they emphasize is that beekeeping businesses don’t have to rely solely on honey sales. Both guests discuss the role of agribusiness opportunities, including hive tours, honey tastings, VIP yard management, and B2B partnerships. They highlight the importance of branding, marketing, and pricing honey appropriately, noting that storytelling and quality presentation can dramatically increase a product’s perceived value.

Throughout the conversation, they reflect on the pitfalls of trying to do everything at once and why finding a niche is key. They explain how agritourism can supplement income, even in regions with inconsistent honey flows, and share insights on hiring employees in a beekeeping business. The discussion also covers state and federal grants that beekeepers can apply for to expand operations, and why pricing honey at premium rates is often more sustainable than undercutting the market.

If you’re thinking about expanding your beekeeping beyond the hobbyist level, this episode is packed with insights, strategies, and real-world advice from beekeepers who have successfully made the transition.

If you’re looking to make honey harvesting more manageable and efficient, this episode provides the guidance you need to take the next step.

Websites we recommend:

Copyright © 2025 by Growing Planet Media, LLC

 

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______________

Betterbee Beekeeping Supplies

Betterbee is the presenting sponsor of Beekeeping Today Podcast. 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

Global Patties Pollen Supplements

This episode is brought to you by Global Patties! Global offers a variety of standard and custom patties. Visit them today at http://globalpatties.com and let them know you appreciate them sponsoring this episode! 

Bee Smart Designs

Thanks to Bee Smart Designs as a sponsor of this podcast! Bee Smart Designs is the creator of innovative, modular and interchangeable hive systems made in the USA using recycled and American sourced materials. Bee Smart Designs - Simply better beekeeping for the modern beekeeper.

StrongMicrobials

Thanks to Strong Microbials for their support of Beekeeping Today Podcast. Find out more about their line of probiotics in our Season 3, Episode 12 episode and from their website: https://www.strongmicrobials.com

Northern Bee Books

Thanks for Northern Bee Books for their support. Northern Bee Books is the publisher of bee books available worldwide from their website or from Amazon and bookstores everywhere. They are also the publishers of The Beekeepers Quarterly and Natural Bee Husbandry.

_______________

We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments in the show notes of this episode or: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com

Thank you for listening! 

Podcast music: Be Strong by Young Presidents; Epilogue by Musicalman; Faraday by BeGun; Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus; A Fresh New Start by Pete Morse; Wedding Day by Boomer; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; Red Jack Blues by Daniel Hart; Original guitar background instrumental by Jeff Ott.

Beekeeping Today Podcast is an audio production of Growing Planet Media, LLC

Copyright © 2025 by Growing Planet Media, LLC

Growing Planet Media, LLC

22 Oct 2018Dan Conlon: It's All About The Russians (Russian honey bees, that is) - (013)01:01:33

For as long as he can remember, Dan Conlon has enjoyed and kept honey bees. When he was 50, he threw all in and went commercial with his Warm Colors Apiaries, in South Deerfield, MA along with his wife, Bonita. Today they sell  honey, pure beeswax candles, and products using honey and beeswax. 

Along with Warm Colors Apiaries, Dan is the president of the Russian Honey Bee Breeders Association. In this episode, Dan opens the door on the Russian strain, its varroa mite resistance, honey production, aggressiveness, swarming and more. The Russian strain has some great traits and perhaps some traits that will force beekeepers into different management practices.

If you are looking to explore a new type of honey bee that has been researched by the USDA and genetically maintained by an association of dedicated breeders, this episode will wet your appetite!

Today's episode also includes a listener's question and answer by Tom Theobald.

Kim wraps up the show with his InnerCovered.

This episode is brought to you by Wicwas Press. Wicwas Press is the
publisher of beekeeping how-to and scientific books. We thank Wicwas for their support of our podcast.

We welcome your questions and comments: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com

Thanks to Bee Culture, the Magazine of American Beekeeping, for their support of The Beekeeping Today Podcast. Available in print and digital at www.beeculture.com

 Thank you for listening! 

Podcast music: Young Presidents, "Be Strong"

 

10 Aug 2020Beekeeping Downunder: Simeon Valkenburg with Kirsten (S3, E11)00:56:12

SimeonIn this episode, Kirsten chats with commercial beekeeper Simeon Valkenburg, who runs a commercial operation with his brother in Australia. He talks about building up their commercial operation from scratch. They started with one hive and are now up to about 1,000 hives in south east Australia.

The season kicks off with almond pollination. Yes, that’s right—Australian almonds which bloom in August. They then move colonies into crops like canola or beans or move into areas flush with a low desert eucalypt, which under the right weather Australiaconditions can produce a huge honey harvest. In their summer they chase after pollen, not for trapping, but simply for building up the bees or running from bushfires. The conversation ranges widely, discussing everything from ornery beekeepers with deep political connections to conducting successful field days and the trade war with New Zealand over the name ‘manuka’. Tune in to learn more about keeping bees downunder.

UPDATED - Aug. 14

The report Simeon referenced in his talk with Kirsten is by Oregon beekeeper, Katharina Davitt: "Cavendish Bananas and their Nutritional Benefit to Honey Bees"

The report's author has the same information in a PowerPoint .pdf here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1FrVf6_sIujaID-txJiUI33hlVV_pklpg/view?usp=drivesdk

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Kirsten's interviews are brought to you by BetterBeeBetterBee. BetterBee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. How do they do this? Because many of their employees are also beekeepers, so they know the needs, challenges and answers to your beekeeping questions. 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

This episode is brought to you by Global Patties! Global Patties is a family business that manufactures protein supplement patties for honey bees. Feeding your hives protein supplement patties will help ensure that they produce strong and health colonies by increasing brood production and overall honey flow. Global offers a variety of standard patties, as well as custom patties to meet your specific needs. Visit them today at http://globalpatties.com and let them know you appreciate them sponsoring this episode! 

2 Million BlossomsWe want to also thank 2 Million Blossoms as a sponsor of the podcast. 2 Million Blossoms is a new quarterly magazine destined for your coffee table. Each page of the magazine is dedicated to the stories and photos of all pollinators and written by leading researchers, photographers and our very own, Kim Flottum.

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We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com

Thanks to Bee Culture, the Magazine of American Beekeeping, for their support of The Beekeeping Today Podcast. Available in print and digital at www.beeculture.com

Thank you for listening! 

Podcast music: Young Presidents, "Be Strong"

03 Jan 2025North American Honey Bee Expo 2025 - Friday (313)00:38:42

Join us for a special series of episodes recorded live from the floor of the North American Honey Bee Expo in Louisville, KY, January 2–4, 2025. Jeff and Becky bring you the latest beekeeping insights, trends, and innovations directly from one of the biggest beekeeping events of the year.

Tune in as we chat with industry leaders, researchers, and beekeepers from across the country. Whether you’re attending in person or catching up from home, these episodes will keep you connected to the hive buzz at NAHBE!

Stay tuned for insights into the hottest topics in beekeeping, new product launches, and live Q&A from the Expo floor!

Listen Today!

Websites we recommend:

Copyright © 2025 by Growing Planet Media, LLC

 

HBO Logo  

______________

Betterbee Beekeeping Supplies

Betterbee is the presenting sponsor of Beekeeping Today Podcast. 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

Global Patties Pollen Supplements

This episode is brought to you by Global Patties! Global offers a variety of standard and custom patties. Visit them today at http://globalpatties.com and let them know you appreciate them sponsoring this episode! 

Bee Smart Designs

Thanks to Bee Smart Designs as a sponsor of this podcast! Bee Smart Designs is the creator of innovative, modular and interchangeable hive systems made in the USA using recycled and American sourced materials. Bee Smart Designs - Simply better beekeeping for the modern beekeeper.

StrongMicrobials

Thanks to Strong Microbials for their support of Beekeeping Today Podcast. Find out more about their line of probiotics in our Season 3, Episode 12 episode and from their website: https://www.strongmicrobials.com

Northern Bee Books

Thanks for Northern Bee Books for their support. Northern Bee Books is the publisher of bee books available worldwide from their website or from Amazon and bookstores everywhere. They are also the publishers of The Beekeepers Quarterly and Natural Bee Husbandry.

_______________

We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments in the show notes of this episode or: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com

Thank you for listening! 

Podcast music: Be Strong by Young Presidents; Epilogue by Musicalman; Faraday by BeGun; Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus; A Fresh New Start by Pete Morse; Wedding Day by Boomer; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; Red Jack Blues by Daniel Hart; Original guitar background instrumental by Jeff Ott.

Beekeeping Today Podcast is an audio production of Growing Planet Media, LLC

Copyright © 2025 by Growing Planet Media, LLC

Growing Planet Media, LLC

19 Feb 2024How To Get Started With Bees in 2024, 1 of 4 (S6, E36)00:38:30

Dr. Masterman and her honey bees(#265) Welcome to a new chapter in beekeeping with the Beekeeping Today Podcast, presented by Betterbee. In today’s special episode, "How to Get Started with Bees in 2024, Part 1," we kick off a four-week series revisiting and expanding upon our 2020 foundational series for beekeepers. Jeff Ott, alongside co-hosts Becky Masterman and Jim Tew from the Honeybee Obscura, delve into the evolving world of beekeeping, addressing the challenges faced by new beekeepers, with practical advice honed by years of experience.

This episode, part one of the updated series, emphasizes the importance of understanding beekeeping's challenges and rewards. Despite increased difficulties such as varroa mites and other pests, beekeepers can manage their honey bees with available tools and reap the many benefits from maintaining healthy honey bee colonies.

The conversation covers a range of topics crucial for beginners, from the philosophical—why we start beekeeping—to the practical—where and how to keep bees in various environments. Highlighting the significance of mentorship and community, the episode encourages new beekeepers to seek out experienced mentors and join local clubs for support and guidance.

Listeners will find invaluable insights into making their first year successful, touching on the importance of local knowledge, preparation, and realistic expectations. This episode sets the stage for an enriching beekeeping journey, inviting both newcomers and veterans to engage with the broader beekeeping community and embrace the challenges and joys of keeping bees in 2024.

Links and websites mentioned in this episode:

 

HBO Logo

______________

 

Betterbee Beekeeping Supplies

Betterbee is the presenting sponsor of Beekeeping Today Podcast. 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

Global Patties Pollen Supplements

This episode is brought to you by Global Patties! Global offers a variety of standard and custom patties. Visit them today at http://globalpatties.com and let them know you appreciate them sponsoring this episode! 

StrongMicrobials

Thanks to Strong Microbials for their support of Beekeeping Today Podcast. Find out more about heir line of probiotics in our Season 3, Episode 12 episode and from their website: https://www.strongmicrobials.com

Northern Bee Books

Thanks for Northern Bee Books for their support. Northern Bee Books is the publisher of bee books available worldwide from their website or from Amazon and bookstores everywhere. They are also the publishers of The Beekeepers Quarterly and Natural Bee Husbandry.

_______________

We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments in the show notes of this episode or: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com

Thank you for listening! 

Podcast music: Be Strong by Young Presidents; Epilogue by Musicalman; Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus; A Fresh New Start by Pete Morse; Wedding Day by Boomer; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; Original guitar background instrumental by Jeff Ott

Beekeeping Today Podcast is an audio production of Growing Planet Media, LLC

Copyright © 2024 by Growing Planet Media, LLC

Growing Planet Media, LLC

14 Dec 2019Bees In The D: Brian Peterson, Brian Roest (S2, E10)00:54:31

Brian Roest and Brian PetersonBrian Peterson and Brian Roest are beekeepers and educators in the Detroit, Michigan area. They created "Bees in the D"; a 501c3 non-profit organization whose mission is to create a cooperative effort between the residents, schools, organizations and business in the Detroit area to "contribute to the health of honey bee colonies and the education of their importance to our environment."

The Bees in the D have over 160 colonies located throughout the Detroit area in public and corporate locations, including the rooftops of hotels and restaurants and community areas. These locations give Bees in the D many opportunities to talk with the general public about the importance of honey bees and other pollinators in the world.

They have a fantastic educational program that is being modeled Bees in the D Education Centerin other cities around the US. Their efforts will soon be rewarded with the opening of the Bees in the D Education Center in the near future.

Websites and links mentioned in the podcast

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This episode is brought to you by Global Patties! Global Patties is a family business that manufactures protein supplement patties for honey bees. Feeding your hives protein supplement patties will help ensure that they produce strong and health colonies by increasing brood production and overall honey flow. Global offers a variety of standard patties, as well as custom patties to meet your specific needs. Visit them today at http://globalpatties.com and let them know you appreciate them sponsoring this episode! 

_______________

We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com

Thanks to Bee Culture, the Magazine of American Beekeeping, for their support of The Beekeeping Today Podcast. Available in print and digital at www.beeculture.com

Thank you for listening! 

Podcast music: Young Presidents, "Be Strong"

19 Jul 2021Dr. Gene Kritsky on Honey Bees and Cicadas (S4, E5)00:55:36

Dr. Gene KritskyIn this episode we talk with Dr. Gene Kritsky, who has authored or edited 10 books and over 250 papers on subjects as diverse as entomology, Egyptology, evolution, history of science, dinosaur biology, insect poetry and insect mythology. The Tears of Re: Beekeeping in Ancient Egypt is one of his Egyptology stories in a book, and Periodical Cicadas: The Brood X Edition was released this spring, just before Brood X began singing their mating songs (at up to 90 decibels at their peak) in the Eastern US this spring.

He is the Dean, and a Professor in the department of Behavioral and Natural Sciences in Mount St. Joseph University in Cincinnati, Ohio.

In this incredible interview, he weaves all of these things together and ties them all into his love of bees and beekeeping.

We start with a discussion of the Brood X cicadas this spring, and his new book about them, but wander in and through the history of developing the timing of all of the Broods of cicadas that exist, how are they related, and do they harm bees in anyway.

Long ago he read Eva Crane’s book on the history of hives, and that started his exploration of, and a book about, In Search of the Perfect Hive. As a Fulbright Scholar, he traveled to Egypt to teach entomology, and there he really got involved in their beekeeping styles, government’s role and organization. He relates stories on Egypt’s history of bees and beekeeping, hive styles, and yes, there has been honey found in Pyramids that is thousands of years old that is still edible. His definition of “beekeeping” is the intentional prevision of an artificial container in which bees can produce.

Have you ever thought you would use the words “Insects” and “Mythology” in the same sentence? Gene does. He knows museums and can direct you to the sections that cover all of these subjects.

Dr. Gene Kritsky is one of the most interesting stories we’ve told. Come along for the ride.

Links and websites mentioned in this podcast:

Honey Bee Obscura

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We welcome Betterbee as sponsor of today's episode. BetterBee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer BetterBeeservice, 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

Thanks to Strong Microbials for their support of Beekeeping TodayStrong Microbials Podcast. Find out more about heir line of probiotics in our Season 3, Episode 12 episode and from their website: https://www.strongmicrobials.com

This episode is brought to you by Global Patties! Global Patties is a family business that manufactures protein supplement patties for honey bees. Feeding your hives protein supplement patties will help ensure that they produce strong and health colonies by increasing brood production and overall honey flow. Global offers a variety of standard patties, as well as custom patties to meet your specific needs. Visit them today at http://globalpatties.com and let them know you appreciate them sponsoring this episode! 

We want to also thank 2 Million Blossoms as a sponsor of the podcast. 2 Million Blossoms is a quarterly magazine destined for2 Million Blossoms your coffee table. Each page of the magazine is dedicated to the stories and photos of all pollinators and written by leading researchers, photographers and our very own, Kim Flottum.

_______________

We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com

Thanks to Bee Culture, the Magazine of American Beekeeping, for their support of The Beekeeping Today Podcast. Available in print and digital at www.beeculture.com

Bee Culture Magazine

Thank you for listening! 

Podcast music: Young Presidents, "Be Strong"; Musicalman, "Epilogue". Original guitar background instrumental by Jeff Ott

Beekeeping Today Podcast is an audio production of Growing Planet Media, LLC

Growing Planet Media, LLC

01 May 2020Queen and Drone Viability, Honey Fraud and Apimondia with Dr. Jeff Pettis (S2, E27)00:56:43

Dr. Jeff PettisDr. Jeff Pettis left the USDA some time ago to pursue other avenues of research. His current work is studying issues with queens, primarily longevity, affect of pesticides, virus interactions, shipping problems and more. Relatedly, he is working with drones, which of course play a big role in how queens produce. He’s looking at sperm issues, affects of pesticides, mating problems, heat stress and mating success.

He’s also working with varroa resistance to miticides, affects of miticides on queens, workers and drones and essentially what is working, and what isn’t and why.

In-between research projects, he is expanding his beekeeping operation with his son, running up to 75 colonies, doing some local pollination work, and producing and selling his honey at local outlets.

In his 'spare' time... he has been serving as the Bee Health Commissioner for the International Beekeeping Association Apimondia for the past 8 or 9 years, and in 2019 was the first American Elected President of that group. His goals are to establish better communication between the group and the worlds beekeepers and to concentrate on global honey fraud, a major issue everywhere.

Listen in and learn much more about Apimondia and what the future holds as the first American President takes over with a new and exciting agenda.

Websites and Linked mentioned in this episode –

The Hive Butler

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This episode is brought to you by Global Patties! Global Patties is a family business that manufactures protein supplement patties for honey bees. Feeding your hives protein supplement patties will help ensure that they produce strong and health colonies by increasing brood production and overall honey flow. Global offers a variety of standard patties, as well as custom patties to meet your specific needs. Visit them today at http://globalpatties.com and let them know you appreciate them sponsoring this episode! 

2 Million BlossomsWe want to also thank 2 Million Blossoms as a sponsor of the podcast. 2 Million Blossoms is a new quarterly magazine destined for your coffee table. Each page of the magazine is dedicated to the stories and photos of all pollinators and written by leading researchers, photographers and our very own, Kim Flottum.

_______________

We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com

Thanks to Bee Culture, the Magazine of American Beekeeping, for their support of The Beekeeping Today Podcast. Available in print and digital at www.beeculture.com

Thank you for listening! 

Podcast music: Young Presidents, "Be Strong"

23 Nov 2018Honey Connoisseur, Marina Marchese - Honey Tasting and Food Pairings - (016)00:50:37

Marina Marchese is a beekeeper and honey sommelier. She is the founder of the American Honey Tasting Society and is a frequent speaker and author on the topic of honey tasting and pairing. In this podcast, Marina joins Jeff and Kim to introduce the topic of honey tasting and that it is more than smearing honey on toast or dumping it into one's tea. Marina relates to tasting honey as a total sensory experience and one that must be learned and developed. Marina discusses how to discern the unique flavors and attributes of different honey varietals and pairing them with cheeses and other foods.

Marina's ground breaking studies and experiences has lead to the book she co-authored with Kim, The Honey Connoisseur, speaking engagements and guest lecturer appearances.

We welcome Marina to the Beekeeping Today Podcast and hope you, the listener, enjoy the conversation and set you off on your own honey tasting journey.

You can read more about Marina in the December, 2018 BeeCulture Magazine. 

 Sites Mentioned in the Podcast

Marina and Kim's book, The Honey Connoisseur can be found on Amazon.

We welcome your questions and comments: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com

Thanks to Bee Culture, the Magazine of American Beekeeping, for their support of The Beekeeping Today Podcast. Available in print and digital at www.beeculture.com

 Thank you for listening! 

Podcast music: Young Presidents, "Be Strong"

 

08 Jan 2024Educating Honey Bee Veterinarians with Meghan Milbrath and Eva Reinicke (S6,E30)00:42:45

Dr. Eva ReinickeIn this episode, Dr. Eva Reinicke, DVM, of Northfield, Minnesota joins Becky and guest cohost, Dr. Meghan Milbrath, assistant professor at Michigan State University. One focus of Meghan’s MSU bee lab is honey bee medicine training for veterinary practitioners. Her expertise is perfect for chatting with Eva who has been practicing honey bee medicine since 2018.

Honey bees are an emerging specialty for Veterinarians. Meghan and Eva have used the antibiotic access restrictions imposed by the 2017 Veterinary Feed Directive to support the honey bee industry. Eva has set up a honey bee practice to support beekeepers. In addition to providing access to needed antibiotics, she describes how veterinarians can help beekeepers diagnose disease and monitor pests. 

Listeners will learn about advanced disease diagnosis and the tools that other livestock industries use to detect pathogens. Eva describes the need and opportunity for more research and governmental support for the honey bee industry from the perspective of a veterinary health care practitioner. Also, this episode addresses how biosecurity is different in honey bee management as compared to other livestock animals. 

Join this conversation to learn why honey bees need as many professionals as possible to help take care of them. This episode explores how veterinarians' contribution to honey bee health is growing and where the potential opportunities for improving honey bee care exist. Veterinary care for honey bees is not just limited to access to antimicrobials!

Leave comments and questions in the Comments Section of the episode's website.

Links and websites mentioned in this podcast:

 

HBO Logo

______________

 

Betterbee Beekeeping Supplies

Betterbee is the presensting sponsor of Beekeeping Today Podcast. 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

Global Patties Pollen Supplements

This episode is brought to you by Global Patties! Global offers a variety of standard and custom patties. Visit them today at http://globalpatties.com and let them know you appreciate them sponsoring this episode! 

StrongMicrobials

Thanks to Strong Microbials for their support of Beekeeping Today Podcast. Find out more about heir line of probiotics in our Season 3, Episode 12 episode and from their website: https://www.strongmicrobials.com

Northern Bee Books

Thanks for Northern Bee Books for their support. Northern Bee Books is the publisher of bee books available worldwide from their website or from Amazon and bookstores everywhere. They are also the publishers of The Beekeepers Quarterly and Natural Bee Husbandry.

_______________

We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments in the show notes of this episode or: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com

Thank you for listening! 

Podcast music: Be Strong by Young Presidents; Epilogue by Musicalman; Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus; A Fresh New Start by Pete Morse; Wedding Day by Boomer; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; Original guitar background instrumental by Jeff Ott

Beekeeping Today Podcast is an audio production of Growing Planet Media, LLC

Copyright © 2024 by Growing Planet Media, LLC

Growing Planet Media, LLC

03 Mar 2025Upscaling #5 - Lessons Learned with Ritchie Schaefer (323)00:42:12

Ritchie SchaeferScaling a beekeeping operation comes with unique challenges and opportunities, and in this episode of Beekeeping Today Podcast, Minnesota beekeeper Ritchie Schaeffer shares his firsthand experience moving from hobbyist to sideliner. Starting in 2018 with just a few hives, Ritchie built B2B Honey into a successful business by seizing market opportunities, developing key relationships, and staying adaptable in the ever-changing world of beekeeping.

In this conversation, Ritchie discusses the challenges of almond pollination, the advantages and struggles of transitioning to indoor wintering, and how he markets his honey to restaurants, distilleries, and direct consumers. He also highlights the growing demand for specialty honey products like creamed and hot honey, the importance of diversifying hive locations, and the hard-earned lessons that helped him refine his approach to beekeeping as a business.

Throughout the discussion, Ritchie emphasizes the critical role of strategic planning, risk management, and maintaining strong bee health in an operation’s success. Whether you’re considering expanding your own beekeeping business or simply curious about what it takes to move beyond hobbyist beekeeping, this episode is full of valuable insights from someone who has navigated the process firsthand.

Websites we recommend:

Copyright © 2025 by Growing Planet Media, LLC

 

HBO Logo  

______________

Betterbee Beekeeping Supplies

Betterbee is the presenting sponsor of Beekeeping Today Podcast. 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

Global Patties Pollen Supplements

This episode is brought to you by Global Patties! Global offers a variety of standard and custom patties. Visit them today at http://globalpatties.com and let them know you appreciate them sponsoring this episode! 

Bee Smart Designs

Thanks to Bee Smart Designs as a sponsor of this podcast! Bee Smart Designs is the creator of innovative, modular and interchangeable hive systems made in the USA using recycled and American sourced materials. Bee Smart Designs - Simply better beekeeping for the modern beekeeper.

 

Dalan Animal Health

Dalan is dedicated to providing transformative animal health solutions to support a more sustainable future. Dalan's vaccination against American Foulbrood (AFB) is a game changer. Vaccinated queens protect newly hatched honeybee larvae against AFB using the new Dalan vaccine. Created for queen producers and other beekeepers wanting to produce AFB free queens. 

Retailers offering vaccinated queens and packages:  https://dalan.com/order-vaccinated-queens/
 
More information on the vaccine: https://dalan.com/media-publications/

 

StrongMicrobials

Thanks to Strong Microbials for their support of Beekeeping Today Podcast. Find out more about their line of probiotics in our Season 3, Episode 12 episode and from their website: https://www.strongmicrobials.com

Northern Bee Books

Thanks for Northern Bee Books for their support. Northern Bee Books is the publisher of bee books available worldwide from their website or from Amazon and bookstores everywhere. They are also the publishers of The Beekeepers Quarterly and Natural Bee Husbandry.

_______________

We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments in the show notes of this episode or: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com

Thank you for listening! 

Podcast music: Be Strong by Young Presidents; Epilogue by Musicalman; Faraday by BeGun; Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus; A Fresh New Start by Pete Morse; Wedding Day by Boomer; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; Red Jack Blues by Daniel Hart; Original guitar background instrumental by Jeff Ott.

Beekeeping Today Podcast is an audio production of Growing Planet Media, LLC

Copyright © 2025 by Growing Planet Media, LLC

Growing Planet Media, LLC

04 Mar 2024How To Get Started With Bees in 2024, Part 3 of 4 (S6, E38)00:44:53

Summer Evenings in the Bee Yard(#267) In "How To Get Started With Bees," part three of our four-part series, we delve deeper into the essential steps for budding beekeepers. This episode focuses on equipment selection, emphasizing the critical decision between new and used gear, and the potential risks associated with each.

Our experts, including Honey Bee Obscura's Jim Tew and master beekeeper, Paul Longwell, provide invaluable advice on navigating the overwhelming array of beekeeping tools and accessories. We discuss the importance of understanding bee space, the pros and cons of building your own equipment versus purchasing pre-assembled kits, and strategies for effective colony feeding and expansion.

By breaking down these fundamental aspects, we aim to equip novice beekeepers with the knowledge to make informed decisions, ensuring their journey into beekeeping starts on solid ground.

Links and websites mentioned in this episode:

 

HBO Logo

______________

 

Betterbee Beekeeping Supplies

Betterbee is the presenting sponsor of Beekeeping Today Podcast. 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

Global Patties Pollen Supplements

This episode is brought to you by Global Patties! Global offers a variety of standard and custom patties. Visit them today at http://globalpatties.com and let them know you appreciate them sponsoring this episode! 

Bee Smart Designs

Thanks to Bee Smart Designs as a sponsor of this podcast! Bee Smart Designs is the creator of innovative, modular and interchangeable hive systems made in the USA using recycled and American sourced materials. Bee Smart Designs - Simply better beekeeping for the modern beekeeper.

StrongMicrobials

Thanks to Strong Microbials for their support of Beekeeping Today Podcast. Find out more about heir line of probiotics in our Season 3, Episode 12 episode and from their website: https://www.strongmicrobials.com

Northern Bee Books

Thanks for Northern Bee Books for their support. Northern Bee Books is the publisher of bee books available worldwide from their website or from Amazon and bookstores everywhere. They are also the publishers of The Beekeepers Quarterly and Natural Bee Husbandry.

_______________

We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments in the show notes of this episode or: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com

Thank you for listening! 

Podcast music: Be Strong by Young Presidents; Epilogue by Musicalman; Faraday by BeGun; Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus; A Fresh New Start by Pete Morse; Wedding Day by Boomer; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; Original guitar background instrumental by Jeff Ott

Beekeeping Today Podcast is an audio production of Growing Planet Media, LLC

Copyright © 2024 by Growing Planet Media, LLC

Growing Planet Media, LLC

12 Jun 2018Beekeeping Today Podcast Promo00:01:04

An introduction to the Beekeeping Today Podcast, presented by Bee Culture Magazine!

 

Questions/Comments: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com

 

Thanks to Bee Culture, the Magazine of American Beekeeping, for their support of The Beekeeping Today Podcast. Available in print and digital at www.beeculture.com

 Thanks for listening!

 

Podcast music: Young Presidents, "Be Strong"

06 Jul 2020World Bee Count with James Wilkes and Joseph Cazier (S3, E6)00:49:27

In this episode, we talk with James Wilkes and Joseph Cazier from Appalachian State University, who spearheaded the World Bee Count program just completed this spring. Bee Count is an annual event that aims to identify pollinators around the world and also measure pollinator health, dispersion and biodiversity. James is a Professor in Computer Science at ASU and founder and manager of HiveTracks, the Bee Hive data collection and analysis program.

Joseph, a frequent contributor to Bee Culture magazine, writing on bee hive data collection and analysis, is Director of the Center for Analytics Research and Education. Together, cooperating with a whole crew of beekeepers, scientists and others, these professors are gradually working toward perfecting the Genius Hive. The World Bee Count is just one component of their data collection analyses for this project.

Relatedly, the team is working on a standardization for all data collection programs. A standardization will allow researchers, beekeepers or suppliers to talk to and learn from each other.

Learn more by listening today!

Websites and links mentioned in the podcast:

______________

This episode is brought to you by Global Patties! Global Patties is a family business that manufactures protein supplement patties for honey bees. Feeding your hives protein supplement patties will help ensure that they produce strong and health colonies by increasing brood production and overall honey flow. Global offers a variety of standard patties, as well as custom patties to meet your specific needs. Visit them today at http://globalpatties.com and let them know you appreciate them sponsoring this episode! 

2 Million BlossomsWe want to also thank 2 Million Blossoms as a sponsor of the podcast. 2 Million Blossoms is a new quarterly magazine destined for your coffee table. Each page of the magazine is dedicated to the stories and photos of all pollinators and written by leading researchers, photographers and our very own, Kim Flottum.

_______________

We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com

Thanks to Bee Culture, the Magazine of American Beekeeping, for their support of The Beekeeping Today Podcast. Available in print and digital at www.beeculture.com

Thank you for listening! 

Podcast music: Young Presidents, "Be Strong"

03 Apr 2020Asian Giant Hornet with WSDA's Sven-Erik Spichiger (S2,E23)01:04:36

Asian Giant HornetThe world’s largest hornet, The Asian Giant Hornet was discovered in the State of Washington in the fall of 2019. Also known as the Japanese Hornet, the Yak-Killer Hornet or the Giant Sparrow Bee, this ground nesting giant is as big as your thumb, and just loves eating honey bees.  Honey bee larvae that is. It just kills all the honey bee adults in a hive to get to the larvae, leaving behind devastation beyond belief.

Control is stopping the spread of queens in the fall, which means finding nests in the summer. Listen in as Sven-Erik Spichiger,  the Washington State Entomologist, and North America’s leading hornet hunter and expert fills us in on all the details. What to look for, when to look, how to trap them and more. Hope that getting rid of this pest happens in Washington this season, but be ready for them if not.

Websites and Linked mentioned in this episode –

The Hive Butler

*** Newly Added Links ***

______________

This episode is brought to you by Global Patties! Global Patties is a family business that manufactures protein supplement patties for honey bees. Feeding your hives protein supplement patties will help ensure that they produce strong and health colonies by increasing brood production and overall honey flow. Global offers a variety of standard patties, as well as custom patties to meet your specific needs. Visit them today at http://globalpatties.com and let them know you appreciate them sponsoring this episode! 

2 Million BlossomsWe want to also thank 2 Million Blossoms as a sponsor of the podcast. 2 Million Blossoms is a new quarterly magazine destined for your coffee table. Each page of the magazine is dedicated to the stories and photos of all pollinators and written by leading researchers, photographers and our very own, Kim Flottum.

_______________

We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com

Thanks to Bee Culture, the Magazine of American Beekeeping, for their support of The Beekeeping Today Podcast. Available in print and digital at www.beeculture.com

Thank you for listening! 

Podcast music: Young Presidents, "Be Strong"

14 Sep 2020Bee Audacious with Bonnie Morse and Kirsten (S3, E16)00:47:42

Bonnie MorseThe Bee Audacious conference brought together beekeeping luminaries like Mark Winston, Marla Spivak, Tom Seeley and many others. The event was created and organized by Bonnie Morse, who recently sat down to chat with guest host Kirsten Traynor. In today’s episode they talk how Winston’s editorial in Bee Culture encouraged audacious thinking about bee health inspired the event. It was an unusual conference focused on dialogue instead of talks, bringing together bright minds to try and find creative solutions to pressing issues in the bee industry.

And what has she been up to since that first conference in 2016? Based in California, she’s been working closely with fire safety officials to ensure that fire prevention policies don’t obliterate important nectar and pollen sources. With her husband Gary, she runs Bonnie Bee & Company, helping others learn to keep bees successfully in their climatically diverse region near San Francisco. Listen today to learn more about this high-energy beekeeper, who is helping to shape pollinator friendly policy in California.

Additional information:

Beekeeping Today Podcast

_______________________

Kirsten's interviews are brought to you by BetterBeeBetterBee. BetterBee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. How do they do this? Because many of their employees are also beekeepers, so they know the needs, challenges and answers to your beekeeping questions. 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

Thanks to Strong Microbials for their support of Beekeeping Today Podcast. Find out more about heir line of probiotics in our Season 3, Episode 12 episode and from their website: https://www.strongmicrobials.com

Thank you to Global Patties for their support of Beekeeping Today Podcast! Global Patties is a family business that manufactures protein supplement patties for honey bees. Feeding your hives protein supplement patties will help ensure that they produce strong and health colonies by increasing brood production and overall honey flow. Global offers a variety of standard patties, as well as custom patties to meet your specific needs. Visit them today at http://globalpatties.com and let them know you appreciate them sponsoring this episode! 

2 Million BlossomsWe want to also thank 2 Million Blossoms as a sponsor of the podcast. 2 Million Blossoms is a new quarterly magazine destined for your coffee table. Each page of the magazine is dedicated to the stories and photos of all pollinators and written by leading researchers, photographers and our very own, Kim Flottum.

_______________

We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com

Thanks to Bee Culture, the Magazine of American Beekeeping, for their support of The Beekeeping Today Podcast. Available in print and digital at www.beeculture.com

Thank you for listening! 

Podcast music: Young Presidents, "Be Strong", Musicalman, "Epilogue"

02 Dec 2024World Atlas of Honey with Marina Marchese (307)00:56:36

Marina MarcheseIn this episode, Jeff and Becky welcome back Marina Marchese, celebrated honey sommelier and author of The World Atlas of Honey. Marina shares her journey from backyard beekeeper to internationally recognized honey expert and educator. She discusses the fascinating concept of honey terroir, explaining how soil, climate, and floral sources influence the flavor, color, and aroma of honey. With examples from her latest book, Marina guides listeners on a sensory journey, showcasing the diversity and cultural significance of honeys from around the globe.

Listeners will gain insights into how understanding honey’s unique qualities can elevate its value, both at the farmer’s market and in culinary applications. Marina also highlights the American Honey Tasting Society’s efforts to educate beekeepers and enthusiasts through sensory training programs, offering tips on how anyone can start exploring the complex world of honey flavors.

Atlas of HoneyThe episode also features another thought-provoking Audio Postcard from Dr. Dewey Caron, who dives into the fascinating world of bee communication. He explores topics such as honeybee thermoregulation and how heater bees influence hive dynamics, adding depth to our understanding of bee behavior and survival strategies.

Whether you’re a hobbyist, commercial beekeeper, or honey enthusiast, this episode will inspire you to appreciate honey as more than just a sweetener—it’s an artisanal product with a story to tell.

Listen Today!

Websites we recommend:

Copyright © 2024 by Growing Planet Media, LLC

 

HBO Logo  

______________

Betterbee Beekeeping Supplies

Betterbee is the presenting sponsor of Beekeeping Today Podcast. 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

Global Patties Pollen Supplements

This episode is brought to you by Global Patties! Global offers a variety of standard and custom patties. Visit them today at http://globalpatties.com and let them know you appreciate them sponsoring this episode! 

Bee Smart Designs

Thanks to Bee Smart Designs as a sponsor of this podcast! Bee Smart Designs is the creator of innovative, modular and interchangeable hive systems made in the USA using recycled and American sourced materials. Bee Smart Designs - Simply better beekeeping for the modern beekeeper.

StrongMicrobials

Thanks to Strong Microbials for their support of Beekeeping Today Podcast. Find out more about their line of probiotics in our Season 3, Episode 12 episode and from their website: https://www.strongmicrobials.com

Northern Bee Books

Thanks for Northern Bee Books for their support. Northern Bee Books is the publisher of bee books available worldwide from their website or from Amazon and bookstores everywhere. They are also the publishers of The Beekeepers Quarterly and Natural Bee Husbandry.

_______________

We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments in the show notes of this episode or: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com

Thank you for listening! 

Podcast music: Be Strong by Young Presidents; Epilogue by Musicalman; Faraday by BeGun; Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus; A Fresh New Start by Pete Morse; Wedding Day by Boomer; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; Red Jack Blues by Daniel Hart; Original guitar background instrumental by Jeff Ott.

Beekeeping Today Podcast is an audio production of Growing Planet Media, LLC

Copyright © 2024 by Growing Planet Media, LLC

Growing Planet Media, LLC

17 Jun 2024Seventh Year Anniversary Special with Pollinator Partnership (282)00:42:33

Pollinator Week 2024Welcome to a special episode of the Beekeeping Today Podcast, presented by Betterbee. As we kick off our seventh year and celebrate the first day of Pollinator Week, we are thrilled to bring you a conversation filled with insights and stories that highlight the importance of pollinators in our ecosystems.

In this episode, Jeff and Becky delve into the fascinating world of pollinators with our guest, Anthony Colangelo, the Outreach and Education Specialist from Pollinator Partnership. Anthony brings a wealth of knowledge about pollinators, sharing his current projects across North America and his involvement in the Pollinator Steward Certification Program.

Join us as we discuss:

- The diverse roles of various pollinators in our environment.

- The unique challenges and adaptations of bees in extreme climates.

- Practical tips for beekeepers to protect themselves and their bees from common pests like ticks.

- Anthony’s involvement in groundbreaking initiatives like Bee Friendly Farming and the importance of community science projects like iNaturalist.

As we celebrate this milestone—our 282nd episode—not only do we reflect on the journey so far, but we also emphasize the ongoing need for awareness and action to support pollinator health globally. Whether you are a seasoned beekeeper or just starting, this episode is packed with actionable insights and heartwarming stories to inspire your practice.

Don’t miss out on this enriching discussion that connects beekeepers and nature enthusiasts with the critical issues facing pollinators today. Tune in to learn, laugh, and be part of our growing community dedicated to making a difference in the world of beekeeping and beyond.

Listen Today!

Links and websites mentioned in this episode:

 

HBO Logo

______________

 

Betterbee Beekeeping Supplies

Betterbee is the presenting sponsor of Beekeeping Today Podcast. 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

Global Patties Pollen Supplements

This episode is brought to you by Global Patties! Global offers a variety of standard and custom patties. Visit them today at http://globalpatties.com and let them know you appreciate them sponsoring this episode! 

Bee Smart Designs

Thanks to Bee Smart Designs as a sponsor of this podcast! Bee Smart Designs is the creator of innovative, modular and interchangeable hive systems made in the USA using recycled and American sourced materials. Bee Smart Designs - Simply better beekeeping for the modern beekeeper.

StrongMicrobials

Thanks to Strong Microbials for their support of Beekeeping Today Podcast. Find out more about heir line of probiotics in our Season 3, Episode 12 episode and from their website: https://www.strongmicrobials.com

Northern Bee Books

Thanks for Northern Bee Books for their support. Northern Bee Books is the publisher of bee books available worldwide from their website or from Amazon and bookstores everywhere. They are also the publishers of The Beekeepers Quarterly and Natural Bee Husbandry.

_______________

We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments in the show notes of this episode or: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com

Thank you for listening! 

Podcast music: Be Strong by Young Presidents; Epilogue by Musicalman; Faraday by BeGun; Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus; A Fresh New Start by Pete Morse; Wedding Day by Boomer; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; Original guitar background instrumental by Jeff Ott

Beekeeping Today Podcast is an audio production of Growing Planet Media, LLC

Copyright © 2024 by Growing Planet Media, LLC

Growing Planet Media, LLC

25 Nov 2024The Propola Hive with Jeff Johnson (306)00:49:38

In this episode, Jeff and Becky welcome Jeff Johnson, co-founder of Premier Bee Products, for a fascinating discussion on the innovations shaping modern beekeeping. Jeff Johnson shares how a quest for better foundation led to the creation of Puracell, a plastic foundation that mimics natural honeycomb with precise cell sizes and thinner cell walls, designed to promote healthier colonies. Listeners will hear about the years of research and meticulous measurements that went into developing this foundation, giving bees the most natural environment possible within the hive.

The episode also dives into Premier Bee’s latest development: the Propola Hive. Designed to mimic the rough, natural surfaces inside a tree, the Propola Hive encourages bees to build a propolis envelope around their living space. Jeff explains how propolis acts as a natural immune system for bees, helping colonies fight off pathogens. Inspired by the groundbreaking research of Dr. Marla Spivak, this hive design is already seeing enthusiastic adoption among both commercial and hobbyist beekeepers.

This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in how science and passion come together to support bee health. Jeff Johnson’s dedication to improving beekeeping equipment with a beekeeper-first approach is inspiring and offers listeners valuable insights into the benefits of propolis and hive innovation.

Listen Today!

Websites we recommend:

 

Copyright © 2024 by Growing Planet Media, LLC

 

HBO Logo  

______________

Betterbee Beekeeping Supplies

Betterbee is the presenting sponsor of Beekeeping Today Podcast. 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

Global Patties Pollen Supplements

This episode is brought to you by Global Patties! Global offers a variety of standard and custom patties. Visit them today at http://globalpatties.com and let them know you appreciate them sponsoring this episode! 

Bee Smart Designs

Thanks to Bee Smart Designs as a sponsor of this podcast! Bee Smart Designs is the creator of innovative, modular and interchangeable hive systems made in the USA using recycled and American sourced materials. Bee Smart Designs - Simply better beekeeping for the modern beekeeper.

HiveAlive

Give your bees a boost with HiveAlive! Proven to increase bee health, honey yield, and overwinter survival, HiveAlive’s unique formula includes seaweed, thyme, and lemongrass, making it easy to feed. Choose from HiveAlive’s Fondant Patties, High-Performance Pollen Patties, or EZ Feed Super Syrup—ready-to-use options for busy beekeepers. Buy locally or online. Order now and pick up at our booth at the North American Honey Bee Expo! https://usa.hivealivebees.com/pages/nahbe-2025-pre-order-portal.

StrongMicrobials

Thanks to Strong Microbials for their support of Beekeeping Today Podcast. Find out more about their line of probiotics in our Season 3, Episode 12 episode and from their website: https://www.strongmicrobials.com

Northern Bee Books

Thanks for Northern Bee Books for their support. Northern Bee Books is the publisher of bee books available worldwide from their website or from Amazon and bookstores everywhere. They are also the publishers of The Beekeepers Quarterly and Natural Bee Husbandry.

_______________

We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments in the show notes of this episode or: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com

Thank you for listening! 

Podcast music: Be Strong by Young Presidents; Epilogue by Musicalman; Faraday by BeGun; Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus; A Fresh New Start by Pete Morse; Wedding Day by Boomer; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; Red Jack Blues by Daniel Hart; Original guitar background instrumental by Jeff Ott.

Beekeeping Today Podcast is an audio production of Growing Planet Media, LLC

Copyright © 2024 by Growing Planet Media, LLC

Growing Planet Media, LLC

06 May 2024Dr. Kaira Wagoner - Hygienic Bee Behavior (S6, E47)00:53:48

Hygeinic Behavior(#276) In this enlightening episode, we are joined by Dr. Kaira Wagoner of Optera, who introduces us to groundbreaking research in bee hygiene. Kaira shares her extensive study on hygienic behavior in honey bees, a critical trait that helps colonies combat pathogens like varroa mites and various bee diseases. This episode not only dives deep into the science behind bee hygiene but also discusses how beekeepers can apply these insights practically.

Our hosts, Jeff and Becky, engage Kaira in a detailed discussion about her latest invention, UBeeO, a tool designed to assess the hygienic behavior of bee colonies efficiently. This revolutionary assay allows beekeepers to identify and breed from colonies that naturally exhibit strong hygienic traits, thus potentially reducing the need for chemical treatments against pests and diseases.

Listeners will gain an understanding of how UBeeO works and its implications for bee health management and queen breeding practices. Dr. Wagoner explains the concept of "hygienic behavior" and how it enables bees to detect and eliminate brood affected by health issues, enhancing the overall resilience of the hive.

This episode is particularly valuable for beekeepers interested in sustainable practices and those looking to enhance the genetic traits of their bee colonies through selective breeding. Whether you're a backyard beekeeper or manage a large apiary, the insights offered by Kaira will inspire you to consider new strategies for maintaining healthy bees

Links and websites mentioned in this episode:

 

HBO Logo

 

______________

 

Betterbee Beekeeping Supplies

Betterbee is the presenting sponsor of Beekeeping Today Podcast. 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

Global Patties Pollen Supplements

This episode is brought to you by Global Patties! Global offers a variety of standard and custom patties. Visit them today at http://globalpatties.com and let them know you appreciate them sponsoring this episode! 

Bee Smart Designs

Thanks to Bee Smart Designs as a sponsor of this podcast! Bee Smart Designs is the creator of innovative, modular and interchangeable hive systems made in the USA using recycled and American sourced materials. Bee Smart Designs - Simply better beekeeping for the modern beekeeper.

StrongMicrobials

Thanks to Strong Microbials for their support of Beekeeping Today Podcast. Find out more about heir line of probiotics in our Season 3, Episode 12 episode and from their website: https://www.strongmicrobials.com

Northern Bee Books

Thanks for Northern Bee Books for their support. Northern Bee Books is the publisher of bee books available worldwide from their website or from Amazon and bookstores everywhere. They are also the publishers of The Beekeepers Quarterly and Natural Bee Husbandry.

_______________

We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments in the show notes of this episode or: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com

Thank you for listening! 

Podcast music: Be Strong by Young Presidents; Epilogue by Musicalman; Faraday by BeGun; Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus; A Fresh New Start by Pete Morse; Wedding Day by Boomer; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; Original guitar background instrumental by Jeff Ott

Beekeeping Today Podcast is an audio production of Growing Planet Media, LLC

Copyright © 2024 by Growing Planet Media, LLC

Growing Planet Media, LLC

 

27 Mar 2020BIP Sentinel Apiary Program with Kelly Kulhanek (S2, E22)00:56:37

Kelly in the FieldThis week we meet with Kelly Kulhanek, a BIP Sentinel Apiary Scientist. Since gearing up in 2015, this program monitors colonies in 30 states with over 100 beekeepers. Once enrolled, you’ll take samples from your hives and have them tested for varroa, nosema and anything else the BIP people find for over 6 months a year.

This is a perfect educational tool for bee clubs everywhere, teaching members how to take samples, letting them see what else is going on around them and being able to make informed decisions about colony health and management. You can sign up for 4 or 8 hives. In return, you’ll receive a sample kit and record keeping info from the same colonies, all season long. At the end you’ll have a season’s worth of detailed records, healthy hives and peace of mind.

Perhaps a greater value is that the program has beekeepers all over the US taking samples, throughout the season and anything that isn’t supposed to be here in the US will get found. A perfect early warming program. Visit their web page for lots more info.

Websites and Linked mentioned in this episode –

______________

This episode is brought to you by Global Patties! Global Patties is a family business that manufactures protein supplement patties for honey bees. Feeding your hives protein supplement patties will help ensure that they produce strong and health colonies by increasing brood production and overall honey flow. Global offers a variety of standard patties, as well as custom patties to meet your specific needs. Visit them today at http://globalpatties.com and let them know you appreciate them sponsoring this episode! 

2 Million BlossomsWe want to also thank 2 Million Blossoms as a sponsor of the podcast. 2 Million Blossoms is a new quarterly magazine destined for your coffee table. Each page of the magazine is dedicated to the stories and photos of all pollinators and written by leading researchers, photographers and our very own, Kim Flottum.

_______________

We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com

Thanks to Bee Culture, the Magazine of American Beekeeping, for their support of The Beekeeping Today Podcast. Available in print and digital at www.beeculture.com

Thank you for listening! 

Podcast music: Young Presidents, "Be Strong"

19 Jun 2018Pollinator Partnership - Amber Barnes (001)00:37:54

Jeff and Kim speak with Amber Barnes of Pollinator Partnership (www.pollinator.org) about their many different projects, including Monarch program and pollinator habitat protection.

Later in the episode, Kim discusses the health and future of pollinators during his Inner Covered observations.

Special focus of this episode is Pollinator week, June 18-24, 2018

 

Questions/Comments: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com

 

Thanks to Bee Culture, the Magazine of American Beekeeping, for their support of The Beekeeping Today Podcast. Available in print and digital at www.beeculture.com

 

Thanks for listening! 

 

Podcast music: Young Presidents, "Be Strong"

21 Nov 2022Chinese Tallow Update with Steven Coy (S5, E23)00:35:51

Steven CoyToday, we’ve invited Steven Coy back to the how to provide an update on the Chinese Tallow tree and efforts to eliminate them.  Chinese Tallow was brought to the USA in the 1700’s as an ornamental. They have very successfully invaded much of the Southeast US, and are moving north and west at a slow but steady rate. USDA-APHIS has declared them invasive and have introduced two insects that feast on Tallow trees to slow, and eventually stop that spread.

However, Tallow trees are a valuable source of honey in the spring for US beekeepers, who manage their bees to take advantage of the honey flow to build their colonies to full strength so they can super pollinate a great deal of the crops we eat. No tallow, far, far less pollination.

The American Honey Producers and the National Honey Board have combined to produce a survey to measure the full extent and value of these trees to US beekeepers and to those of us who like to eat Tallow Honey. The intent is to reduce, or better, stop the insects from destroying Tallow trees, maintain the spring honey flow and keep food on the tables of all of us.

We hope you enjoy the episode. Leave comments and questions in the Comments Section of the episode's website.

Thank you for listening!

Links and websites mentioned in this podcast: 

Honey Bee Obscura

______________

This episode is brought to you by Global PattiesGlobal PattiesGlobal offers a variety of standard and custom patties. Visit them today at http://globalpatties.com and let them know you appreciate them sponsoring this episode! 

We welcome Betterbee as sponsor of today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer BetterBeeservice, 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

Thanks to Strong Microbials for their support of Beekeeping TodayStrong Microbials Podcast. Find out more about heir line of probiotics in our Season 3, Episode 12 episode and from their website: https://www.strongmicrobials.com

Thanks for Northern Bee Books for their sponsorship of Bee Books: Old & New with Kim Flottum. Northern Bee Books is the publisher of bee books available worldwide from their website or from Amazon and bookstores everywhere. They are also the publishers of The Beekeepers Quarterly and Natural Bee Husbandry.

We want to also thank 2 Million Blossoms as a sponsor of the podcast. 2 Million Blossoms is a regular podcast featuring interviews with leading bee and insect researchers in the world of pollination, hosted by Dr. Kirsten Traynor.

_______________

We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments in the show notes of this episode or: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com

Thanks to Bee Culture, the Magazine of American Beekeeping, for their support of The Beekeeping Today Podcast. Available in print and digital at www.beeculture.com

Bee Culture Magazine

Thank you for listening! 

Podcast music: Be Strong by Young Presidents; Epilogue by Musicalman; Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus; A Fresh New Start by Pete Morse; Original guitar background instrumental by Jeff Ott

Beekeeping Today Podcast is an audio production of Growing Planet Media, LLC

Growing Planet Media, LLC

18 Jul 2022The Small Hive Beetle with Drs. Morgan Roth and Aaron Gross (S5, E05)00:45:24

On this episode, we learn share everything you ever wanted to know about Small Hive Beetles, with Drs. Morgan Roth and Aaron Gross, from Virginia Tech.

Small hive beetles cause about $3 million dollars damage to US beehives every year. Today we explore their life cycle, how they find your hives, the damage they can do if you don’t interfere, how they spread, and most importantly, what you can do to slow, or stop them from destroying your hive and killing your bees.

They eat honey, pollen, eggs and larvae. And they bring with them a fungus that turns their fecal waste into a slime that may be the worst thing imaginable in a bee hive.

There are several ways to attack this creature and stop them from spreading to other hives. You can trap them inside your hives, you can make the area around your hives dangerous for them to burrow in when they leave and pupate outside the hive or you can provide pesticides or bacteria outside the hive that will stop them.

Also in today’s episode, Ed Colby returns with a story from his book, “A Beekeeper’s Life: Tales of a Beekeeper”, titled Staying Cool. Ed has a great tale on how to keep cool on while working bees in the heat of the summer!

We hope you enjoy the episode. Leave comments and questions in the Comments Section of the episode's website.

Thank you for listening!

Links and websites mentioned in this podcast: 

Honey Bee Obscura

______________

We welcome Betterbee as sponsor of today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer BetterBeeservice, 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

This episode is brought to you by Global Patties! Global Patties is a family business that manufactures protein supplement patties for honey bees. Feeding your hives protein supplement patties will help Global Pattiesensure that they produce strong and health colonies by increasing brood production and overall honey flow. Global offers a variety of standard patties, as well as custom patties to meet your specific needs. Visit them today at http://globalpatties.com and let them know you appreciate them sponsoring this episode! 

Thanks for Northern Bee Books for their sponsorship of Bee Books: Old & New with Kim Flottum. Northern Bee Books is the publisher of bee books available worldwide from their website or from Amazon and bookstores everywhere. They are also the publishers of The Beekeepers Quarterly and Natural Bee Husbandry. Check them out today!

Thanks to Strong Microbials for their support of Beekeeping TodayStrong Microbials Podcast. Find out more about heir line of probiotics in our Season 3, Episode 12 episode and from their website: https://www.strongmicrobials.com

We want to also thank 2 Million Blossoms as a sponsor of the podcast. 2 Million Blossoms is a regular podcast featuring interviews with leading bee and insect researchers in the world of pollination, hosted by Dr. Kirsten Traynor.

_______________

We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments in the show notes of this episode or: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com

Thanks to Bee Culture, the Magazine of American Beekeeping, for their support of The Beekeeping Today Podcast. Available in print and digital at www.beeculture.com

Bee Culture Magazine

Thank you for listening! 

Podcast music: Be Strong by Young Presidents; Epilogue by Musicalman; Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus; Original guitar background instrumental by Jeff Ott

Beekeeping Today Podcast is an audio production of Growing Planet Media, LLC

Growing Planet Media, LLC

14 Apr 2025Dalan Animal Health – Vaccine Updates & Breakthrough Discoveries (329)00:45:15

In this episode, Jeff and Becky welcome Amy Floyd and Everett Hendrixon of Dalan Animal Health back to the podcast to discuss the latest developments surrounding honey bee vaccination. With spring queen orders underway, many beekeepers are exploring the option of vaccinated queens to help protect their colonies from brood diseases and beyond.

Amy, head of beekeeper relations and a former USDA researcher, shares her journey into beekeeping and how she came to work with Dalan. Everett, Dalan’s sales manager, offers insights into the commercial side of introducing this new technology to the industry. Together, they provide updates on the AFB vaccine’s acceptance and distribution, and importantly, highlight emerging evidence that the vaccine may also help reduce other serious threats, including deformed wing virus (DWV), chalkbrood, and sacbrood.

The episode dives into how the vaccine works—not with needles, but via queen candy—and explains the principle of transgenerational immune priming. The team also explores recent field trials demonstrating up to 90% reduction in DWV, even in colonies with similar varroa levels, and how these unexpected benefits may shift how beekeepers think about disease prevention.

Whether you’re a hobbyist or a sideliner considering new management tools this season, this episode offers valuable context on one of the most exciting health innovations for honey bees today.

Websites from the episode and others we recommend:

Copyright © 2025 by Growing Planet Media, LLC

 

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Betterbee Beekeeping Supplies

Betterbee is the presenting sponsor of Beekeeping Today Podcast. 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

Global Patties Pollen Supplements

This episode is brought to you by Global Patties! Global offers a variety of standard and custom patties. Visit them today at http://globalpatties.com and let them know you appreciate them sponsoring this episode! 

Bee Smart Designs

Thanks to Bee Smart Designs as a sponsor of this podcast! Bee Smart Designs is the creator of innovative, modular and interchangeable hive systems made in the USA using recycled and American sourced materials. Bee Smart Designs - Simply better beekeeping for the modern beekeeper.

 

Dalan Animal Health

Thanks to Dalan who is dedicated to providing transformative animal health solutions to support a more sustainable future. Dalan's vaccination against American Foulbrood (AFB) is a game changer. Vaccinated queens protect newly hatched honeybee larvae against AFB using the new Dalan vaccine. Created for queen producers and other beekeepers wanting to produce AFB free queens. 

Retailers offering vaccinated queens and packages:  https://dalan.com/order-vaccinated-queens/
 
More information on the vaccine: https://dalan.com/media-publications/

 

StrongMicrobials

Thanks to Strong Microbials for their support of Beekeeping Today Podcast. Find out more about their line of probiotics in our Season 3, Episode 12 episode and from their website: https://www.strongmicrobials.com

Northern Bee Books

Thanks for Northern Bee Books for their support. Northern Bee Books is the publisher of bee books available worldwide from their website or from Amazon and bookstores everywhere. They are also the publishers of The Beekeepers Quarterly and Natural Bee Husbandry.

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We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments in the show notes of this episode or: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com

Thank you for listening! 

Podcast music: Be Strong by Young Presidents; Epilogue by Musicalman; Faraday by BeGun; Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus; A Fresh New Start by Pete Morse; Wedding Day by Boomer; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; Red Jack Blues by Daniel Hart; Original guitar background instrumental by Jeff Ott.

Beekeeping Today Podcast is an audio production of Growing Planet Media, LLC

Copyright © 2025 by Growing Planet Media, LLC

Growing Planet Media, LLC

13 Sep 2021HBHC Part 3 - Pete Berthelsen, Habitat & Forage (S4, E13)00:53:09

PeteToday, we pick up on the third installment of our exploration of the Honey Bee Health Coalition’s programs as we talk with Pete Berthelsen. Pete runs the Bee and Butterfly Habitat Fund, a non-profit organization working to improve the habitat for all bees and butterflies, anywhere people can make it happen. They have projects in 12 states and are looking to get as many more as they can. They work with the USDA Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), trying to get seed mixes used on these 24 million set aside acres more bee and butterfly friendly, among many other projects. That means working with and coordinating activities between the USDA, seed company organizations, farmers, commercial beekeepers and others. The CRP has been in place since 1985 and has been successful in improving the soil, water quality of the land rented from farmers so it can be improved. Mostly, however, it is planted to grasses, and not pollinator friendly habitat.

It’s no wonder then that he’s intimately involved with the Honey Bee Health Coalition’s Honey Bee Nutrition and Forage program. Focusing on pollinator health and habitat is what he does, every day. The 12 states his Bee and Butterfly projects are in are prime locations for commercial honey production, the monarch butterfly migration route and very productive agricultural land.

So, when all of the members of the HBHC sat down at the table – Ag Supply companies, conservationists, food producers and food buyers, commercial beekeepers, honey packers and a host of others – there was some uneasiness in the room. But as Pete puts it, to solve a problem as big as turning around modern agriculture, you have to be a lumper, not a splitter. All of the people involved have to be part of the solution. No one can advance at the cost of other’s moving down. And Pete is working to make this happen for all the bees and all the birds, and better soil and clean water.

Find out what more this arm of the Honey Bee Health Coalition is doing to improve the health of our honey bees, and butterflies, too.

ZachFirst, though we talk with Zach Techner of Cascadia Venom Collection. Zach recently stopped by Jeff’s house to ‘collect’ a large Bald Faced Hornets’ nest and a smaller in-ground Yellowjacket nest. This time of year, beekeepers are typically the first to receive calls to remove ‘bees’… and they’re typically not honey bees but hornets. Zach talks with Jeff about his full-time business collecting hornets for labs who use the venom and provides some information all beekeepers should know about hornets.

It’s an exciting episode so listen today. If you like what you hear, subscribe/follow, leave a review and let all your friends know about Beekeeping Today Podcast.

 

Links and websites mentioned in this podcast:

Honey Bee Obscura

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This episode is brought to you by Global Patties! Global Patties is a family business that manufactures protein supplement patties for honey bees. Feeding your hives protein supplement patties will help ensure that they produce strong and health colonies by increasing brood production and overall honey flow. Global offers a variety of standard patties, as well as custom patties to meet your specific needs. Visit them today at http://globalpatties.com and let them know you appreciate them sponsoring this episode! 

We welcome Betterbee as sponsor of today's episode. BetterBee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer BetterBeeservice, 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

Thanks to Strong Microbials for their support of Beekeeping TodayStrong Microbials Podcast. Find out more about heir line of probiotics in our Season 3, Episode 12 episode and from their website: https://www.strongmicrobials.com

2 Million Blossoms

We want to also thank 2 Million Blossoms as a sponsor of the podcast. 2 Million Blossoms is a quarterly magazine destined for
your coffee table. Each page of the magazine is dedicated to the stories and photos of all pollinators and written by leading researchers, photographers and our very own, Kim Flottum.

HiveAlive is the #1 feed supplement for honeybees worldwide. HiveAlive has been proven to give more bees, more honey, improved overwinter survival and improved intestinal wellbeing. It contains a unique blend of seaweed extracts, thyme and lemongrass. Whilst it is unusual for bees to be fed seaweed, the practice of adding seaweed to other animal feed is long established. Seaweeds are fed to animals for multiple benefits such as productivity, general health, gut health, immune function and nutrition. As well as providing multiple benefits for the bees, HiveAlive is super easy to use and also prevents syrup from fermenting. Simply add just 2 tsp of our concentrated formula per gallon of syrup.
 
Due to demand from beekeepers, we have also created HiveAlive Fondant Patty. This gives all the benefits of HiveAlive in a ready to feed sugar fondant with added vitamins & amino acids. The patties are individually sealed meaning they won't dry out and are thin to allow easy placement close to the cluster. These patties are ideal for feeding colonies over winter and for emergency feeding of colonies.
 
Ask for HiveAlive and our new HiveAlive Fondant Patty at your local beekeeping store or find it online at https://usa.hivealivebees.com/. Listeners of the podcast can claim a special discount online using the code "BTP" at the checkout. 

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We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com

Follow Beekeeping Today Podcast today!

Thanks to Bee Culture, the Magazine of American Beekeeping, for their support of The Beekeeping Today Podcast. Available in print and digital at www.beeculture.com

Bee Culture Magazine

Thank you for listening! 

Podcast music: Young Presidents, "Be Strong"; Musicalman, "Epilogue". Original guitar background instrumental by Jeff Ott

Beekeeping Today Podcast is an audio production of Growing Planet Media, LLC

Growing Planet Media, LLC

30 Dec 2024New Years Resolutions - 2025 (311)00:22:37

Happy New Year from all of us at Beekeeping Today Podcast! In this special holiday episode, Jeff Ott and Becky Masterman are joined by Jim Tew, co-host of the Honey Bee Obscura Podcast, to reflect on beekeeping in 2024 and look forward to 2025. Together, they discuss New Year’s resolutions for the year ahead, from enhancing Varroa mite management practices to streamlining honey production and storage.

Jeff shares his focus on strengthening colonies through rigorous mite management, while Jim reflects on adapting to “age-related beekeeping,” embracing technology like Bluetooth hive monitoring, and stepping back from physically demanding tasks like hive relocation. Becky highlights her plans to expand honey production, introduce new genetics, and approach equipment purchases with better organization.

The trio also gives listeners a sneak peek into exciting plans for 2025, including a new podcast series on scaling up beekeeping operations. From hobbyists looking to grow to sideliner beekeepers seeking tips on equipment, honey houses, and business strategy, this series promises actionable insights for every beekeeper.

Whether you’re on your way to the North American Honey Bee Expo or enjoying some downtime during the holidays, this episode is filled with inspiration, humor, and practical tips for making 2025 a successful year in beekeeping.

Thank you for listening to Beekeeping Today Podcast! Don’t forget to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you stream.

Wishing you a productive and joyful New Year in your beekeeping journey!

Websites we recommend:

Copyright © 2024 by Growing Planet Media, LLC

 

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______________

Betterbee Beekeeping Supplies

Betterbee is the presenting sponsor of Beekeeping Today Podcast. 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

Global Patties Pollen Supplements

This episode is brought to you by Global Patties! Global offers a variety of standard and custom patties. Visit them today at http://globalpatties.com and let them know you appreciate them sponsoring this episode! 

Bee Smart Designs

Thanks to Bee Smart Designs as a sponsor of this podcast! Bee Smart Designs is the creator of innovative, modular and interchangeable hive systems made in the USA using recycled and American sourced materials. Bee Smart Designs - Simply better beekeeping for the modern beekeeper.

StrongMicrobials

Thanks to Strong Microbials for their support of Beekeeping Today Podcast. Find out more about their line of probiotics in our Season 3, Episode 12 episode and from their website: https://www.strongmicrobials.com

Northern Bee Books

Thanks for Northern Bee Books for their support. Northern Bee Books is the publisher of bee books available worldwide from their website or from Amazon and bookstores everywhere. They are also the publishers of The Beekeepers Quarterly and Natural Bee Husbandry.

_______________

We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments in the show notes of this episode or: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com

Thank you for listening! 

Podcast music: Be Strong by Young Presidents; Epilogue by Musicalman; Faraday by BeGun; Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus; A Fresh New Start by Pete Morse; Wedding Day by Boomer; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; Red Jack Blues by Daniel Hart; Original guitar background instrumental by Jeff Ott.

Beekeeping Today Podcast is an audio production of Growing Planet Media, LLC

Copyright © 2024 by Growing Planet Media, LLC

Growing Planet Media, LLC

20 May 2020World Bee Day - Remembering Ann Harmon (S2, E30)00:29:03

Ann HarmonOn this day as the world is celebrating honey bees and all that they do, Dewey Caron, Kim Flottum and Kathy Summers share stories and memories of Ann Harman, a world bee celebrity who passed on May 1. Ann was an exceptional beekeeper, active in honey shows around the world, held key positions in the Eastern Apicultural Society, was a Welsh Honey Judge, and contributed to Bee Culture magazine for over 35 years. She traveled to 50 some countries as a volunteer instructor, was instrumental in publishing several key beekeeping reference books, still had time for her horses, cats and dogs.

Ann will be missed by the beekeeping industry and by beekeepers around the world. We know that wherever she is now, it will be better with her being there. Thanks Ann.

________________________

This episode is brought to you by Global Patties! Global Patties is a family business that manufactures protein supplement patties for honey bees. Feeding your hives protein supplement patties will help ensure that they produce strong and health colonies by increasing brood production and overall honey flow. Global offers a variety of standard patties, as well as custom patties to meet your specific needs. Visit them today at http://globalpatties.com and let them know you appreciate them sponsoring this episode! 

2 Million BlossomsWe want to also thank 2 Million Blossoms as a sponsor of the podcast. 2 Million Blossoms is a new quarterly magazine destined for your coffee table. Each page of the magazine is dedicated to the stories and photos of all pollinators and written by leading researchers, photographers and our very own, Kim Flottum.

_______________

We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com

Thanks to Bee Culture, the Magazine of American Beekeeping, for their support of The Beekeeping Today Podcast. Available in print and digital at www.beeculture.com

Thank you for listening! 

Podcast music: Young Presidents, "Be Strong"

21 Sep 2018Dr. Warwick Kerr's Passing and His Africanized Honey Bee Legacy with Jim Tew - (011)00:45:11

Dr. Warwick Kerr passed on 15-Sept, leaving behind a legacy that haunted him and changed beekeeping in the America's for years to come.Jim and Kim

In this episode, the podcast visits Dr. Jim Tew in his shop in Wooster, Ohio to discuss his work with the USDA Extension Service to learn about the Africanized honey bee and help prepare US beekeepers for their eventual arrival into the States near Hildago, Texas in 1990.

Kim wraps up the show with his InnerCovered.

Questions/Comments: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com

Jeff Visiting A.I. Root History in Medina, OHThanks to Bee Culture, the Magazine of American Beekeeping, for their support of The Beekeeping Today Podcast. Available in print and digital at www.beeculture.com

 Thanks for listening! 

Podcast music: Young Presidents, "Be Strong"

 

23 Sep 2024The Golden Age of Beekeeping with Peter Borst (297)00:54:35

Peter Borst in the bee yardIn this episode, Jeff and Becky are joined by Peter Borst, author of The Golden Age of Beekeeping. Peter shares fascinating insights into the history of beekeeping, exploring how the industry evolved from a disorganized practice into a standardized and structured operation. He explains why the period from the 1860s to 1920 is often referred to as beekeeping’s “golden age,” a time of innovation when beekeepers like A.I. Root revolutionized the industry by standardizing equipment and making beekeeping more accessible.

Peter also highlights lesser-known figures in beekeeping history, including women like Ellen Tupper and Jenny Ashley, whose contributions were pivotal but often overlooked. Listeners will enjoy hearing about the colorful characters, challenges, and advancements that shaped beekeeping as we know it today.

With his engaging storytelling and deep knowledge, Peter offers a unique perspective on how the industry’s past informs its present, making this episode a must-listen for anyone curious about the roots of modern beekeeping.

Listen today!

The Golden Age of Beekeeping

Websites we recommend:

Drone Eyes

Copyright © 2024 by Growing Planet Media, LLC

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______________

Betterbee Beekeeping Supplies

Betterbee is the presenting sponsor of Beekeeping Today Podcast. 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

Global Patties Pollen Supplements

This episode is brought to you by Global Patties! Global offers a variety of standard and custom patties. Visit them today at http://globalpatties.com and let them know you appreciate them sponsoring this episode! 

Bee Smart Designs

Thanks to Bee Smart Designs as a sponsor of this podcast! Bee Smart Designs is the creator of innovative, modular and interchangeable hive systems made in the USA using recycled and American sourced materials. Bee Smart Designs - Simply better beekeeping for the modern beekeeper.

HiveAlive

HiveAlive offers a unique supplement with seaweed extracts, thyme, and lemongrass, proven to maintain low disease levels, increase bee populations, boost honey production, improve bee gut health, and enhance overwinter survival. Check out their new HiveAlive EZ Feed Super Syrup this fall! Visit www.usa.hivealivebees.com and use code "BTP" for a special discount.

StrongMicrobials

Thanks to Strong Microbials for their support of Beekeeping Today Podcast. Find out more about heir line of probiotics in our Season 3, Episode 12 episode and from their website: https://www.strongmicrobials.com

Northern Bee Books

Thanks for Northern Bee Books for their support. Northern Bee Books is the publisher of bee books available worldwide from their website or from Amazon and bookstores everywhere. They are also the publishers of The Beekeepers Quarterly and Natural Bee Husbandry.

_______________

We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments in the show notes of this episode or: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com

Thank you for listening! 

Podcast music: Be Strong by Young Presidents; Epilogue by Musicalman; Faraday by BeGun; Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus; A Fresh New Start by Pete Morse; Wedding Day by Boomer; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; Red Jack Blues by Daniel Hart; Original guitar background instrumental by Jeff Ott.

Beekeeping Today Podcast is an audio production of Growing Planet Media, LLC

Copyright © 2024 by Growing Planet Media, LLC

Growing Planet Media, LLC

14 Nov 2022Broadcom MASTERS® Award Winner - Rory Hu (S5, E22)00:25:20

On today’s show, Jeff talks with Rory Hu, the $10,000 winner of the Broadcom Foundation and Society for Science MASTERS® Scholarship for middle school students. MASTERS is an acronym for Math, Applied Science, Technology and Engineering for Rising Stars. Rory’s research is titled “The Effects of Pesticides, Caffeine and Tea Polyphenols on the Visual and Olfactory Learning and Memory of the Honey Bee”.

Being in middle school, Rory is in the seventh grade. That is correct - seventh grade! On today’s episode, Rory talks with Jeff explaining how she came up with the idea for her research, the papers she found and read on her own, the search for a local beekeeper to supply bees, her testing methodology and results. 

You will want to listen to Rory explain her research and the challenges she faced, having never worked with honey bees before she started her research. Afterwards, make sure to click on the links in the show notes to see her research.

What were YOU thinking about in 6th and 7th grades?

We hope you enjoy the episode. Leave comments and questions in the Comments Section of the episode's website.

Thank you for listening!

Links and websites mentioned in this podcast: 

Honey Bee Obscura

______________

This episode is brought to you by Global PattiesGlobal PattiesGlobal offers a variety of standard and custom patties. Visit them today at http://globalpatties.com and let them know you appreciate them sponsoring this episode! 

We welcome Betterbee as sponsor of today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer BetterBeeservice, 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

Thanks to Strong Microbials for their support of Beekeeping TodayStrong Microbials Podcast. Find out more about heir line of probiotics in our Season 3, Episode 12 episode and from their website: https://www.strongmicrobials.com

Thanks for Northern Bee Books for their sponsorship of Bee Books: Old & New with Kim Flottum. Northern Bee Books is the publisher of bee books available worldwide from their website or from Amazon and bookstores everywhere. They are also the publishers of The Beekeepers Quarterly and Natural Bee Husbandry.

We want to also thank 2 Million Blossoms as a sponsor of the podcast. 2 Million Blossoms is a regular podcast featuring interviews with leading bee and insect researchers in the world of pollination, hosted by Dr. Kirsten Traynor.

_______________

We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments in the show notes of this episode or: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com

Thanks to Bee Culture, the Magazine of American Beekeeping, for their support of The Beekeeping Today Podcast. Available in print and digital at www.beeculture.com

Bee Culture Magazine

Thank you for listening! 

Podcast music: Be Strong by Young Presidents; Epilogue by Musicalman; Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus; A Fresh New Start by Pete Morse; Original guitar background instrumental by Jeff Ott

Beekeeping Today Podcast is an audio production of Growing Planet Media, LLC

Growing Planet Media, LLC

10 Jan 20222022 Broodminder Update with Rich Morris (S4, E30)00:47:32

Rich MorrisThis week we’ve invited Rich Morris, of Broodminder, to provide updates on what’s new and what’s improved with his Broodminder Hive Monitoring sensor collection.

Broodminder has been in the hive monitoring business for many years and Rich states they are starting to design and release their second and third generations of products. For starters, Broodminder has completely reworked their mobile app so it is faster, shows more information and is easier to use.

This past year, they introduced a “SubHub”, an information collector for up to 50 hive sensors in a beeyard.  The beekeeper can then make one quick stop at a yard and download the data to their cellphone or iPad/tablet to the Internet.

They’ve also reworked the scales this year so now you can use the original simple front-end scale, or use a scale that weighs the whole hive. A scale can come assembled, or unassembled for you to do yourself. You’ll save money with this new scale.

The BeeCounted web page is becoming very useful for Broodminder users, and beekeepers anywhere. A map shows where Broodminder users are by zip code, and you can look at the data from any of these users, yourself included, and see if your hives are similar, or different than nearby hives, which may give you a heads up on trouble.

That’s just a start of the products designed and built for beekeepers by beekeepers. They also have a variety of cellular and WiFi enabled collectors that keep your hives connected so you can monitor them from wherever you are at any given moment

If distant hive monitoring, or even backyard hive monitoring is important, or you’re just curious as to what’s going on inside, you will be interested in what this episode!

Listen and subscribe/follow today!

Links and websites mentioned in this podcast:

Honey Bee Obscura

______________

We welcome Betterbee as sponsor of today's episode. BetterBee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer BetterBeeservice, 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

Thanks to Strong Microbials for their support of Beekeeping TodayStrong Microbials Podcast. Find out more about heir line of probiotics in our Season 3, Episode 12 episode and from their website: https://www.strongmicrobials.com

This episode is brought to you by Global Patties! Global Patties is a family business that manufactures protein supplement patties for honey bees. Feeding your hives protein supplement patties will help Global Pattiesensure that they produce strong and health colonies by increasing brood production and overall honey flow. Global offers a variety of standard patties, as well as custom patties to meet your specific needs. Visit them today at http://globalpatties.com and let them know you appreciate them sponsoring this episode! 

We want to also thank 2 Million Blossoms as a sponsor of the podcast. 2 Million Blossoms is a quarterly magazine destined for2 Million Blossoms your coffee table. Each page of the magazine is dedicated to the stories and photos of all pollinators and written by leading researchers, photographers and our very own, Kim Flottum.

_______________

We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com

Thanks to Bee Culture, the Magazine of American Beekeeping, for their support of The Beekeeping Today Podcast. Available in print and digital at www.beeculture.com

Bee Culture Magazine

Thank you for listening! 

Podcast music: Young Presidents, "Be Strong"; Musicalman, "Epilogue". Original guitar background instrumental by Jeff Ott

Beekeeping Today Podcast is an audio production of Growing Planet Media, LLC

Growing Planet Media, LLC

28 Nov 2022The UK's National Honey Show Interviews and Ed Colby (S5, E24)00:28:07

One of the largest and perhaps oldest honey shows in the world in the UK’s National Honey Show. The first show opened in 1923 at the Crystal Palace, in London. While the National Honey Show took an understandable break during the second world war, it started up afterwards and is an established annual October event ever since. 

The National Honey Show is a three day show highlighting honey and other hive products. There are over 250 competitive classes or categories with entries from around the world. Certainly enough to captive beekeepers of any field of interest.

Besides the competition, the National Honey Show features speakers and a large trade hall full of vendors and products.

In today’s episode, special Beekeeping Today Podcast UK correspondent Louisa Cartwright talks with National Honey Show attendees regarding their impressions of their experience at the show.

Many beekeepers keep their colonies on property owned by others. Most of the time, this presents no problem. But one of the unique challenges during the fall is the addition of hunters to the woods near the fields holding colonies. What happens when these two worlds overlap? Ed Colby is here this week to read from his book, "A Beekeeper's Life: Tales from the Bee Yard", sharing his experience in the middle of this Venn Diagram!

We hope you enjoy the episode. Leave comments and questions in the Comments Section of the episode's website.

Thank you for listening!

Links and websites mentioned in this podcast: 

Honey Bee Obscura

______________

This episode is brought to you by Global PattiesGlobal PattiesGlobal offers a variety of standard and custom patties. Visit them today at http://globalpatties.com and let them know you appreciate them sponsoring this episode! 

We welcome Betterbee as sponsor of today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer BetterBeeservice, 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

Thanks to Strong Microbials for their support of Beekeeping TodayStrong Microbials Podcast. Find out more about heir line of probiotics in our Season 3, Episode 12 episode and from their website: https://www.strongmicrobials.com

Thanks for Northern Bee Books for their support. Northern Bee Books is the publisher of bee books available worldwide from their website or from Amazon and bookstores everywhere. They are also the publishers of The Beekeepers Quarterly and Natural Bee Husbandry.

We want to also thank 2 Million Blossoms as a sponsor of the podcast. 2 Million Blossoms is a regular podcast featuring interviews with leading bee and insect researchers in the world of pollination, hosted by Dr. Kirsten Traynor.

_______________

We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments in the show notes of this episode or: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com

Thanks to Bee Culture, the Magazine of American Beekeeping, for their support of The Beekeeping Today Podcast. Available in print and digital at www.beeculture.com

Bee Culture Magazine

Thank you for listening! 

Podcast music: Be Strong by Young Presidents; Epilogue by Musicalman; Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus; A Fresh New Start by Pete Morse; Original guitar background instrumental by Jeff Ott

Beekeeping Today Podcast is an audio production of Growing Planet Media, LLC

Growing Planet Media, LLC

30 May 2022NYPD Beekeeper - Darren Mays (S4, E50)00:49:23

Imagine responding to every emergency call into 911 about swarms in New York City - across all five boroughs, including Times Square!  Well, imagine no more because, today’s guest, Darren Mays was the Official beekeeper for the New York City Police Department up until he retired. 

Darren worked nights as a regular police officer, responding to the calls all police officers responded to. Robberies, domestic disputes, prisoner transports, and everything else. In the morning, he’d go home to sleep, but he was always on call for the 911 for honey bees and swarms… When he’d get the call, he’d head back into the city, collect the swarm, and take them home. All in a day’s work!

When you think about swarms and honey bees, it is natural to think of green fields, apple trees and blue skies. Not… a security camera on 42nd and Broadway on Times Square in bustling New York City! This was Darren’s world.

It is said that New Yorkers have seen and are used to seeing, everything. But not honey bee swarms. These stopped people in their tracks and caused quite the commotion. Darren would arrive and with the calmness of an experienced beekeeper (or movie cop hero) save the day by removing the bees letting the city continue in its day.

We hope you enjoy listening to Darren’s experiences as the official NYPD beekeeper as much as we do!

Also in today’s episode, Ed Colby returns with a story from his book, “A Beekeeper’s Life: Tales of a Beekeeper”, titled Granny. Granny wants bees on her land… but she  off the beaten track. It’s a conundrum that only Ed could get himself into!

We hope you enjoy the episode. Leave comments and questions in the Comments Section of the episode's website.

Thank you for listening!

Links and websites mentioned in this podcast: 

Honey Bee Obscura

 

______________

We welcome Betterbee as sponsor of today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer BetterBeeservice, 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

This episode is brought to you by Global Patties! Global Patties is a family business that manufactures protein supplement patties for honey bees. Feeding your hives protein supplement patties will help Global Pattiesensure that they produce strong and health colonies by increasing brood production and overall honey flow. Global offers a variety of standard patties, as well as custom patties to meet your specific needs. Visit them today at http://globalpatties.com and let them know you appreciate them sponsoring this episode! 

Thanks for Northern Bee Books for their sponsorship of Bee Books: Old & New with Kim Flottum. Northern Bee Books is the publisher of bee books available worldwide from their website or from Amazon and bookstores everywhere. They are also the publishers of The Beekeepers Quarterly and Natural Bee Husbandry. Check them out today!

Thanks to Strong Microbials for their support of Beekeeping TodayStrong Microbials Podcast. Find out more about heir line of probiotics in our Season 3, Episode 12 episode and from their website: https://www.strongmicrobials.com

We want to also thank 2 Million Blossoms as a sponsor of the podcast. 2 Million Blossoms is a regular podcast featuring interviews with leading bee and insect researchers in the world of pollination, hosted by Dr. Kirsten Traynor.

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We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments in the show notes of this episode or: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com

Thanks to Bee Culture, the Magazine of American Beekeeping, for their support of The Beekeeping Today Podcast. Available in print and digital at www.beeculture.com

Bee Culture Magazine

Thank you for listening! 

Podcast music: Be Strong by Young Presidents; Epilogue by Musicalman; Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus; Original guitar background instrumental by Jeff Ott

Beekeeping Today Podcast is an audio production of Growing Planet Media, LLC

Growing Planet Media, LLC

02 Jan 2023Bee Weaver Queens with Danny Weaver (S5, E29)00:35:30

Today, I welcome Danny Weaver to the show. Danny comes from a long line of queen breeders and beekeepers in the Navasota, Texas area. Danny’s father, Binford, was instrumental working with Congress to establish the National Honey Board in 1987. The Weaver name  is long established and trusted in beekeeping. Today, Danny talks with me about his current queen breeding operation producing varroa resistant bees, as well as the Bee Weaver Farm in Navasota. 

The Farm offers a bee experience to non-beekeepers through tours and screened-enclosed demonstrations. The Farm also includes a market, a meadery and a campground. 

Danny’s operation could be a model for many beekeepers. So stand by, I am confident there is something here for all beekeepers

We hope you enjoy the episode. Leave comments and questions in the Comments Section of the episode's website.

Thank you for listening!

Links and websites mentioned in this podcast: 

Honey Bee Obscura

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This episode is brought to you by Global PattiesGlobal PattiesGlobal offers a variety of standard and custom patties. Visit them today at http://globalpatties.com and let them know you appreciate them sponsoring this episode! 

We welcome Betterbee as sponsor of today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer BetterBeeservice, 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

Thanks to Strong Microbials for their support of Beekeeping TodayStrong Microbials Podcast. Find out more about heir line of probiotics in our Season 3, Episode 12 episode and from their website: https://www.strongmicrobials.com

Thanks for Northern Bee Books for their support. Northern Bee Books is the publisher of bee books available worldwide from their website or from Amazon and bookstores everywhere. They are also the publishers of The Beekeepers Quarterly and Natural Bee Husbandry.

_______________

We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments in the show notes of this episode or: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com

Thanks to Bee Culture, the Magazine of American Beekeeping, for their support of The Beekeeping Today Podcast. Available in print and digital at www.beeculture.com

Bee Culture Magazine

Thank you for listening! 

Podcast music: Be Strong by Young Presidents; Epilogue by Musicalman; Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus; A Fresh New Start by Pete Morse; Original guitar background instrumental by Jeff Ott

Beekeeping Today Podcast is an audio production of Growing Planet Media, LLC

Growing Planet Media, LLC

14 Feb 2019Dr. Reed Johnson: Insecticide Use and Toxicity in Almond Orchards - (020)00:57:28

In this episode, Jeff and Kim talk with Dr. Reed Johnson. Reed got his start in research beekeeping while looking for a summer job in his hometown,  Missoula, Montana. He knocked on the door of Dr. Jerry Bromenshenk at the University of Montana, was offered employment, and was quickly drawn into the world of bees and their biology.  Reed went on to receive a Ph.D. in Entomology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign where he was involved in the honey bee genome project, then moved on to and a post-doc position at the University of Nebraska where he explored drug interactions between miticides in bees.   

Reed is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Entomology at The Ohio State University – Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center in Wooster, Ohio. His research focuses on determining how bees are exposed to pesticides and combinations and measuring the effect that toxic exposure has on the health of honey bees and other pollinators with the goal of promoting bee health in the context of modern agriculture.

Additional information on Reed's research:

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We are happy to welcome Mann Lake Limited as a new sponsor to the Beekeeping Today Podcast. Mann Lake is the leading supplier of beekeeping supplies to commercial and hobbyist beekeepers nationwide. Order online or from their catalog. Find more information at: https://www.mannlakeltd.com

____________________

We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com

Thanks to Bee Culture, the Magazine of American Beekeeping, for their support of The Beekeeping Today Podcast. Available in print and digital at www.beeculture.com

Thank you for listening! 

Podcast music: Young Presidents, "Be Strong"

 

 

26 Sep 2022Pragmatic Beekeeping with Cliff Struhl (S5, E15)00:44:38

Cliff StruhlIn this week’s episode, we visit with Cliff Struhl about his thoughts on better ways to keep bees than is generally done today (and the past 170 years). Cliff is owner of Bee Smart Designs and has produced several products that aim to reduce some of the stresses we apply when keeping bees in a standard wooden box.

He starts with the boxes we use and compares them to the hollow trees bees prefer. He looks further at the insulation needs on both the walls and the top, the metal covers that get really hot in the summer, the entrances and the bottom boards. Basically, we keep bees in a very artificial environment, and as a result and the bees are extremely stressed. We have to be active managers so they can thrive.

We also discuss the pragmatic approach for queen rearing, mating, purchasing queens, and overall genetics. Is pragmatic beekeeping the same as ‘natural beekeeping’? We find out where there may be differences.

He sums this all up by stating that beekeeping requires thoughtful input from the beekeeper since the bees are not able to fend for themselves when kept in the artificial environment we normally provide.

We hope you enjoy the episode. Leave comments and questions in the Comments Section of the episode's website.

Thank you for listening!

Links and websites mentioned in this podcast: 

Honey Bee Obscura

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This episode is brought to you by Global PattiesGlobal PattiesGlobal offers a variety of standard and custom patties. Visit them today at http://globalpatties.com and let them know you appreciate them sponsoring this episode! 

We welcome Betterbee as sponsor of today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer BetterBeeservice, 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

Thanks to Strong Microbials for their support of Beekeeping TodayStrong Microbials Podcast. Find out more about heir line of probiotics in our Season 3, Episode 12 episode and from their website: https://www.strongmicrobials.com

Thanks for Northern Bee Books for their sponsorship of Bee Books: Old & New with Kim Flottum. Northern Bee Books is the publisher of bee books available worldwide from their website or from Amazon and bookstores everywhere. They are also the publishers of The Beekeepers Quarterly and Natural Bee Husbandry.

We want to also thank 2 Million Blossoms as a sponsor of the podcast. 2 Million Blossoms is a regular podcast featuring interviews with leading bee and insect researchers in the world of pollination, hosted by Dr. Kirsten Traynor.

_______________

We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments in the show notes of this episode or: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com

Thanks to Bee Culture, the Magazine of American Beekeeping, for their support of The Beekeeping Today Podcast. Available in print and digital at www.beeculture.com

Bee Culture Magazine

Thank you for listening! 

Podcast music: Be Strong by Young Presidents; Epilogue by Musicalman; Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus; A Fresh New Start by Pete Morse; Original guitar background instrumental by Jeff Ott

Beekeeping Today Podcast is an audio production of Growing Planet Media, LLC

Growing Planet Media, LLC

10 Feb 2025Upscaling from Hobbyist to Sideliner - Equipment (320)00:32:45

Bee Yard - Apiary

In the second episode of our February series, Upscaling from Hobbyist to Sideliner Beekeeper, Jeff and Becky continue the conversation with returning guests Dr. Meghan Milbrath and Ana Heck from Michigan State University. This week’s focus is on one of the most critical—and often costly—aspects of growing a beekeeping operation: equipment and logistics.

Meghan and Ana share their insights on how to strategically manage equipment as your apiary grows, covering everything from the pros and cons of building versus buying hive components to making decisions about palletizing, bottom boards, and the use of queen excluders. They discuss the importance of maintaining consistency with equipment sizes, the benefits of using migratory versus telescoping covers, and how to manage hive configurations for both honey production and overwintering.

The conversation also dives into the practicalities of scaling up, such as selecting vehicles for beekeeping operations, deciding when (or if) a forklift makes sense, and managing outyards. Meghan and Ana offer valuable advice on finding and maintaining good relationships with landowners, how many colonies to place in a single yard, and even strategies for negotiating yard rent—often paid in honey!

Whether you’re considering your first expansion or already managing dozens of colonies, this episode offers practical tips, real-world experiences, and thoughtful advice to help you grow efficiently and sustainably.

Tune in now to learn how to take your beekeeping operation to the next level!

Websites we recommend:

Copyright © 2025 by Growing Planet Media, LLC

 

HBO Logo  

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Betterbee Beekeeping Supplies

Betterbee is the presenting sponsor of Beekeeping Today Podcast. 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

Global Patties Pollen Supplements

This episode is brought to you by Global Patties! Global offers a variety of standard and custom patties. Visit them today at http://globalpatties.com and let them know you appreciate them sponsoring this episode! 

Bee Smart Designs

Thanks to Bee Smart Designs as a sponsor of this podcast! Bee Smart Designs is the creator of innovative, modular and interchangeable hive systems made in the USA using recycled and American sourced materials. Bee Smart Designs - Simply better beekeeping for the modern beekeeper.

StrongMicrobials

Thanks to Strong Microbials for their support of Beekeeping Today Podcast. Find out more about their line of probiotics in our Season 3, Episode 12 episode and from their website: https://www.strongmicrobials.com

Northern Bee Books

Thanks for Northern Bee Books for their support. Northern Bee Books is the publisher of bee books available worldwide from their website or from Amazon and bookstores everywhere. They are also the publishers of The Beekeepers Quarterly and Natural Bee Husbandry.

_______________

We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments in the show notes of this episode or: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com

Thank you for listening! 

Podcast music: Be Strong by Young Presidents; Epilogue by Musicalman; Faraday by BeGun; Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus; A Fresh New Start by Pete Morse; Wedding Day by Boomer; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; Red Jack Blues by Daniel Hart; Original guitar background instrumental by Jeff Ott.

Beekeeping Today Podcast is an audio production of Growing Planet Media, LLC

Copyright © 2025 by Growing Planet Media, LLC

Growing Planet Media, LLC

31 Jul 2023Amiflex with Véto-Pharma's Amber Leach and Miguel Rodriguez (S6, E07)00:41:59

In this episode we talk with Amber Leach, North American Sales Manager, and Dr. Miguel Angel Rodriguez, DVM, and Business Development Head, from Véto-Pharma. Véto-Pharma is just rolling out and the distribution of their newest varroa control compound called Amiflex.

Primarily for commercial beekeepers, this amitraz-based product comes in premeasured does of a gel beekeepers can place in their hives between honey flows, or after the honey season is over. It is considered a flash treatment because the compound is only allowed in a hive for 7 days. If needed, 7 days after removal, it can be applied again.

As of this date, Amiflex remains a restricted use pesticide, so beekeepers will need to be registered with their state officials even before purchasing the product. Check the Véto-Pharma website to see if Amiflex has been registered for use in your state.

Before Amber and Miguel, Beekeeping Today Podcast's friend Ed Colby joins us with another Tale from the Bee Yard. This story is titled, “Deadman Walking”.

We hope you enjoy the episode. Leave comments and questions in the Comments Section of the episode's website.

Links and websites mentioned in this podcast: 

Honey Bee Obscura

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Betterbee is the presensting sponsor of Beekeeping Today Podcast. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer BetterBeeservice, 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

This episode is brought to you by Global PattiesGlobal PattiesGlobal offers a variety of standard and custom patties. Visit them today at http://globalpatties.com and let them know you appreciate them sponsoring this episode! 

Thanks to Strong Microbials for their support of Beekeeping TodayStrong Microbials Podcast. Find out more about heir line of probiotics in our Season 3, Episode 12 episode and from their website: https://www.strongmicrobials.com

Thanks for Northern Bee Books for their support. Northern Bee Books is the publisher of bee books available worldwide from their website or from Amazon and bookstores everywhere. They are also the publishers of The Beekeepers Quarterly and Natural Bee Husbandry.

_______________

We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments in the show notes of this episode or: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com

Thank you for listening! 

Podcast music: Be Strong by Young Presidents; Epilogue by Musicalman; Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus; A Fresh New Start by Pete Morse; Wedding Day by Boomer; Original guitar background instrumental by Jeff Ott

Beekeeping Today Podcast is an audio production of Growing Planet Media, LLC

Copyright © 2023 by Growing Planet Media, LLC

Growing Planet Media, LLC

12 Sep 2022Bee Time with Mark Winston (S5, E13)00:34:54

Mark Winston joins us on today’s episode. Mark just retired from Simon Frazer University in British Columbia. For many years his research focused on honey bees, beekeeping and agriculture. For about a decade he was a regular contributor to Bee Culture magazine, where he explored the biology of honey bees, and the sociality of beekeepers.

His writings include the books The Biology of The Honey Bee, Killer Bees, Nature Wars (his observations on agricultural pesticides), From Where I Sit: Essays on Bees, Beekeeping and Science, Travels in Genetically Modified Crops (his perspectives on genetically modified plants) and his two thoughtful observations of the relations of bees and man in Bee Time, Lessons From The Hive, and his last bee book, Listening To The Bees (how bees, people and society and people are alike).

He took that level of thought from bees and applied it to people where he began working in his university’s new Center For Dialogue. There he achieved wide recognition as a distinguished educator, consultant and communicator.

Our talk with Mark looks back on his time in honey bee research, his books on bees and beekeepers and some of his newer work on communications.

** Correction: In the opening, Jeff mistakenly refers to the product "Apistan". Apistan is the product name of the acaricide fluvalinate. The Amitraz product he should have referenced is Apivar. We apologize for any confusion and misdirection.

We hope you enjoy the episode. Leave comments and questions in the Comments Section of the episode's website.

Thank you for listening!

Links and websites mentioned in this podcast: 

Honey Bee Obscura

______________

This episode is brought to you by Global PattiesGlobal PattiesGlobal offers a variety of standard and custom patties. Visit them today at http://globalpatties.com and let them know you appreciate them sponsoring this episode! 

We welcome Betterbee as sponsor of today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer BetterBeeservice, 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

Thanks to Strong Microbials for their support of Beekeeping TodayStrong Microbials Podcast. Find out more about heir line of probiotics in our Season 3, Episode 12 episode and from their website: https://www.strongmicrobials.com

Thanks for Northern Bee Books for their sponsorship of Bee Books: Old & New with Kim Flottum. Northern Bee Books is the publisher of bee books available worldwide from their website or from Amazon and bookstores everywhere. They are also the publishers of The Beekeepers Quarterly and Natural Bee Husbandry.

We want to also thank 2 Million Blossoms as a sponsor of the podcast. 2 Million Blossoms is a regular podcast featuring interviews with leading bee and insect researchers in the world of pollination, hosted by Dr. Kirsten Traynor.

_______________

We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments in the show notes of this episode or: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com

Thanks to Bee Culture, the Magazine of American Beekeeping, for their support of The Beekeeping Today Podcast. Available in print and digital at www.beeculture.com

Bee Culture Magazine

Thank you for listening! 

Podcast music: Be Strong by Young Presidents; Epilogue by Musicalman; Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus; A Fresh New Start by Pete Morse; Original guitar background instrumental by Jeff Ott

Beekeeping Today Podcast is an audio production of Growing Planet Media, LLC

Growing Planet Media, LLC

07 Sep 2020The Honey Bee Veterinary Consortium with Allie and Britteny (S3, E15)00:49:19

HBVCIn today’s episode we talk to Britteny Kyle, DVM, President of the Honey Bee Veterinary Consortium (HBVC) and Alexzandra (Allie) Mosel, DVM, who is the President Elect. Both are beekeepers and small animal veterinarians interested in getting more vets trained and interested in bees and beekeeping.

Recall that as of January 2017, if a beekeeper needs to administer Britteny Kyle, DVMantibiotics to their honey bees, they are required to have a prescription or feed directive from a licensed veterinarian. The HBVC is made up of students and professionals from all segments of veterinary medicine and animal science who care about bees and beekeeping. The mission of the HBVC is to provide continuing education to veterinarians about honey bees and to provide a resource for beekeepers to locate a veterinarian who is willing to work with  honey bees. Allie Mosel, DVM

Right now, there are fewer than 100 vets who can or will work with beekeepers in the US, but there are over 340 who are working to get on this team. We’ll talk about how this is working now and what goals the group hopes to accomplish. We discuss the tools vets have to learn about bees and what do beekeepers need to do to make this work for them.

Listen today!

HBVC ConferenceLinks and websites mentioned in this podcast:

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Thanks to Strong Microbials for their support of Beekeeping Today Podcast. Find out more about heir line of probiotics in our Season 3, Episode 12 episode and from their website: https://www.strongmicrobials.com

This episode is brought to you by Global Patties! Global Patties is a family business that manufactures protein supplement patties for honey bees. Feeding your hives protein supplement patties will help ensure that they produce strong and health colonies by increasing brood production and overall honey flow. Global offers a variety of standard patties, as well as custom patties to meet your specific needs. Visit them today at http://globalpatties.com and let them know you appreciate them sponsoring this episode! 

2 Million BlossomsWe want to also thank 2 Million Blossoms as a sponsor of the podcast. 2 Million Blossoms is a quarterly magazine destined for your coffee table. Each page of the magazine is dedicated to the stories and photos of all pollinators and written by leading researchers, photographers and our very own, Kim Flottum.

_______________

We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com

Thanks to Bee Culture, the Magazine of American Beekeeping, for their support of The Beekeeping Today Podcast. Available in print and digital at www.beeculture.com

Thank you for listening! 

Podcast music: Young Presidents, "Be Strong", Musicalman, "Epilogue"

28 Mar 2022Bee Informed Partnership Loss & Management Survey with Geoff Williams and Mikayla Wilson (S4, E41)00:46:05


This week, we invite Geoff Williams and Mikayla Wilson from Bee Informed Partnership to talk with us about their 2022 Loss and Management Survey! It kicks off in April - in just a few days!

The Bee Informed Partnership was started in 2007 by the Apiary Inspectors of America as a non-profit organization with the goal to improve honey bee colony health and survivorship in the United States. The Colony Loss and Management Survey is one of BIPs longest running programs.

BIP defines "Colony Loss" as as a turn-over rate, as high levels of losses do not necessarily result in a decrease in the total number of colonies managed in the United States. This is often misinterpreted that the 'bees are disappearing'. Beekeepers should be able to correct this while talking with non-beekeepers.

Geoff and Mikayla talk about this year's survey and how you can participate, whether you are a commercial, sideliner or hobby beekeeper.

BIP has other programs which Geoff and Mikayla discuss, including the Tech Transfer Program, and the Sentinel Apiary Program (which is still accepting participating beekeepers until April 24th) and how you can support BIP without sending a dime. BIP is part of Amazon Smile where 0.5% of your purchase is donated to a non-profit charity of your choice. Make BIP your charity of choice!

Let us know what you think by leaving comments for this episode above. Start a discussion!

Thank you for listening!

Links and websites mentioned in this podcast: 

Honey Bee Obscura

______________

We welcome Betterbee as sponsor of today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer BetterBeeservice, 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

We welcome HiveAlive back as an episode sponsor. HiveAlive is the #1 liquid feed supplement for honeybees worldwide.  It contains a unique blend of seaweed extracts, thyme and lemongrass. HiveAlive has been proven to increase bee strength, produce more honey, improved bee gut health and improved overwinter survival. Ask about HiveAlive and new HiveAlive Fondant & Pollen Patty at your local beekeeping store or visit the website www.usa.hivealivebees.com for more information.  

This episode is brought to you by Global Patties! Global Patties is a family business that manufactures protein supplement patties for honey bees. Feeding your hives protein supplement patties will help Global Pattiesensure that they produce strong and health colonies by increasing brood production and overall honey flow. Global offers a variety of standard patties, as well as custom patties to meet your specific needs. Visit them today at http://globalpatties.com and let them know you appreciate them sponsoring this episode! 

Thanks for Northern Bee Books for their sponsorship of Bee Books: Old & New with Kim Flottum. Northern Bee Books is the publisher of bee books available worldwide from their website or from Amazon and bookstores everywhere. They are also the publishers of The Beekeepers Quarterly and Natural Bee Husbandry. Check them out today!

Thanks to Strong Microbials for their support of Beekeeping TodayStrong Microbials Podcast. Find out more about heir line of probiotics in our Season 3, Episode 12 episode and from their website: https://www.strongmicrobials.com

We want to also thank 2 Million Blossoms as a sponsor of the podcast. 2 Million Blossoms is a regular podcast featuring interviews with leading bee and insect researchers in the world of pollination, hosted by Dr. Kirsten Traynor.

_______________

We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments in the show notes of this episode or: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com

Thanks to Bee Culture, the Magazine of American Beekeeping, for their support of The Beekeeping Today Podcast. Available in print and digital at www.beeculture.com

Bee Culture Magazine

Thank you for listening! 

Podcast music: Be Strong by Young Presidents; Epilogue by Musicalman; Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus; Original guitar background instrumental by Jeff Ott

Beekeeping Today Podcast is an audio production of Growing Planet Media, LLC

Growing Planet Media, LLC

20 Nov 2023Varroa and Tropilaelaps Updates with Dr. Sammy Ramsey (S6, E23)00:49:28

Dr. SammyIn this enlightening episode, we're thrilled to welcome Dr. Samuel Ramsey for his fifth appearance on the podcast. Renowned for his groundbreaking work on honey bee parasites, ‘Dr. Sammy’ brings his wealth of knowledge and passion for bee health to our listeners once again.

In today's discussion, we receive an update on the latest research on the varroa mite, a pervasive threat to honey bee colonies worldwide. His innovative studies have reshaped our understanding of how these mites feed and thrive, leading to more effective control methods. Dr. Sammy’s approach combines meticulous scientific investigation with a deep concern for bee welfare, providing invaluable insights for both novice and experienced beekeepers.

But that's not all. Dr. Sammy also shares his latest research endeavors on the Tropilaelaps mite, an emerging concern in beekeeping. This lesser-known parasite poses a significant risk to honey bee populations, particularly in Asia. HIs work is pioneering our understanding of this mite, setting the stage for developing strategies to mitigate its impact.

Throughout the episode, Dr. Ramsey emphasizes the importance of ongoing research and collaboration in the fight against these parasitic threats. His dedication to bee health and conservation, through the Ramsey Research Foundation, is not only inspiring but also vital for the sustainability of beekeeping and the broader ecosystem.

Join us in this captivating conversation with Dr. Samuel Ramsey, as we explore the frontiers of bee parasitology and the future of beekeeping.

Leave comments and questions in the Comments Section of the episode's website.

Links and websites mentioned in this podcast:

 

Honey Bee Obscura

______________

Betterbee Beekeeping Supplies

Betterbee is the presensting sponsor of Beekeeping Today Podcast. 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

Global Patties Pollen Supplements

This episode is brought to you by Global Patties! Global offers a variety of standard and custom patties. Visit them today at http://globalpatties.com and let them know you appreciate them sponsoring this episode! 

StrongMicrobials

Thanks to Strong Microbials for their support of Beekeeping Today Podcast. Find out more about heir line of probiotics in our Season 3, Episode 12 episode and from their website: https://www.strongmicrobials.com

Northern Bee Books

Thanks for Northern Bee Books for their support. Northern Bee Books is the publisher of bee books available worldwide from their website or from Amazon and bookstores everywhere. They are also the publishers of The Beekeepers Quarterly and Natural Bee Husbandry.

_______________

We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments in the show notes of this episode or: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com

Thank you for listening! 

Podcast music: Be Strong by Young Presidents; Epilogue by Musicalman; Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus; A Fresh New Start by Pete Morse; Wedding Day by Boomer; Original guitar background instrumental by Jeff Ott

Beekeeping Today Podcast is an audio production of Growing Planet Media, LLC

Copyright © 2023 by Growing Planet Media, LLC

Growing Planet Media, LLC

13 Feb 2023Seeds for Bees with Project Apis m. (S5, E35)00:50:06

Density, Diversity and Duration. These are the three Project Apis m. objectives when selecting the best Seeds For Bees plantings. Today, Rory Crowley and Stetcyn Malonado join us to talk about the importance of planting ground cover in the fall so bees arriving to the almond orchards in the spring have an immediate food source.

The program’s goal is to provide seeds for bees to growers of almonds in California that will be in bloom when bees begin arriving for almond pollination as early as December and January each bloom season. Finding the right plants and then finding growers who can take advantage of this program is the job of Rory, the PAm Seeds for Bees Organizer.

Density determines the amount of seed needed to adequately cover the amount of space  between the rows of almond trees in an orchard. Duration looks at when they begin blooming and when they quit, and diversity is the goal such that there are many different species of plants in that planting so that duration and diversity work together to provide enough good food for the bees until almond bloom starts.

Stetcyn is working with the same objectives but working only with Blue Diamond growers, who have different goals and time tables to adhere to, but the process is the same. Have blooms before the bees get to California, be blooming until almond bloom and never have hungry bees again.

We hope you enjoy the episode. Leave comments and questions in the Comments Section of the episode's website.

Thank you for listening!

Links and websites mentioned in this podcast: 

Honey Bee Obscura

______________

This episode is brought to you by Global PattiesGlobal PattiesGlobal offers a variety of standard and custom patties. Visit them today at http://globalpatties.com and let them know you appreciate them sponsoring this episode! 

We welcome Betterbee as sponsor of today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer BetterBeeservice, 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

Thanks to Strong Microbials for their support of Beekeeping TodayStrong Microbials Podcast. Find out more about heir line of probiotics in our Season 3, Episode 12 episode and from their website: https://www.strongmicrobials.com

We welcome HiveAlive back as an episode sponsor. HiveAlive is the #1 liquid feed supplement for honeybees worldwide.  It contains a unique blend of seaweed extracts, thyme and
lemongrass proven to increase bee strength, produce more honey, improved bee gut health and improved overwinter survival. Ask about HiveAlive and new HiveAlive Fondant & Pollen Patty at your local beekeeping store or visit the website www.usa.hivealivebees.com for more information. Listeners of the podcast can claim a special discount online using the code "BTP" at the checkout!

Thanks for Northern Bee Books for their support. Northern Bee Books is the publisher of bee books available worldwide from their website or from Amazon and bookstores everywhere. They are also the publishers of The Beekeepers Quarterly and Natural Bee Husbandry.

_______________

We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments in the show notes of this episode or: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com

Thanks to Bee Culture, the Magazine of American Beekeeping, for their support of The Beekeeping Today Podcast. Available in print and digital at www.beeculture.com

Bee Culture Magazine

Thank you for listening! 

Podcast music: Be Strong by Young Presidents; Epilogue by Musicalman; Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus; A Fresh New Start by Pete Morse; Original guitar background instrumental by Jeff Ott

Beekeeping Today Podcast is an audio production of Growing Planet Media, LLC

Copyright © 2023 by Growing Planet Media, LLC

Growing Planet Media, LLC

25 Apr 2022Regional Beekeepers: Spring 2022 Update (S4, E45)00:54:57

We first met the Regional Beekeepers back in May of 2020. Then twice a year since, we've made a point to catch a chat with them to talk about their bees, their challenges, their successes and plans for the next six months.

This time, we move from west to east. First we meet Paul Longwell from Olympia, WA. A master beekeeper. He maintains AŽ Hives, Long Langstroth hives, and standard Langstroths.

Next stop is along the western slope of Colorado where we meet up with commercial beekeeper, Ed Colby. Ed is a regular here on the podcast reading portions of his book, Tales from the Bottom Board

Next stop is just east of Akron, Ohio, where we check in with Tracy Alarcon. Tracey has years of experience keeping bees and raising his own queens. He's even been the county bee inspector. So he's seen all the good and bad. Fortunately, most of the bad has been with other's colonies!

Last stop on the trip is in Locust, North Carolina where we meet up again with chemical free beekeeper, Mark Smith. Mark is building his chemical free apiary using no outside bees since 2011. He posts regularly on Instagram under Flatwoods Bee Farm.

We invite you to join us and compare your story to theirs. Let us know what you think by leaving comments for this episode above. Start a discussion!

Thank you for listening!

Links and websites mentioned in this podcast: 

Honey Bee Obscura

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We welcome Betterbee as sponsor of today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer BetterBeeservice, 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

This episode is brought to you by Global Patties! Global Patties is a family business that manufactures protein supplement patties for honey bees. Feeding your hives protein supplement patties will help Global Pattiesensure that they produce strong and health colonies by increasing brood production and overall honey flow. Global offers a variety of standard patties, as well as custom patties to meet your specific needs. Visit them today at http://globalpatties.com and let them know you appreciate them sponsoring this episode! 

Thanks for Northern Bee Books for their sponsorship of Bee Books: Old & New with Kim Flottum. Northern Bee Books is the publisher of bee books available worldwide from their website or from Amazon and bookstores everywhere. They are also the publishers of The Beekeepers Quarterly and Natural Bee Husbandry. Check them out today!

Thanks to Strong Microbials for their support of Beekeeping TodayStrong Microbials Podcast. Find out more about heir line of probiotics in our Season 3, Episode 12 episode and from their website: https://www.strongmicrobials.com

We want to also thank 2 Million Blossoms as a sponsor of the podcast. 2 Million Blossoms is a regular podcast featuring interviews with leading bee and insect researchers in the world of pollination, hosted by Dr. Kirsten Traynor.

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We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments in the show notes of this episode or: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com

Thanks to Bee Culture, the Magazine of American Beekeeping, for their support of The Beekeeping Today Podcast. Available in print and digital at www.beeculture.com

Bee Culture Magazine

Thank you for listening! 

Podcast music: Be Strong by Young Presidents; Epilogue by Musicalman; Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus; Original guitar background instrumental by Jeff Ott

Beekeeping Today Podcast is an audio production of Growing Planet Media, LLC

Growing Planet Media, LLC

07 Jun 2021The National Honey Board with Margaret Lombard & Catherine Barry (S3, E54)00:47:28

Margaret LombardIn this episode, we talk with Margaret Lombard (CEO) and Catherine Barry (Dir. of Marketing) from the National Honey Board. The NHB is an organization designed with the express purpose of marketing honey. There are 10 Board Members, consisting of Honey Packers, Honey Importers, beekeepers and Sioux Honey who handle more than 250,000 pounds of honey/year and who pay a penny and a half/per pound for every pound over that amount. They have USDA Oversight, and are involved in almost anything and everything honey.

Catherine BarryThey have an incredible web page at www.Honey.com that has a wealth of information on:

  • Honey bee research they fund working with Project Apis m,
  • A Honey Locator, where you can find a local source of honey,
  • A press kit with honey info, fun facts, press releases from the Board, and
  • A host of visual material for news organizations to use.

There’s also the NHB Store, where beekeepers can get a lot of free promotional material including brochures, magnets, educational material, material for teachers and more.

The research they do on honey includes the nutritional value of honey, who are honey consumers, who uses honey in retail including consumers, cosmetics, and other uses. Retail sales of honey are declining a bit, excluding the past year+ during the pandemic, but honey use in ingredients is rapidly increasing in a variety of products.

The NHB is also looking at the sustainability of beekeeping, working with the HBHC, the Almond Board, and UC Davis, bringing all this together to form a Bee Health Collective, which you can find on their web page. If that is not enough, know they are working on developing an updated Standard Of Identity for honey.

It is safe to say that almost everything you know about honey today, you know because of the research and/or messaging from The National Honey Board.

Listen today!

Links and websites mentioned in this podcast:

 

Honey Bee Obscura

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We welcome Betterbee as sponsor of today's episode. BetterBee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer BetterBeeservice, 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

Thanks to Strong Microbials for their support of Beekeeping TodayStrong Microbials Podcast. Find out more about heir line of probiotics in our Season 3, Episode 12 episode and from their website: https://www.strongmicrobials.com

This episode is brought to you by Global Patties! Global Patties is a family business that manufactures protein supplement patties for honey bees. Feeding your hives protein supplement patties will help ensure that they produce strong and health colonies by increasing brood production and overall honey flow. Global offers a variety of standard patties, as well as custom patties to meet your specific needs. Visit them today at http://globalpatties.com and let them know you appreciate them sponsoring this episode! 

We want to also thank 2 Million Blossoms as a sponsor of the podcast. 2 Million Blossoms is a quarterly magazine destined for2 Million Blossoms your coffee table. Each page of the magazine is dedicated to the stories and photos of all pollinators and written by leading researchers, photographers and our very own, Kim Flottum.

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We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com

Thanks to Bee Culture, the Magazine of American Beekeeping, for their support of The Beekeeping Today Podcast. Available in print and digital at www.beeculture.com

Bee Culture Magazine

Thank you for listening! 

Podcast music: Young Presidents, "Be Strong"; Musicalman, "Epilogue". Original guitar background instrumental by Jeff Ott

Beekeeping Today Podcast is an audio production of Growing Planet Media, LLC

Growing Planet Media, LLC

26 Oct 2020Organic Beekeeping and Importing Manuka: Madhu Honey with Kirsten (S3, E22)01:01:30

Matthew PetterssonIn this episode, Kirsten sits down with Matthew Pettersson of Madhu Honey, who fell into beekeeping after a chance encounter with a giant jar of honey in a New York City apartment. Fascinated by honey bees and the golden honey they create, he ended up working for a commercial organic beekeeper in Germany, who runs four to six thousand colonies – much larger than one typically thinks about organic beekeeping, envisioning small bucolic apiaries with a beekeeper very much in-tune with their bees.

Hooked, he didn’t want to stop over the winter and so headed to New Zealand in the southern hemisphere to keep working bees. One of his beekeeping buddies offered him four barrels of ManukaMatthew Pettersson honey to sell in Europe. Because he had left a job in logistics, he knew all about imports and exports. And so, he founded Madhu Honey, importing high quality manuka honey to the EU market—a business born from the successful sale of his first imported pallet, sold before it even arrived in the harbor.

Madhu Honey will be available in the USA the winter of 2020-2021.

Additional information:

Contact Matthew directly at: madhu@madhuhoney.com.

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Kirsten's interviews are brought to you by BetterBeeBetterBee. BetterBee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. How do they do this? Because many of their employees are also beekeepers, so they know the needs, challenges and answers to your beekeeping questions. 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

Thanks to Strong Microbials for their support of Beekeeping Today Podcast. Find out more about heir line of probiotics in our Season 3, Episode 12 episode and from their website: https://www.strongmicrobials.com

Thank you to Global Patties for their support of Beekeeping Today Podcast! Global Patties is a family business that manufactures protein supplement patties for honey bees. Feeding your hives protein supplement patties will help ensure that they produce strong and health colonies by increasing brood production and overall honey flow. Global offers a variety of standard patties, as well as custom patties to meet your specific needs. Visit them today at http://globalpatties.com and let them know you appreciate them sponsoring this episode! 

2 Million BlossomsWe want to also thank 2 Million Blossoms as a sponsor of the podcast. 2 Million Blossoms is a new quarterly magazine destined for your coffee table. Each page of the magazine is dedicated to the stories and photos of all pollinators and written by leading researchers, photographers and our very own, Kim Flottum.

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We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com

Thanks to Bee Culture, the Magazine of American Beekeeping, for their support of The Beekeeping Today Podcast. Available in print and digital at www.beeculture.com

Thank you for listening! 

Podcast music: Young Presidents, "Be Strong", Musicalman, "Epilogue"

18 Apr 2022Earth Day Update from Dr. Jonathan Lundgren (S4, E44)00:37:37

Happy Earth Day… week. Earth Day is this Friday, April 22… and in recognition of that day, we’ve invited Dr. Jonathan Lundgren back to the show to talk about his work at Blue Dasher Farm and with the Ecdysis Foundation’s research on regenerative agriculture and soil conversation.

We first learned of Jonathan in the Peter Nelson film, The Pollinators. If you have not seen it, do yourself a favor and rent it online at your earliest opportunity… if only for the photography alone! Peter has been a guest on the podcast a couple of times, as well.

Jonathan’s and the Ecdysis Foundation is working to show that regenerative agriculture is ultimately less expensive and healthier for the soil, crops and bees. Yes bees!  Bees that forage on farmlands using regenerative agricultural practices are showing to be more resistant to varroa mites and therefore healthier! It makes sense, since the bees tend to be less stressed by agricultural chemicals and have varied foraging opportunities – all contributing to a healthier colony, able to ward off varroa!

Research will continue as part of the 1,000 Farm Initiative.

Let us know what you think by leaving comments for this episode above. Start a discussion!

Thank you for listening!

Links and websites mentioned in this podcast: 

Honey Bee Obscura

______________

We welcome Betterbee as sponsor of today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer BetterBeeservice, 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

This episode is brought to you by Global Patties! Global Patties is a family business that manufactures protein supplement patties for honey bees. Feeding your hives protein supplement patties will help Global Pattiesensure that they produce strong and health colonies by increasing brood production and overall honey flow. Global offers a variety of standard patties, as well as custom patties to meet your specific needs. Visit them today at http://globalpatties.com and let them know you appreciate them sponsoring this episode! 

Thanks for Northern Bee Books for their sponsorship of Bee Books: Old & New with Kim Flottum. Northern Bee Books is the publisher of bee books available worldwide from their website or from Amazon and bookstores everywhere. They are also the publishers of The Beekeepers Quarterly and Natural Bee Husbandry. Check them out today!

Thanks to Strong Microbials for their support of Beekeeping TodayStrong Microbials Podcast. Find out more about heir line of probiotics in our Season 3, Episode 12 episode and from their website: https://www.strongmicrobials.com

We want to also thank 2 Million Blossoms as a sponsor of the podcast. 2 Million Blossoms is a regular podcast featuring interviews with leading bee and insect researchers in the world of pollination, hosted by Dr. Kirsten Traynor.

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We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments in the show notes of this episode or: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com

Thanks to Bee Culture, the Magazine of American Beekeeping, for their support of The Beekeeping Today Podcast. Available in print and digital at www.beeculture.com

Bee Culture Magazine

Thank you for listening! 

Podcast music: Be Strong by Young Presidents; Epilogue by Musicalman; Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus; Original guitar background instrumental by Jeff Ott

Beekeeping Today Podcast is an audio production of Growing Planet Media, LLC

Growing Planet Media, LLC

12 Apr 2021The Climate Change Impact on Bees & Floral Sources with Dr. Christina Grozinger (S3, E46)00:42:52

Dr. Christina GrozingerIn this episode, we talk with Dr. Christina Grozinger, from Penn State’s Department of Entomology. Her recent research and paper of climate changes impact on honey bee survival and plant growing season has confirmed many suspicions on the long term impact these changes have on all bees, both native and honey bees.

Climate change, growing degree days, too warm, too wet, not wet enough, too cold, not enough nectar, last summer’s weather, winter temperatures – all of these environmental experiences have some effect on honey bee behavior. But this research at Penn State indicates, interestingly, that the temperature last summer is the best predictor of that colony making it through to the winter and into the next season.

In the northeast US the changing climate shows warmer winters, more intense precipitation in the winter and spring, and longer growing seasons with higher maximum temperatures. These changes are affecting the success of populations of both wild bees, and those we keep in hives. Bees are experiencing habitat loss and climate change simultaneously, plus greater exposure to the bad sides of agriculture.

So, Penn State has started several projects, looking at these Dr. Grozingervariables and surprisingly, found that, yes, varroa is still the greatest problem beekeepers have with their bees, but that doesn’t explain why the abundance and diversity of wild bees is declining at the same time.

Listen today as Christina discusses the important findings of this research and on Penn State’s continuing projects investigating the questions they’re exploring. And there are many ways you can participate!

Links and websites mentioned in this podcast:

Honey Bee Obscura

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We welcome Betterbee as sponsor of today's episode. BetterBee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer BetterBeeservice, 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

Thanks to Strong Microbials for their support of Beekeeping TodayStrong Microbials Podcast. Find out more about heir line of probiotics in our Season 3, Episode 12 episode and from their website: https://www.strongmicrobials.com

This episode is brought to you by Global Patties! Global Patties is a family business that manufactures protein supplement patties for honey bees. Feeding your hives protein supplement patties will help Global Pattiesensure that they produce strong and health colonies by increasing brood production and overall honey flow. Global offers a variety of standard patties, as well as custom patties to meet your specific needs. Visit them today at http://globalpatties.com and let them know you appreciate them sponsoring this episode! 

We want to also thank 2 Million Blossoms as a sponsor of the podcast. 2 Million Blossoms is a quarterly magazine destined for2 Million Blossoms your coffee table. Each page of the magazine is dedicated to the stories and photos of all pollinators and written by leading researchers, photographers and our very own, Kim Flottum.

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We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com

Thanks to Bee Culture, the Magazine of American Beekeeping, for their support of The Beekeeping Today Podcast. Available in print and digital at www.beeculture.com

Bee Culture Magazine

Thank you for listening! 

Podcast music: Young Presidents, "Be Strong"; Musicalman, "Epilogue". Original guitar background instrumental by Jeff Ott

Beekeeping Today Podcast is an audio production of Growing Planet Media, LLC

Growing Planet Media, LLC

06 Feb 2023The Drayton Hive with Author Andrew Bax (S5, E34)00:37:47

Joining us today is beekeeper and author, Andrew Bax. Andrew lives in the UK and has been keeping bees for decades. Like many of us ‘older beekeepers’, he has sought out better means of managing his colonies.

Andrew switched from a UK standard hive of stacked boxes to a long hive so he didn’t have to lift supers. A standard is the UK size for a large hive, very similar to a deep box hive in the US.

Andrew then decided he could improve on the long hive and began designing.  Keeping the long hive approach, he set the length to hold 18 ‘standard sized’ frames.  To this he added several interesting differences to the hive, including insulation, an entrance not on the bottom, a floor you can clean without moving all those boxes and more. He also modified his management approach and honey handling equipment.

We explore this hive Andrew noting the what and why he did things, and we talked about his book about the design, “Beekeeping Simplified with the Drayton Hive.” The book includes lots of photos, drawings and the plans. It is published by and available from Northern Bee Books, as well as from Amazon.

If long hives with no lifting appeals to you, check out Andrew’s new hive. Your back with thank you.

We hope you enjoy the episode. Leave comments and questions in the Comments Section of the episode's website.

Thank you for listening!

Links and websites mentioned in this podcast: 

Honey Bee Obscura

 

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This episode is brought to you by Global PattiesGlobal PattiesGlobal offers a variety of standard and custom patties. Visit them today at http://globalpatties.com and let them know you appreciate them sponsoring this episode! 

We welcome Betterbee as sponsor of today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer BetterBeeservice, 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

Thanks to Strong Microbials for their support of Beekeeping TodayStrong Microbials Podcast. Find out more about heir line of probiotics in our Season 3, Episode 12 episode and from their website: https://www.strongmicrobials.com

We welcome HiveAlive back as an episode sponsor. HiveAlive is the #1 liquid feed supplement for honeybees worldwide.  It contains a unique blend of seaweed extracts, thyme and
lemongrass proven to increase bee strength, produce more honey, improved bee gut health and improved overwinter survival. Ask about HiveAlive and new HiveAlive Fondant & Pollen Patty at your local beekeeping store or visit the website www.usa.hivealivebees.com for more information. Listeners of the podcast can claim a special discount online using the code "BTP" at the checkout!

Thanks for Northern Bee Books for their support. Northern Bee Books is the publisher of bee books available worldwide from their website or from Amazon and bookstores everywhere. They are also the publishers of The Beekeepers Quarterly and Natural Bee Husbandry.

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We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments in the show notes of this episode or: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com

Thanks to Bee Culture, the Magazine of American Beekeeping, for their support of The Beekeeping Today Podcast. Available in print and digital at www.beeculture.com

Bee Culture Magazine

Thank you for listening! 

Podcast music: Be Strong by Young Presidents; Epilogue by Musicalman; Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus; A Fresh New Start by Pete Morse; Original guitar background instrumental by Jeff Ott

Beekeeping Today Podcast is an audio production of Growing Planet Media, LLC

Copyright © 2023 by Growing Planet Media, LLC

Growing Planet Media, LLC

15 Jun 2020The BeeMD and More with Dr. Jamie Ellis (S2, E34)00:48:51

Dr. Jamie EllisThis week, we talk with Dr. Jamie Ellis, from the University of Florida about The BEEMD website, the UoF Bee Lab, Coloss, research, teaching and his extension work! All his work is centered on honey bees, is beekeeper driven and embraces collaboration.

Dr. Ellis has a brand-new bee lab with over 50 grad, undergrad and volunteer students conducting research. In addition, he is working on the U of F Master Beekeeper Program, is teaching 5 levels of honey bee classes, speaking to beekeeper groups, hosting his own podcast and more (if you can believe it!). Get set to sit on the edge of you chair for some of the most exciting information on honey bees you’ve heard in a long time – well, at least since our last podcast!

Find out more by listening today!

Links and websites mentioned in this episode:

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This episode is brought to you by Global Patties! Global Patties is a family business that manufactures protein supplement patties for honey bees. Feeding your hives protein supplement patties will help ensure that they produce strong and health colonies by increasing brood production and overall honey flow. Global offers a variety of standard patties, as well as custom patties to meet your specific needs. Visit them today at http://globalpatties.com and let them know you appreciate them sponsoring this episode! 

2 Million BlossomsWe want to also thank 2 Million Blossoms as a sponsor of the podcast. 2 Million Blossoms is a new quarterly magazine destined for your coffee table. Each page of the magazine is dedicated to the stories and photos of all pollinators and written by leading researchers, photographers and our very own, Kim Flottum.

_______________

We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com

Thanks to Bee Culture, the Magazine of American Beekeeping, for their support of The Beekeeping Today Podcast. Available in print and digital at www.beeculture.com

Thank you for listening! 

Podcast music: Young Presidents, "Be Strong"

30 Aug 2021Life and Times of Bee Culture Editor Jerry Hayes (S4, E11)00:45:34

Jerry HayesJerry Hayes’ journey to become the current Editor of Bee Culture magazine makes him uniquely qualified to lead the A.I. Root Company’s 149-year-old Magazine for Beekeepers.

He started as a high school teacher in Georgia, but soon found that was not what he wanted to do, so he left that and began working in the plastic industry. That’s where he met his first beekeeper and started this journey.

He went back to school in Wooster, Ohio, studying commercial beekeeping under the watchful eye of Dr. Jim Tew. From there to the USDA Honey Bee Research Lab in Baton Rouge studying African Honey Bees. Then the Dadant organization offered him a job in their Michigan branch, but shortly John Root offered him a job as Product Manager for their bee supply business. Dadant countered and brought him to the Hamilton location, where he worked in product development and began his 40 years writing the Q&A Column for ABJ.

From there he became Florida’s Chief Apiary Inspector for a bit, then working with an Israeli company trying to develop a RNAi treatment for Varroa. Monsanto bought that company and Jerry headed in that direction and finally on to Medina, Ohio.

Being Editor gives some insight into the industry he hadn’t had before – what are the biggest changes, what’s not changed, the incredible advancement of educational opportunities for beekeepers everywhere, and the rise of the internet as both a good and bad source of information for beekeepers.

Working with writers is an ongoing job, but his contacts from all of his previous experiences is proving valuable as he knows almost everybody in the worlds of government and university research, the business of beekeeping, and the world of industry regulation. He guides several industry organizations, and works constantly to make his readers more environmentally aware of the world around them.

Listen to the details of the journey Jerry Hayes took to get to the Editor’s chair at Bee Culture magazine.

Links and websites mentioned in this podcast:

Honey Bee Obscura

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This episode is brought to you by Global Patties! Global Patties is a family business that manufactures protein supplement patties for honey bees. Feeding your hives protein supplement patties will help ensure that they produce strong and health colonies by increasing brood production and overall honey flow. Global offers a variety of standard patties, as well as custom patties to meet your specific needs. Visit them today at http://globalpatties.com and let them know you appreciate them sponsoring this episode! 

We welcome Betterbee as sponsor of today's episode. BetterBee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer BetterBeeservice, 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

Thanks to Strong Microbials for their support of Beekeeping TodayStrong Microbials Podcast. Find out more about heir line of probiotics in our Season 3, Episode 12 episode and from their website: https://www.strongmicrobials.com

2 Million Blossoms

We want to also thank 2 Million Blossoms as a sponsor of the podcast. 2 Million Blossoms is a quarterly magazine destined for
your coffee table. Each page of the magazine is dedicated to the stories and photos of all pollinators and written by leading researchers, photographers and our very own, Kim Flottum.

HiveAlive is the #1 feed supplement for honeybees worldwide. HiveAlive has been proven to give more bees, more honey, improved overwinter survival and improved intestinal wellbeing. It contains a unique blend of seaweed extracts, thyme and lemongrass. Whilst it is unusual for bees to be fed seaweed, the practice of adding seaweed to other animal feed is long established. Seaweeds are fed to animals for multiple benefits such as productivity, general health, gut health, immune function and nutrition. As well as providing multiple benefits for the bees, HiveAlive is super easy to use and also prevents syrup from fermenting. Simply add just 2 tsp of our concentrated formula per gallon of syrup.
 
Due to demand from beekeepers, we have also created HiveAlive Fondant Patty. This gives all the benefits of HiveAlive in a ready to feed sugar fondant with added vitamins & amino acids. The patties are individually sealed meaning they won't dry out and are thin to allow easy placement close to the cluster. These patties are ideal for feeding colonies over winter and for emergency feeding of colonies.
 
Ask for HiveAlive and our new HiveAlive Fondant Patty at your local beekeeping store or find it online at https://usa.hivealivebees.com/. Listeners of the podcast can claim a special discount online using the code "BTP" at the checkout. 

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We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com

Follow Beekeeping Today Podcast today!

Thanks to Bee Culture, the Magazine of American Beekeeping, for their support of The Beekeeping Today Podcast. Available in print and digital at www.beeculture.com

Bee Culture Magazine

Thank you for listening! 

Podcast music: Young Presidents, "Be Strong"; Musicalman, "Epilogue". Original guitar background instrumental by Jeff Ott

Beekeeping Today Podcast is an audio production of Growing Planet Media, LLC

Growing Planet Media, LLC

30 Nov 2020Interviews with Beekeepers, Author Steve Donohoe (S3, E27)00:42:48

SteveStarting several years ago, Steve Donohoe wanted to find out more about beekeepers and how they kept bees. His travels took him to California, where he talked to Randy Oliver and Ray Olivarez, to Vermont to talk to Mike Palmer, then back the UK to talk to Murry McGregor in Scotland and Peter Little, who used to work with Brother Adam, then on to a New Zealand honey packer and finally to France to visit that country’s largest queen breeder.

These people were sort of his heroes, successful at their occupation and fairly well known in the beekeeping world. What he wanted to know was, what does it take to get to their respective positions, what do they have in common, and what don’t they have in common. He explored the biggest challenges they faced as a group, and as individuals.

It took several years to analyze the data collected, recount the interviews and gather the collective wisdom these beekeepers shared with him. He gathered this all and his book is now available so you don’t have to travel the globe to gather the information yourself.

Steve spent some time with us recently unwinding the tangle of his travels and finding the best in what he has learned. You will be glad you read this book and even better, glad you sat back and listened to this episode: Interviews with Beekeepers.

Links and websites mentioned in this podcast:

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Thanks to Strong Microbials for their support of Beekeeping Today Podcast. Find out more about heir line of probiotics in our Season 3, Episode 12 episode and from their website: https://www.strongmicrobials.com

This episode is brought to you by Global Patties! Global Patties is a family business that manufactures protein supplement patties for honey bees. Feeding your hives protein supplement patties will help ensure that they produce strong and health colonies by increasing brood production and overall honey flow. Global offers a variety of standard patties, as well as custom patties to meet your specific needs. Visit them today at http://globalpatties.com and let them know you appreciate them sponsoring this episode! 

We want to also thank 2 Million Blossoms as a sponsor of the podcast. 2 Million Blossoms is a quarterly magazine destined for2 Million Blossoms your coffee table. Each page of the magazine is dedicated to the stories and photos of all pollinators and written by leading researchers, photographers and our very own, Kim Flottum.

_______________

We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com

Thanks to Bee Culture, the Magazine of American Beekeeping, for their support of The Beekeeping Today Podcast. Available in print and digital at www.beeculture.com

Thank you for listening! 

Podcast music: Young Presidents, "Be Strong", Musicalman, "Epilogue"

19 Oct 2020American Honey Tasting Society with Marina & Raffaele (S3, E21)00:55:52

Marina Marchese is the President of the American Honey Tasting Society. She refined her learning and teaching skills in Italy and Raffaele Dall'Olio was one of her teachers. Today we discuss with them all of the aspects of honey tasting – the basics of how to taste a honey, using your tongue, your nose, your eyes. Learn the vocabulary to describe, and then to remember the flavors, the taste and aromas of all of the many varieties of honey available.

Marina’s American Honey Tasting Society offers honey tasting Marinaclasses, similar to the three years of classes she took in Italy. What will you learn? To start, the difference between taste and flavor. Then you’ll learn the adjectives to describe what you are tasting. You will taste without smelling, and smell without tasting, and you will learn the actual techniques of how best to smell, and then savor a honey.Raffaele

Check out The American Honey Tasting Society, and Marina’s and Kim’s book on this fascinating subject “The Honey Connoisseur’.

Links and websites mentioned in this podcast:

 

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Thanks to Strong Microbials for their support of Beekeeping Today Podcast. Find out more about heir line of probiotics in our Season 3, Episode 12 episode and from their website: https://www.strongmicrobials.com

This episode is brought to you by Global Patties! Global Patties is a family business that manufactures protein supplement patties for honey bees. Feeding your hives protein supplement patties will help ensure that they produce strong and health colonies by increasing brood production and overall honey flow. Global offers a variety of standard patties, as well as custom patties to meet your specific needs. Visit them today at http://globalpatties.com and let them know you appreciate them sponsoring this episode! 

We want to also thank 2 Million Blossoms as a sponsor of the podcast. 2 Million Blossoms is a quarterly magazine destined for2 Million Blossoms your coffee table. Each page of the magazine is dedicated to the stories and photos of all pollinators and written by leading researchers, photographers and our very own, Kim Flottum.

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We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com

Thanks to Bee Culture, the Magazine of American Beekeeping, for their support of The Beekeeping Today Podcast. Available in print and digital at www.beeculture.com

Thank you for listening! 

Podcast music: Young Presidents, "Be Strong", Musicalman, "Epilogue"

24 Jun 2024David Burns - YouTube and EAS Master Beekeeper (284)00:46:31

David BurnsIn this insightful episode of the Beekeeping Today Podcast, hosts Jeff Ott and Becky Masterman welcome Master Beekeeper David Burns. David, a well-known figure in the beekeeping community, shares his extensive knowledge and experiences, offering invaluable advice for beekeepers of all levels. From his early, adventurous beginnings to becoming an EAS Master Beekeeper, David’s journey is both inspiring and educational.

David discusses his initial, challenging experience of cutting bees out of a fallen tree, which led him to a lifelong passion for beekeeping. His story is a testament to perseverance and self-education in the world of beekeeping. David also talks about his contributions to beekeeping education through his YouTube channel, classes, and mentorship programs, emphasizing the importance of combining practical experience with formal education for successful beekeeping.

David addresses the misconceptions about YouTube beekeepers and underscores the importance of using multiple resources, including local clubs and conferences, to become a well-rounded beekeeper. He also shares his innovative approach to winter bee feeding with the Winter Bee Kind, which has helped his colonies emerge strong and healthy in the spring.

David's BookFinally, David talks about the challenges and strategies of running a successful beekeeping business, highlighting the critical role his wife plays in managing the business side of their operations. He discusses the importance of balancing business and beekeeping, and how collaboration with others has been key to his success.

Join us for this engaging conversation and gain practical insights from one of the leading educators in the beekeeping community. Whether you're a novice or a seasoned beekeeper, David Burns’ advice and stories will enhance your beekeeping journey.

Listen Today!

Links and websites mentioned in this episode:

 

HBO Logo

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Betterbee Beekeeping Supplies

Betterbee is the presenting sponsor of Beekeeping Today Podcast. 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

Global Patties Pollen Supplements

This episode is brought to you by Global Patties! Global offers a variety of standard and custom patties. Visit them today at http://globalpatties.com and let them know you appreciate them sponsoring this episode! 

Bee Smart Designs

Thanks to Bee Smart Designs as a sponsor of this podcast! Bee Smart Designs is the creator of innovative, modular and interchangeable hive systems made in the USA using recycled and American sourced materials. Bee Smart Designs - Simply better beekeeping for the modern beekeeper.

StrongMicrobials

Thanks to Strong Microbials for their support of Beekeeping Today Podcast. Find out more about heir line of probiotics in our Season 3, Episode 12 episode and from their website: https://www.strongmicrobials.com

Northern Bee Books

Thanks for Northern Bee Books for their support. Northern Bee Books is the publisher of bee books available worldwide from their website or from Amazon and bookstores everywhere. They are also the publishers of The Beekeepers Quarterly and Natural Bee Husbandry.

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We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments in the show notes of this episode or: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com

Thank you for listening! 

Podcast music: Be Strong by Young Presidents; Epilogue by Musicalman; Faraday by BeGun; Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus; A Fresh New Start by Pete Morse; Wedding Day by Boomer; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; Original guitar background instrumental by Jeff Ott

Beekeeping Today Podcast is an audio production of Growing Planet Media, LLC

Copyright © 2024 by Growing Planet Media, LLC

Growing Planet Media, LLC

17 Jul 2023The National Honey Board, American Honey Princess & more! (S6, E05)00:54:09

In today's episode, we have two guests, both deep in the promotion of honey and honey bees.  First up, Jeff talks with Allison Hager, the 2023 American Honey Princess, and then we talk with Keith Seiz, of the National Honey Board (NHB) and how they are promoting the use of honey and how this benefits beekeepers across the United States.

First up, we learn about the American Beekeeping Federation Honey Queen program. This program selects an ambassador to represent the beekeeping industry, promoting honey and educating the public about the importance of bees. Jeff talks with Allison Hager, of Iowa and the 2023 American Honey Princess,  about the Honey Queen Program and upcoming visits.

The National Honey Board was established in 1985 through an Act of Congress and managed by the USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service's, Research and Promotions Program, as an industry-funded organization promoting honey and honey products. They became operational in 1987. Their mission is to increase consumer awareness, research, and education about honey, as well as support the sustainability and success of beekeepers nationwide. While originally funded by honey producers, as of 2008 the funding has switched to US honey packers and importers, where the first handler or packer is assessed $0.015 per pound of honey and honey products.

The NHB serves as a valuable resource for beekeepers, offering essential information on best practices, research advancements, and market trends. Check out their wonderful and informational website today!

We hope you enjoy the episode. Leave comments and questions in the Comments Section of the episode's website.

Links and websites mentioned in this podcast: 

Honey Bee Obscura

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Betterbee is the presensting sponsor of Beekeeping Today Podcast. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer BetterBeeservice, 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

This episode is brought to you by Global PattiesGlobal PattiesGlobal offers a variety of standard and custom patties. Visit them today at http://globalpatties.com and let them know you appreciate them sponsoring this episode! 

Thanks to Strong Microbials for their support of Beekeeping TodayStrong Microbials Podcast. Find out more about heir line of probiotics in our Season 3, Episode 12 episode and from their website: https://www.strongmicrobials.com

Thanks for Northern Bee Books for their support. Northern Bee Books is the publisher of bee books available worldwide from their website or from Amazon and bookstores everywhere. They are also the publishers of The Beekeepers Quarterly and Natural Bee Husbandry.

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We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments in the show notes of this episode or: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com

Thank you for listening! 

Podcast music: Be Strong by Young Presidents; Epilogue by Musicalman; Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus; A Fresh New Start by Pete Morse; Wedding Day by Boomer; Original guitar background instrumental by Jeff Ott

Beekeeping Today Podcast is an audio production of Growing Planet Media, LLC

Copyright © 2023 by Growing Planet Media, LLC

Growing Planet Media, LLC

17 Apr 2023Eastern Apicultural Society (EAS) with Mary Duane and Lou Naylor (S5, E44)00:38:47

On today's episode, we welcome Mary Duane and Eloise (Lou) Naylor of the Eastern Apicultural Society. EAS was founded in 1955 for the "promotion of bees, education of beekeepers, certification of Master Beekeepers and excellence in bee research. EAS Master Beekeepers are recognized worldwide for their beekeeping skills and ability to educate others in the art of beekeeping.

Each year, EAS hosts an annual conference in the state or province of one of their member organizations. This year, the 68th annual EAS conference goes to Amherst, Massachusetts. The conference has excellent speakers, many who you've heard on this podcast including Dr. Sammy Ramsey, Dr. Tammy Horn-Potter and Dr. Tom Seeley. 

The conference also hold workshops, a world class honey show and of course, the EAS Master Beekeeping Program Testing and Certification.

We hope you enjoy the episode. Leave comments and questions in the Comments Section of the episode's website.

Links and websites mentioned in this podcast: 

Honey Bee Obscura

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This episode is brought to you by Global PattiesGlobal PattiesGlobal offers a variety of standard and custom patties. Visit them today at http://globalpatties.com and let them know you appreciate them sponsoring this episode! 

We welcome Betterbee as sponsor of today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer BetterBeeservice, 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

Thanks to Strong Microbials for their support of Beekeeping TodayStrong Microbials Podcast. Find out more about heir line of probiotics in our Season 3, Episode 12 episode and from their website: https://www.strongmicrobials.com

We welcome Blue Sky Bee Supply as a sponsor of the podcast! Check out blueskybeesupply.com for the best selection of honey containers, caps, lids, and customized honey labels. Enter coupon code PODCAST and receive 10% off an order of honey containers, caps, lids, or customized honey labels. Offer ends December 31, 2023. Some exclusions apply.

Thanks for Northern Bee Books for their support. Northern Bee Books is the publisher of bee books available worldwide from their website or from Amazon and bookstores everywhere. They are also the publishers of The Beekeepers Quarterly and Natural Bee Husbandry.

We welcome Fischer's Bee-Quick as a sponsor of today's show! If you use fume boards during your honey harvest and are tired of the absolutely horrid smell of typical fume board repellent products, you should try Bee-Quick. If you are are using bee escapes because you can't stand the smell of a fume board, but are dealing with clogged escapes, full of dead bees and honey supers still full of bees... you should try Bee-Quick this season. Listen to today's episode for a special 15% discount code for your next purchase on Amazon.

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We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments in the show notes of this episode or: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com

Thank you for listening! 

Podcast music: Be Strong by Young Presidents; Epilogue by Musicalman; Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus; A Fresh New Start by Pete Morse; Wedding Day by Boomer; Original guitar background instrumental by Jeff Ott

Beekeeping Today Podcast is an audio production of Growing Planet Media, LLC

Copyright © 2023 by Growing Planet Media, LLC

Growing Planet Media, LLC

26 Apr 2021Hive Types - Part 1: Flow Hive with Stuart Anderson (S3, E48)00:56:34

Stu AndersonThis week, we start our multi-part series on hive types other than the standard Langstroth.  We start with the Flow Hive.

In this episode, we talk with Stewart Anderson, who, with his son Cedar imagined and then created the Flow Hive, certainly the most cosmic jump in the technology of honey harvesting developed since the first mechanical honey extractor conceived by Major Franz Elder von Hruschka in 1865.

It started on a hot summer day 16 years ago when Cedar had spent a long day cranking his extractor harvesting his honey crop. Cranky bees, humid tropical weather and lots of work made Cedar ask his dad if there was some way to harvest honey without having to open a hive. So that evening they spent a couple of hours trying to figure out the equation that would change honey harvesting forever.

Flow SuperThey actually figured out that to make that happen they needed to make the honey flow vertically in the hive to be collected at the bottom, somehow. That simple discovery had to overcome opening ripe honey cells, dealing with the cappings, reclosing the cell, removing the now disrupted capping wax, and seeing if the bees would reuse the cells. Or even abscond.

Their website photos show how they made that work and work well, with plastic frames inside the Langstroth deep hive body that could be offset with a crank on the outside of the box, offsetting the cells in the frame so the honey drained to a pipe below, to empty into honey bottles outside. Harvesting honey without opening the hive.

Flow HarvestBut getting there took them a score of years, figuring out how to manufacture the frames needed, to make them fit, how to make it all fit, and how to market this. Their first intentions were to make this a tool for commercial beekeepers in their home country of Australia. But it turns out, it was the perfect tool for the hobby market, and, to their surprise, these customers wanted the whole hive, not just the deep super with all the gadgets inside. Life then got interesting for them.

Listen as Stu talk with us about his and more!

Flow Frame from Side

Links and websites mentioned in this podcast:

Honey Bee Obscura

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We welcome Betterbee as sponsor of today's episode. BetterBee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer BetterBeeservice, 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

Thanks to Strong Microbials for their support of Beekeeping TodayStrong Microbials Podcast. Find out more about heir line of probiotics in our Season 3, Episode 12 episode and from their website: https://www.strongmicrobials.com

This episode is brought to you by Global Patties! Global Patties is a family business that manufactures protein supplement patties for honey bees. Feeding your hives protein supplement patties will help Global Pattiesensure that they produce strong and health colonies by increasing brood production and overall honey flow. Global offers a variety of standard patties, as well as custom patties to meet your specific needs. Visit them today at http://globalpatties.com and let them know you appreciate them sponsoring this episode! 

We want to also thank 2 Million Blossoms as a sponsor of the podcast. 2 Million Blossoms is a quarterly magazine destined for2 Million Blossoms your coffee table. Each page of the magazine is dedicated to the stories and photos of all pollinators and written by leading researchers, photographers and our very own, Kim Flottum.

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We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com

Thanks to Bee Culture, the Magazine of American Beekeeping, for their support of The Beekeeping Today Podcast. Available in print and digital at www.beeculture.com

Bee Culture Magazine

Thank you for listening! 

Podcast music: Young Presidents, "Be Strong"; Musicalman, "Epilogue". Original guitar background instrumental by Jeff Ott

Beekeeping Today Podcast is an audio production of Growing Planet Media, LLC

Growing Planet Media, LLC

04 Sep 2023Archive Special: Long Hives with Tina Sebestyen (S6, E12)00:44:23

TinaWhile Jeff and Kim are taking time this week to tend their bees, we bring you this Archive Special from May of 2021. In this third installment of our five-part Hive Types Series, we talk with Colorado Master Beekeeper and columnist Tina Sebestyen about the Long or Horizontal Langstroth.

Horizontal hives are very much like the traditional Langstroth hives, which are vertical stacks of boxes, except horizontal hives are only one box high and about three boxes long. The very best thing about horizontal hives is that you never have to lift a very heavy box off the top of a hive to get to what’s below that box. Essentially, no lifting for the beekeeper.

Horizontal hives, using 30 frames, can have the front door on either or both ends, or in the middle. If there is just one opening, it should be on the end, so the bees build their nest a frame or two of honey right next to the entrance, behind that some of the bee bread, then the brood next, and at the end away from the front door will be the honey. Not up, but back.

Tina explains there are additional advantages for the beekeeper and these are why long hives are so appealing to many beekeepers, including the accessable hive of choice for beekeepers with limited mobility or in wheelchairs.

Tina has written several articles on horizontal hive keeping for Bee Culture magazine (starting with the February 2020 issue), has loads of info on her web page and is in the process of writing a book on the topic.

She shares it all in this podcast. Listen today!

Long Hive

We hope you enjoy the episode. Leave comments and questions in the Comments Section of the episode's website.

Thank you for listening!

Links and websites mentioned in this podcast:

Honey Bee Obscura

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Betterbee is the presensting sponsor of Beekeeping Today Podcast. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer BetterBeeservice, 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

This episode is brought to you by Global PattiesGlobal PattiesGlobal offers a variety of standard and custom patties. Visit them today at http://globalpatties.com and let them know you appreciate them sponsoring this episode! 

Thanks to Strong Microbials for their support of Beekeeping TodayStrong Microbials Podcast. Find out more about heir line of probiotics in our Season 3, Episode 12 episode and from their website: https://www.strongmicrobials.com

Thanks for Northern Bee Books for their support. Northern Bee Books is the publisher of bee books available worldwide from their website or from Amazon and bookstores everywhere. They are also the publishers of The Beekeepers Quarterly and Natural Bee Husbandry.

_______________

We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments in the show notes of this episode or: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com

Thank you for listening! 

Podcast music: Be Strong by Young Presidents; Epilogue by Musicalman; Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus; A Fresh New Start by Pete Morse; Wedding Day by Boomer; Original guitar background instrumental by Jeff Ott

Beekeeping Today Podcast is an audio production of Growing Planet Media, LLC

Copyright © 2023 by Growing Planet Media, LLC

Growing Planet Media, LLC

20 Jun 2019Pollinator Week: Gene Brandi - California Pollinator - (030)00:52:58

Gene BrandiGene Brandi is a West Coast beekeeper, based out of Los Banos, California. Gene is is a great spokesman for the beekeeping industry having spent over 40 years in the business. Gene is Past President of American Beekeeping Federation, has served as the Chair of The National Honey Board, Chair of the Almond Board of California, and served in committees of both organizations... along with other responsibilities including serving on the Project Apis m Board and Carl Hayden Bee Research Center's Industry Liaison Committee.

He is a busy man and we were fortunate to catch him on a busy day while he had a spare moment. On the episode, Gene talks with Jeff and Kim about the pollination business from the perspective of a longtime beekeeper in the California Central Valley. Almonds are a part of his business, but so are many of the other crops grown there throughout the year. He doesn't travel out of State with his bees but he is often on the move with them from one crop to another throughout the growing season.  

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This episode is brought to you by Global Patties! Global Patties is a family business that manufactures protein supplement patties for honey bees. Feeding your hives protein supplement patties will help ensure that they produce strong and health colonies by increasing brood production and overall honey flow. Global offers a variety of standard patties, as well as custom patties to meet your specific needs. Visit them today at http://globalpatties.com and let them know you appreciate them sponsoring this show with Gene!

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We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com

Thanks to Bee Culture, the Magazine of American Beekeeping, for their support of The Beekeeping Today Podcast. Available in print and digital at www.beeculture.com

 Thank you for listening! 

Podcast music: Young Presidents, "Be Strong"

01 Aug 2022Beyond Pesticides with Jay Feldman (S5, E7)00:50:17

This week, Kim and Jeff talk with Jay Feldman, Executive Director and Co-Founder of Beyond Pesticides. Beyond Pesticides is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., which works with allies in protecting public health and the environment to lead the transition to a world free of toxic pesticides.  

Beyond Pesticides provides visitors to their website a wealth of information to help folks understand, truly understand, the chemicals they apply around their house and garden in order to eradicate pests. Perhaps the best is Beyond Pesticide’s ManageSafe™ Tool. Using ManageSafe, a homeowner can select the pest they are have, then read about that pest, whether it is a real concern, preventative measures, non-chemical/mechanical controls, biological controls, an ascending order list of the least-toxic chemical controls and the chemicals to avoid.

This is a valuable resource for beekeepers and those interested in all pollinators. Book mark it and share it with your family, friends and neighbors!

This week, Kim reviews three books by Wally Shaw, on Bee Books Old and New with Kim Flottum:

We hope you enjoy the episode. Leave comments and questions in the Comments Section of the episode's website.

Thank you for listening!

Links and websites mentioned in this podcast: 

Honey Bee Obscura

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This episode is brought to you by Global Patties! Global Patties is a family business that manufactures protein supplement patties for honey bees. Global PattiesGlobal offers a variety of standard patties, as well as custom patties to meet your specific needs. Visit them today at http://globalpatties.com and let them know you appreciate them sponsoring this episode! 

We welcome Betterbee as sponsor of today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer BetterBeeservice, 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

We welcome HiveAlive back as an episode sponsor. HiveAlive is the #1 liquid feed supplement for honeybees worldwide.  It contains a unique blend of seaweed extracts, thyme and
lemongrass. HiveAlive has been proven to increase bee strength, produce more honey, improved bee gut health and improved overwinter survival. Ask about HiveAlive and new HiveAlive Fondant & Pollen Patty at your local beekeeping store or visit the website www.usa.hivealivebees.com for more information. Listeners of the podcast can claim a special discount online using the code "BTP" at the checkout!

Thanks for Northern Bee Books for their sponsorship of Bee Books: Old & New with Kim Flottum. Northern Bee Books is the publisher of bee books available worldwide from their website or from Amazon and bookstores everywhere. They are also the publishers of The Beekeepers Quarterly and Natural Bee Husbandry.

Thanks to Strong Microbials for their support of Beekeeping TodayStrong Microbials Podcast. Find out more about heir line of probiotics in our Season 3, Episode 12 episode and from their website: https://www.strongmicrobials.com

We want to also thank 2 Million Blossoms as a sponsor of the podcast. 2 Million Blossoms is a regular podcast featuring interviews with leading bee and insect researchers in the world of pollination, hosted by Dr. Kirsten Traynor.

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We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments in the show notes of this episode or: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com

Thanks to Bee Culture, the Magazine of American Beekeeping, for their support of The Beekeeping Today Podcast. Available in print and digital at www.beeculture.com

Bee Culture Magazine

Thank you for listening! 

Podcast music: Be Strong by Young Presidents; Epilogue by Musicalman; Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus; A Fresh New Start by Pete Morse; Original guitar background instrumental by Jeff Ott

Beekeeping Today Podcast is an audio production of Growing Planet Media, LLC

Growing Planet Media, LLC

29 Mar 2021The Honey Bee Health Coalition with Matt Mulica (S3, E44)00:48:08

Matt MulicaMeet Matt Mulica, Senior Project Director of The Honey Bee Health Coalition a group of more than 50 organizations who have come together to implement solutions to achieve a healthy population of native and managed pollinators. These include beekeepers, growers, researchers, government agencies, agribusiness, conservation groups and production agriculture.

Working together, they have identified several major areas they feel need the most attention. These include forage and nutrition, hive and certainly varroa management, and crop pest management. They’ve developed best management practices for corn, soybeans and canola, outreach to growers, beekeepers, agribusinesses, the pubic and anybody needing more information on any of these topics.HBHC

Over the course of several years, they have identified many, if not most of the issues affecting pollinators. In so doing, have discovered or created, solutions to reduce many of the problems honey bees and beekeepers face on a routine basis. The HBHC has developed hundreds of documents any of these groups can use to educate their members, along with hours and hours of videos on all of these topics. Best of all, all of this material is available FOR FREE.

Though this group is incredibly well versed in solving problems, there’s one issue they struggle with and that’s letting the world know they exist. Self-promotion can be difficult and we hope this episode exposes more of their work and the tools they’ve developed for everybody, especially beekeepers.

Listen today!

Links and websites mentioned in this podcast:

A Beekeeper's Life

 

Honey Bee Obscura

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Thanks to Strong Microbials for their support of Beekeeping TodayStrong Microbials Podcast. Find out more about heir line of probiotics in our Season 3, Episode 12 episode and from their website: https://www.strongmicrobials.com

This episode is brought to you by Global Patties! Global Patties is a family business that manufactures protein supplement patties for honey bees. Feeding your hives protein supplement patties will help Global Pattiesensure that they produce strong and health colonies by increasing brood production and overall honey flow. Global offers a variety of standard patties, as well as custom patties to meet your specific needs. Visit them today at http://globalpatties.com and let them know you appreciate them sponsoring this episode! 

We want to also thank 2 Million Blossoms as a sponsor of the podcast. 2 Million Blossoms is a quarterly magazine destined for2 Million Blossoms your coffee table. Each page of the magazine is dedicated to the stories and photos of all pollinators and written by leading researchers, photographers and our very own, Kim Flottum.

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We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com

Thanks to Bee Culture, the Magazine of American Beekeeping, for their support of The Beekeeping Today Podcast. Available in print and digital at www.beeculture.com

Bee Culture Magazine

Thank you for listening! 

Podcast music: Young Presidents, "Be Strong", Musicalman, "Epilogue"

Beekeeping Today Podcast is an audio production of Growing Planet Media, LLC

Growing Planet Media, LLC

07 Nov 2022Dr. Samuel Ramsey - Fall 2022 Updates - (S5, E21)00:44:49

On today’s episode, we welcome back the good friend of the podcast, Dr. Samuel Ramsey. Also joining us today is Dr. Jim Tew, sitting in this week for Kim Flottum. Sammy joins Jeff and Jim to talk about his recent move from Maryland to Boulder, Colorado, where he is now the Endowed Professor of Entomology at CU Boulder’s BioFrontiers Institute and the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department.

Sammy also brings us up-to-date on the research on the Tropilaelaps mite in Thailand and how it could impact beekeepers around the world, should it take the path of the Varroa. Speaking of which, Dr. Ramsey introduces the listener to the Euvarroa Mite… think: a varroa with attitude hair. Regarding Varroa, Sammy is researching ways to control them by disrupting the varroa’s use of the egg yoke protein, vitellogenin, found in the fat bodies of the honey bee. It is exciting research that may one day lead to control and management options against the Varroa mite.

Also, after we stopped recording the episode, Sammy shared with us the challenges he’s faced as he worked toward’s his PhD in entomology. He was told repeatedly, that there  was “something just not quite right” about him to be a doctor of entomology. There were multiple attempts to hold him back and keep him out of the program. Honestly, as two white men, these challenges are unseen by Jeff and Jim. Sammy’s experience is hard to hear. It is amazing that these attitudes still exist in such ‘learned’ and ‘intellectually advanced’ micro-societies as found in leading universities. What is unbelievable is that they are allowed to exist today.

Sammy’s personal story of overcoming the challenges and obstacles thrown at him were captured in the National Geographic 2022 Explorers Festival. We encourage you to watch this compelling and inspiring presentation.

We hope you enjoy the episode. Leave comments and questions in the Comments Section of the episode's website.

Thank you for listening!

Links and websites mentioned in this podcast: 

Honey Bee Obscura

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This episode is brought to you by Global PattiesGlobal PattiesGlobal offers a variety of standard and custom patties. Visit them today at http://globalpatties.com and let them know you appreciate them sponsoring this episode! 

We welcome Betterbee as sponsor of today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer BetterBeeservice, 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

Thanks to Strong Microbials for their support of Beekeeping TodayStrong Microbials Podcast. Find out more about heir line of probiotics in our Season 3, Episode 12 episode and from their website: https://www.strongmicrobials.com

Thanks for Northern Bee Books for their sponsorship of Bee Books: Old & New with Kim Flottum. Northern Bee Books is the publisher of bee books available worldwide from their website or from Amazon and bookstores everywhere. They are also the publishers of The Beekeepers Quarterly and Natural Bee Husbandry.

We want to also thank 2 Million Blossoms as a sponsor of the podcast. 2 Million Blossoms is a regular podcast featuring interviews with leading bee and insect researchers in the world of pollination, hosted by Dr. Kirsten Traynor.

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We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments in the show notes of this episode or: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com

Thanks to Bee Culture, the Magazine of American Beekeeping, for their support of The Beekeeping Today Podcast. Available in print and digital at www.beeculture.com

Bee Culture Magazine

Thank you for listening! 

Podcast music: Be Strong by Young Presidents; Epilogue by Musicalman; Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus; A Fresh New Start by Pete Morse; Original guitar background instrumental by Jeff Ott

Beekeeping Today Podcast is an audio production of Growing Planet Media, LLC

Growing Planet Media, LLC

17 Feb 2025Upscaling from Hobbyist to Sideliner - The Honey House (321)00:47:28

Busy Day at the UncapperExpanding a beekeeping operation brings new challenges, especially when it comes to processing and bottling honey efficiently. In this episode, Jeff and Becky continue their series on upscaling from hobbyist to sideliner beekeeping with a deep dive into honey house design and equipment. They welcome back John Rath, co-owner of Betterbee, who shares his expertise on selecting the right extractor, uncapping system, and storage solutions to match a growing beekeeping business.

John explains the key decisions beekeepers must make when scaling up, from choosing the right equipment to optimizing workflow and managing space. He offers practical advice on warm rooms, sump systems, and the benefits of an extracting line, as well as common pitfalls to avoid when designing a honey house. Whether you’re processing honey in your dining room or considering a dedicated facility, this episode is packed with valuable insights to help beekeepers streamline their extraction process.

The conversation covers the importance of planning for long-term growth, ensuring proper power and plumbing, and making strategic investments to save time and labor. John also discusses ways beekeepers can offset costs by offering extraction services to others and shares ideas for efficient bottling and wax processing.

If you’re looking to make honey harvesting more manageable and efficient, this episode provides the guidance you need to take the next step.

Websites we recommend:

Copyright © 2025 by Growing Planet Media, LLC

 

HBO Logo  

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Betterbee Beekeeping Supplies

Betterbee is the presenting sponsor of Beekeeping Today Podcast. 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

Global Patties Pollen Supplements

This episode is brought to you by Global Patties! Global offers a variety of standard and custom patties. Visit them today at http://globalpatties.com and let them know you appreciate them sponsoring this episode! 

Bee Smart Designs

Thanks to Bee Smart Designs as a sponsor of this podcast! Bee Smart Designs is the creator of innovative, modular and interchangeable hive systems made in the USA using recycled and American sourced materials. Bee Smart Designs - Simply better beekeeping for the modern beekeeper.

StrongMicrobials

Thanks to Strong Microbials for their support of Beekeeping Today Podcast. Find out more about their line of probiotics in our Season 3, Episode 12 episode and from their website: https://www.strongmicrobials.com

Northern Bee Books

Thanks for Northern Bee Books for their support. Northern Bee Books is the publisher of bee books available worldwide from their website or from Amazon and bookstores everywhere. They are also the publishers of The Beekeepers Quarterly and Natural Bee Husbandry.

_______________

We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments in the show notes of this episode or: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com

Thank you for listening! 

Podcast music: Be Strong by Young Presidents; Epilogue by Musicalman; Faraday by BeGun; Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus; A Fresh New Start by Pete Morse; Wedding Day by Boomer; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; Red Jack Blues by Daniel Hart; Original guitar background instrumental by Jeff Ott.

Beekeeping Today Podcast is an audio production of Growing Planet Media, LLC

Copyright © 2025 by Growing Planet Media, LLC

Growing Planet Media, LLC

10 Oct 2022Project Apis m - Costco USA Scholarship Winners #2 (S5, E17)00:44:21

Join us for our second episode on the 2022 Project Apis m and CostCo Scholarship Awards. Students who receive this PhD Scholarship award bring new energy, ideas, and expertise to the scientists on the leading edge of bee health research. The award program supports outstanding graduate students pursuing research-based doctoral degrees in fields of enhancing honey bee health while improving crop production.

Today’s we introduce two additional 2022 winners, plus the PAm Executive Director, Danielle Downey. First up, Angela Encerrado.

Angela's research is on the impact two commonly used chemicals used in almond orchards: a fungicide, Propiconazole and an insect growth disruptor, Pyriproxyfen, on honey bee health. Next is Rogan Tokash. Rogan's research looks into the affects pesticides have on honey bees. Danelle introduces the scholarship program as well as other research and projects spearheaded by Project Apis m.

We hope you enjoy the episode. Leave comments and questions in the Comments Section of the episode's website.

Thank you for listening!

Links and websites mentioned in this podcast: 

Honey Bee Obscura

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This episode is brought to you by Global PattiesGlobal PattiesGlobal offers a variety of standard and custom patties. Visit them today at http://globalpatties.com and let them know you appreciate them sponsoring this episode! 

We welcome Betterbee as sponsor of today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer BetterBeeservice, 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

Thanks to Strong Microbials for their support of Beekeeping TodayStrong Microbials Podcast. Find out more about heir line of probiotics in our Season 3, Episode 12 episode and from their website: https://www.strongmicrobials.com

Thanks for Northern Bee Books for their sponsorship of Bee Books: Old & New with Kim Flottum. Northern Bee Books is the publisher of bee books available worldwide from their website or from Amazon and bookstores everywhere. They are also the publishers of The Beekeepers Quarterly and Natural Bee Husbandry.

We want to also thank 2 Million Blossoms as a sponsor of the podcast. 2 Million Blossoms is a regular podcast featuring interviews with leading bee and insect researchers in the world of pollination, hosted by Dr. Kirsten Traynor.

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We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments in the show notes of this episode or: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com

Thanks to Bee Culture, the Magazine of American Beekeeping, for their support of The Beekeeping Today Podcast. Available in print and digital at www.beeculture.com

Bee Culture Magazine

Thank you for listening! 

Podcast music: Be Strong by Young Presidents; Epilogue by Musicalman; Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus; A Fresh New Start by Pete Morse; Original guitar background instrumental by Jeff Ott

Beekeeping Today Podcast is an audio production of Growing Planet Media, LLC

Growing Planet Media, LLC

20 Feb 2023Russian Bee Program Update with Dan Conlon (S5, E36)00:48:03

Returning today is Dan Conlon, vice president of the Russian Bee Breeders Association.  Dan updates us on how the Russian bee breeding program, the status of the association and how the Covid shutdowns impacted the USDA Baton Rouge Bee Lab, which first introduced the Russians, and now provides breeding oversight to the group.

The basics of the Russian bees is that the good traits tend to be getting better and those traits not favored by beekeepers, are being reduced.

Russian bees build quickly in the spring as soon as the pollen starts. This is favorable for beekeepers using their bees for pollination services, but results in swarming issues, if the beekeeper does not keep on top of it.

Resistance to varroa is good and is getting better as breed is improved, especially compared to many available bee strains.

One trait often mentioned is the defensiveness, but this is more with hybrid Russian bees, but true Russians are even more docile now than even a few years ago.

We hope you enjoy the episode. Leave comments and questions in the Comments Section of the episode's website.

Thank you for listening!

Links and websites mentioned in this podcast: 

Honey Bee Obscura

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This episode is brought to you by Global PattiesGlobal PattiesGlobal offers a variety of standard and custom patties. Visit them today at http://globalpatties.com and let them know you appreciate them sponsoring this episode! 

We welcome Betterbee as sponsor of today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer BetterBeeservice, 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

Thanks to Strong Microbials for their support of Beekeeping TodayStrong Microbials Podcast. Find out more about heir line of probiotics in our Season 3, Episode 12 episode and from their website: https://www.strongmicrobials.com

We welcome HiveAlive back as an episode sponsor. HiveAlive is the #1 liquid feed supplement for honeybees worldwide.  It contains a unique blend of seaweed extracts, thyme and
lemongrass proven to increase bee strength, produce more honey, improved bee gut health and improved overwinter survival. Ask about HiveAlive and new HiveAlive Fondant & Pollen Patty at your local beekeeping store or visit the website www.usa.hivealivebees.com for more information. Listeners of the podcast can claim a special discount online using the code "BTP" at the checkout!

Thanks for Northern Bee Books for their support. Northern Bee Books is the publisher of bee books available worldwide from their website or from Amazon and bookstores everywhere. They are also the publishers of The Beekeepers Quarterly and Natural Bee Husbandry.

_______________

We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments in the show notes of this episode or: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com

Thanks to Bee Culture, the Magazine of American Beekeeping, for their support of The Beekeeping Today Podcast. Available in print and digital at www.beeculture.com

Bee Culture Magazine

Thank you for listening! 

Podcast music: Be Strong by Young Presidents; Epilogue by Musicalman; Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus; A Fresh New Start by Pete Morse; Original guitar background instrumental by Jeff Ott

Beekeeping Today Podcast is an audio production of Growing Planet Media, LLC

Copyright © 2023 by Growing Planet Media, LLC

Growing Planet Media, LLC

30 Sep 2024Bee Regenerative with Sarah Red-Laird (298)01:08:33

Sarah Red-Laird Bee RegenerativeIn this episode, Jeff and Becky sit down with Sarah Red-Laird, founder and co-director of Bee Regenerative, formerly known as the Bee Girl Organization. Sarah shares insights into her journey from founding the Bee Girl Organization to leading impactful regenerative agriculture projects that benefit pollinators. Listeners will hear about the challenges and rewards of working with native pollinators, honey bees, and agricultural landscapes, and how Sarah’s work in regenerative agriculture is building healthier ecosystems.

From discussing the unique grazing habits of bison on pollinator habitats to exploring her passion for native bee surveys, Sarah offers a fresh perspective on habitat restoration and the importance of integrating livestock into regenerative practices. You’ll also learn how her team is using innovative art projects to bring the message of pollinator conservation to new audiences.

Whether you’re interested in honey bees, native pollinators, or sustainable agriculture, this episode will offer valuable insights for every listener.

Listen today!

You can learn more and donate to Bee Regenerative by clicking on Sarah’s website below.

Websites we recommend:

 

Copyright © 2024 by Growing Planet Media, LLC

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Betterbee Beekeeping Supplies

Betterbee is the presenting sponsor of Beekeeping Today Podcast. 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

Global Patties Pollen Supplements

This episode is brought to you by Global Patties! Global offers a variety of standard and custom patties. Visit them today at http://globalpatties.com and let them know you appreciate them sponsoring this episode! 

Bee Smart Designs

Thanks to Bee Smart Designs as a sponsor of this podcast! Bee Smart Designs is the creator of innovative, modular and interchangeable hive systems made in the USA using recycled and American sourced materials. Bee Smart Designs - Simply better beekeeping for the modern beekeeper.

HiveAlive

HiveAlive offers a unique supplement with seaweed extracts, thyme, and lemongrass, proven to maintain low disease levels, increase bee populations, boost honey production, improve bee gut health, and enhance overwinter survival. Check out their new HiveAlive EZ Feed Super Syrup this fall! Visit www.usa.hivealivebees.com and use code "BTP" for a special discount.

StrongMicrobials

Thanks to Strong Microbials for their support of Beekeeping Today Podcast. Find out more about heir line of probiotics in our Season 3, Episode 12 episode and from their website: https://www.strongmicrobials.com

Northern Bee Books

Thanks for Northern Bee Books for their support. Northern Bee Books is the publisher of bee books available worldwide from their website or from Amazon and bookstores everywhere. They are also the publishers of The Beekeepers Quarterly and Natural Bee Husbandry.

_______________

We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments in the show notes of this episode or: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com

Thank you for listening! 

Podcast music: Be Strong by Young Presidents; Epilogue by Musicalman; Faraday by BeGun; Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus; A Fresh New Start by Pete Morse; Wedding Day by Boomer; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; Red Jack Blues by Daniel Hart; Original guitar background instrumental by Jeff Ott.

Beekeeping Today Podcast is an audio production of Growing Planet Media, LLC

Copyright © 2024 by Growing Planet Media, LLC

Growing Planet Media, LLC

22 Jan 2024Almond Pollination and Bee Hero with CEO, Omer Davidi (S6, E32)00:47:26

Omer Davidi - CEO Bee HeroIn this episode, we delve into a pivotal event in the North American beekeeping calendar: the annual migration of over two million honey bee colonies to California's almond orchards. This massive movement, spanning mid-February to mid-March, marks the beginning of the beekeeping year.

Coordinating this migration demands meticulous planning and collaboration between beekeepers and almond growers. It's a race against time, with the almond bloom not waiting for any delays. Beekeepers face the challenge of ensuring their colonies are both robust and healthy for this critical period.

Our special guest today is Omer Davidi, CEO and co-founder of BeeHero. This innovative company is revolutionizing beekeeping with in-hive sensors that monitor colony health. These sensors provide vital data, aiding beekeepers in making informed decisions and reducing the need to open hives unnecessarily.

BeeHeroBeeHero also plays a unique role in bridging the gap between beekeepers and growers. They take the helm in representing beekeepers for pollination contracts, using detailed data from their sensors to negotiate with growers. This service is especially beneficial for beekeepers who prefer focusing on beekeeping rather than the marketing and contracting aspects of the business.

Backyard beekeepers, take note! Although you might think these large-scale operations don't impact you, they actually play a crucial role. The success of these almond orchard bees lays the foundation for the country's package and nuc business, influencing beekeepers nationwide.

Join Jeff and Becky as they explore BeeHero's business model and its potential benefits for beekeepers involved in pollination. Tune in to gain valuable insights into this fascinating aspect of beekeeping!

Leave comments and questions in the Comments Section of the episode's website.

Links and websites mentioned in this podcast:

 

HBO Logo

______________

 

Betterbee Beekeeping Supplies

Betterbee is the presensting sponsor of Beekeeping Today Podcast. 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

Global Patties Pollen Supplements

This episode is brought to you by Global Patties! Global offers a variety of standard and custom patties. Visit them today at http://globalpatties.com and let them know you appreciate them sponsoring this episode! 

StrongMicrobials

Thanks to Strong Microbials for their support of Beekeeping Today Podcast. Find out more about heir line of probiotics in our Season 3, Episode 12 episode and from their website: https://www.strongmicrobials.com

Northern Bee Books

Thanks for Northern Bee Books for their support. Northern Bee Books is the publisher of bee books available worldwide from their website or from Amazon and bookstores everywhere. They are also the publishers of The Beekeepers Quarterly and Natural Bee Husbandry.

_______________

We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments in the show notes of this episode or: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com

Thank you for listening! 

Podcast music: Be Strong by Young Presidents; Epilogue by Musicalman; Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus; A Fresh New Start by Pete Morse; Wedding Day by Boomer; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; Original guitar background instrumental by Jeff Ott

Beekeeping Today Podcast is an audio production of Growing Planet Media, LLC

Copyright © 2024 by Growing Planet Media, LLC

Growing Planet Media, LLC

07 Oct 2024The Habitat Crisis #1 - Dr. Gabriela Quinlan (299)00:37:56

Dr. Gabriela QuinlanIn this episode, Jeff and Becky kick off a month-long series on the habitat crisis, made possible by the Minnesota Honey Producers Association, with special guest Dr. Gabriela Quinlan, an integrative ecologist focused on honey bee and pollinator nutrition. Gabriela shares her expertise on how habitat quality impacts bee health, emphasizing the importance of diverse forage and the role of soils in supporting strong pollinator populations. She also dives into insights gathered from the USDA NASS database, revealing how changes in land use, herbicide application, and climate shifts have contributed to the decline in honey production over the past several decades.

Gabriela's passion for pollinator health shines through as she discusses her research on the benefits of natural honey versus artificial feeds for overwintering colonies and introduces listeners to the innovative BEESCAPE tool for analyzing local forage availability.

Tune in for an informative conversation filled with actionable insights on how beekeepers, landowners, and nature enthusiasts can help improve pollinator habitats.

Websites we recommend:

 

Copyright © 2024 by Growing Planet Media, LLC

The Habitat Crisis Series is presented by the Minnesota Honey Producers Association. The Minnesota Honey Producers Association (MHPA) is comprised of commercial, sideliner, and backyard beekeepers and has promoted Minnesota beekeeping since the early 1900’s. The recently established MHPA Habitat Program aims to provide information about vital honey bee habitat and nutrition issues by: 1) informing and uniting beekeepers around efforts to promote honey bee habitat; 2) supporting opportunities to increase honey bee habitat; and 3) improving communication about honey bee and pollinator habitat to landowners, farmers, and legislators.

 

HBO Logo

______________

Betterbee Beekeeping Supplies

Betterbee is the presenting sponsor of Beekeeping Today Podcast. 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

Global Patties Pollen Supplements

This episode is brought to you by Global Patties! Global offers a variety of standard and custom patties. Visit them today at http://globalpatties.com and let them know you appreciate them sponsoring this episode! 

Bee Smart Designs

Thanks to Bee Smart Designs as a sponsor of this podcast! Bee Smart Designs is the creator of innovative, modular and interchangeable hive systems made in the USA using recycled and American sourced materials. Bee Smart Designs - Simply better beekeeping for the modern beekeeper.

HiveAlive

HiveAlive offers a unique supplement with seaweed extracts, thyme, and lemongrass, proven to maintain low disease levels, increase bee populations, boost honey production, improve bee gut health, and enhance overwinter survival. Check out their new HiveAlive EZ Feed Super Syrup this fall! Visit www.usa.hivealivebees.com and use code "BTP" for a special discount.

StrongMicrobials

Thanks to Strong Microbials for their support of Beekeeping Today Podcast. Find out more about heir line of probiotics in our Season 3, Episode 12 episode and from their website: https://www.strongmicrobials.com

Northern Bee Books

Thanks for Northern Bee Books for their support. Northern Bee Books is the publisher of bee books available worldwide from their website or from Amazon and bookstores everywhere. They are also the publishers of The Beekeepers Quarterly and Natural Bee Husbandry.

_______________

We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments in the show notes of this episode or: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com

Thank you for listening! 

Podcast music: Be Strong by Young Presidents; Epilogue by Musicalman; Faraday by BeGun; Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus; A Fresh New Start by Pete Morse; Wedding Day by Boomer; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; Red Jack Blues by Daniel Hart; Original guitar background instrumental by Jeff Ott.

Beekeeping Today Podcast is an audio production of Growing Planet Media, LLC

Copyright © 2024 by Growing Planet Media, LLC

Growing Planet Media, LLC

06 Jan 2025Beekeeping Hot Topics and Trends in 2025 (315)00:49:45

Kick off 2025 with an insightful conversation featuring Dr. David Peck, Director of Research and Education at Betterbee, as he joins Jeff and Becky to discuss the year’s hottest trends and challenges in beekeeping. From cutting-edge varroa control methods to potential impacts of the invasive yellow-legged hornet, this episode is packed with valuable information for beekeepers of all levels.

David shares exciting updates on new mite control products, including VarroxSan and RNAi technology, and highlights the growing popularity of biotechnical strategies like brood breaks. The discussion also dives into the concerning presence of yellow-legged hornets in the southeastern U.S., exploring their potential impact on honey bee colonies and the industry’s efforts to contain them.

On a lighter note, discover how Betterbee’s innovative products, like the upgraded Hogg Halfcomb system, make comb honey production more accessible for beekeepers. Plus, hear about Dr. Peck’s passion for educating and empowering beekeepers through programs like the Eastern Apicultural Society’s Master Beekeeper certification.

Whether you’re gearing up for the new season or simply looking to stay ahead of emerging trends, this episode is a must-listen!

Listen Today!

Websites we recommend:

Copyright © 2025 by Growing Planet Media, LLC

 

HBO Logo  

______________

Betterbee Beekeeping Supplies

Betterbee is the presenting sponsor of Beekeeping Today Podcast. 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

Global Patties Pollen Supplements

This episode is brought to you by Global Patties! Global offers a variety of standard and custom patties. Visit them today at http://globalpatties.com and let them know you appreciate them sponsoring this episode! 

Bee Smart Designs

Thanks to Bee Smart Designs as a sponsor of this podcast! Bee Smart Designs is the creator of innovative, modular and interchangeable hive systems made in the USA using recycled and American sourced materials. Bee Smart Designs - Simply better beekeeping for the modern beekeeper.

StrongMicrobials

Thanks to Strong Microbials for their support of Beekeeping Today Podcast. Find out more about their line of probiotics in our Season 3, Episode 12 episode and from their website: https://www.strongmicrobials.com

Northern Bee Books

Thanks for Northern Bee Books for their support. Northern Bee Books is the publisher of bee books available worldwide from their website or from Amazon and bookstores everywhere. They are also the publishers of The Beekeepers Quarterly and Natural Bee Husbandry.

_______________

We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments in the show notes of this episode or: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com

Thank you for listening! 

Podcast music: Be Strong by Young Presidents; Epilogue by Musicalman; Faraday by BeGun; Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus; A Fresh New Start by Pete Morse; Wedding Day by Boomer; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; Red Jack Blues by Daniel Hart; Original guitar background instrumental by Jeff Ott.

Beekeeping Today Podcast is an audio production of Growing Planet Media, LLC

Copyright © 2025 by Growing Planet Media, LLC

Growing Planet Media, LLC

05 Aug 2024USDA-ARS Bee Lab Updates with Dr. Jay Evans (290)00:50:36

Dr. Jay EvansIn this episode, Jeff and Becky welcome Dr. Jay Evans from the USDA-ARS Beltsville Bee Lab. Jay shares his vast experience and insights into honey bee research, focusing on the critical issues affecting beekeepers today. From his beginnings studying ants to his current role in bee research, Jay offers a fascinating perspective on the complexities of bee health and the collaborative efforts needed to tackle these challenges.

Jay discusses the importance of viewing the colony as a whole system, emphasizing the impact of viruses, mites, and environmental stressors on bee health. He highlights the current research on how bees behave when they're sick, and how understanding these behaviors can help in managing colonies more effectively. The conversation also touches on the significance of climate and weather changes, particularly how warmer late falls can negatively impact bee health by extending their active season.

Listeners will learn about the ongoing efforts to find new treatments for Varroa mites, with Jay detailing the promising research into new chemicals that could provide beekeepers with more effective options. He also talks about the importance of collaboration in research, with different experts bringing their unique skills to tackle various aspects of bee health.

This episode is a treasure trove of information for beekeepers of all levels, offering practical advice and updates on the latest research in the field. Tune in to hear from one of the leading voices in bee research and gain a deeper understanding of the challenges and solutions in modern beekeeping.

Listen today!

Websites we recommend!

 

HBO Logo

______________

Betterbee Beekeeping Supplies

Betterbee is the presenting sponsor of Beekeeping Today Podcast. 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

Global Patties Pollen Supplements

This episode is brought to you by Global Patties! Global offers a variety of standard and custom patties. Visit them today at http://globalpatties.com and let them know you appreciate them sponsoring this episode! 

Bee Smart Designs

Thanks to Bee Smart Designs as a sponsor of this podcast! Bee Smart Designs is the creator of innovative, modular and interchangeable hive systems made in the USA using recycled and American sourced materials. Bee Smart Designs - Simply better beekeeping for the modern beekeeper.

HiveAlive

HiveAlive offers a unique supplement with seaweed extracts, thyme, and lemongrass, proven to maintain low disease levels, increase bee populations, boost honey production, improve bee gut health, and enhance overwinter survival.

 Check out their new HiveAlive EZ Feed Super Syrup this fall! Visit www.usa.hivealivebees.com and use code "BTP" for a special discount.

StrongMicrobials

Thanks to Strong Microbials for their support of Beekeeping Today Podcast. Find out more about heir line of probiotics in our Season 3, Episode 12 episode and from their website: https://www.strongmicrobials.com

Northern Bee Books

Thanks for Northern Bee Books for their support. Northern Bee Books is the publisher of bee books available worldwide from their website or from Amazon and bookstores everywhere. They are also the publishers of The Beekeepers Quarterly and Natural Bee Husbandry.

_______________

We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments in the show notes of this episode or: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com

Thank you for listening! 

Podcast music: Be Strong by Young Presidents; Epilogue by Musicalman; Faraday by BeGun; Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus; A Fresh New Start by Pete Morse; Wedding Day by Boomer; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; Red Jack Blues by Daniel Hart; Original guitar background instrumental by Jeff Ott.

Beekeeping Today Podcast is an audio production of Growing Planet Media, LLC

Copyright © 2024 by Growing Planet Media, LLC

Growing Planet Media, LLC

16 Nov 2020Bananas for Bees with Katharina Davitt (S3, E25)00:53:00

In this episode, Master Beekeeper, Katharina Davitt reveals the nutritional benefits honey bees derive from bananas. Yes, you read that correctly, bananas!

We all know that bananas are good for people. They are full of carbs, minerals, vitamins, are good for digestion and just taste good. But the one thing all beekeepers learn when they start out is that when bees are threatened, they release alarm pheromone and that smells like bananas. So up to now, wise beekeepers didn’t bring bananas to the bee yard.

But it turns out feeding bananas to honey bees is actually a good way to get good food into a hive. Really. Katharina Davitt tell us why and how. Her University of Montana Master Beekeeper research project explored the nutritional requirements of honey bees and the properties of bananas. Katharina shares data behind this! The conclusions reached from this study found that colonies cannot live on bananas alone, but bananas will help in the spring, during a summer dearth and in the fall.

But who would have thought – bananas for bees?!

Before the talk with Katharina, Kirsten, Kim and Jeff discuss the ongoing debate pitting the honey bee against native bees and pollinators. Why the debate? What’s the issue and what’s the real problem? Kim, Kirsten and Kim explore it all.

Links and websites mentioned in this podcast:

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Thanks to Strong Microbials for their support of Beekeeping Today Podcast. Find out more about heir line of probiotics in our Season 3, Episode 12 episode and from their website: https://www.strongmicrobials.com

This episode is brought to you by Global Patties! Global Patties is a family business that manufactures protein supplement patties for honey bees. Feeding your hives protein supplement patties will help ensure that they produce strong and health colonies by increasing brood production and overall honey flow. Global offers a variety of standard patties, as well as custom patties to meet your specific needs. Visit them today at http://globalpatties.com and let them know you appreciate them sponsoring this episode! 

We want to also thank 2 Million Blossoms as a sponsor of the podcast. 2 Million Blossoms is a quarterly magazine destined for2 Million Blossoms your coffee table. Each page of the magazine is dedicated to the stories and photos of all pollinators and written by leading researchers, photographers and our very own, Kim Flottum.

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We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com

Thanks to Bee Culture, the Magazine of American Beekeeping, for their support of The Beekeeping Today Podcast. Available in print and digital at www.beeculture.com

Thank you for listening! 

Podcast music: Young Presidents, "Be Strong", Musicalman, "Epilogue"

14 Aug 2023Western Apicultural Society Annual Conference with Etienne Tardiff and Ron Miksha (S6, E09)00:48:54

Etienne Tardif and Ron Miksha join us today to talk about the Western Apicultural Society 2023 Conference in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Listen in as they talk about all that’s going to be happening and everything you wanted to know about this year’s WAS meeting, highlighting the topic Northern Lights Beekeeping

This year, the conference is at the Gray Eagle Resort and Casino in Calgary, Canada. There will be a swarm of speakers on any topic you can think of, multiple workshops, a trade show area, outside demonstrations, a honey contest, and a lot of tours showing off the beauty of this Province.

Check out the WAS web page for registration, sponsorships, and all the rest, and plan on being in Calgary, September 29, 30, and Oct 1.

We hope you enjoy the episode. Leave comments and questions in the Comments Section of the episode's website.

Links and websites mentioned in this podcast: 

Honey Bee Obscura

______________

Betterbee is the presensting sponsor of Beekeeping Today Podcast. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer BetterBeeservice, 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

This episode is brought to you by Global PattiesGlobal PattiesGlobal offers a variety of standard and custom patties. Visit them today at http://globalpatties.com and let them know you appreciate them sponsoring this episode! 

Thanks to Strong Microbials for their support of Beekeeping TodayStrong Microbials Podcast. Find out more about heir line of probiotics in our Season 3, Episode 12 episode and from their website: https://www.strongmicrobials.com

Thanks for Northern Bee Books for their support. Northern Bee Books is the publisher of bee books available worldwide from their website or from Amazon and bookstores everywhere. They are also the publishers of The Beekeepers Quarterly and Natural Bee Husbandry.

_______________

We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments in the show notes of this episode or: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com

Thank you for listening! 

Podcast music: Be Strong by Young Presidents; Epilogue by Musicalman; Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus; A Fresh New Start by Pete Morse; Wedding Day by Boomer; Original guitar background instrumental by Jeff Ott

Beekeeping Today Podcast is an audio production of Growing Planet Media, LLC

Copyright © 2023 by Growing Planet Media, LLC

Growing Planet Media, LLC

15 Aug 2022Bee Culture October Event with Jerry Hayes (S5, E9)00:41:20

Bee Culture’s Annual October Event is back. After two years of dealing with Covid delays, Editor Jerry Hayes has put together a two day event in Medina, Ohio that you will not want to miss.

On today’s episode, we talk with Jerry about the thirteen fantastic and inspiring leaders scheduled to talk of their journeys to get to where they are today, and a close look at the projects they are involved in now.

The list is long and diverse, including researchers, business leaders, industry professionals, commercial beekeepers, state bee inspectors, bee breeders, professors and more. You can (and really you should) attend in person, or tune in for live Zoom presentations, or tune in later for recorded zoom presentations.

Listen today and find out the speakers and all the rest of the information you will need to be apart of this fantastic event. And check out even more info at https://www.beeculture.com/beeing-diverse-inspiring-leaders-in-beekeeping/.

In this week's Bee Books Old And New, Kim reviews the reissued book by Lesley Goodman, "Form and Function In The Honey Bee", available directly from Northern Bee Books or Amazon.

We hope you enjoy the episode. Leave comments and questions in the Comments Section of the episode's website.

Thank you for listening!

Links and websites mentioned in this podcast: 

Honey Bee Obscura

______________

This episode is brought to you by Global PattiesGlobal PattiesGlobal offers a variety of standard and custom patties. Visit them today at http://globalpatties.com and let them know you appreciate them sponsoring this episode! 

We welcome Betterbee as sponsor of today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer BetterBeeservice, 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

We welcome HiveAlive back as an episode sponsor. HiveAlive is the #1 liquid feed supplement for honeybees worldwide.  It contains a unique blend of seaweed extracts, thyme and
lemongrass. HiveAlive has been proven to increase bee strength, produce more honey, improved bee gut health and improved overwinter survival. Ask about HiveAlive and new HiveAlive Fondant & Pollen Patty at your local beekeeping store or visit the website www.usa.hivealivebees.com for more information. Listeners of the podcast can claim a special discount online using the code "BTP" at the checkout!

Thanks for Northern Bee Books for their sponsorship of Bee Books: Old & New with Kim Flottum. Northern Bee Books is the publisher of bee books available worldwide from their website or from Amazon and bookstores everywhere. They are also the publishers of The Beekeepers Quarterly and Natural Bee Husbandry.

Thanks to Strong Microbials for their support of Beekeeping TodayStrong Microbials Podcast. Find out more about heir line of probiotics in our Season 3, Episode 12 episode and from their website: https://www.strongmicrobials.com

We want to also thank 2 Million Blossoms as a sponsor of the podcast. 2 Million Blossoms is a regular podcast featuring interviews with leading bee and insect researchers in the world of pollination, hosted by Dr. Kirsten Traynor.

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We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments in the show notes of this episode or: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com

Thanks to Bee Culture, the Magazine of American Beekeeping, for their support of The Beekeeping Today Podcast. Available in print and digital at www.beeculture.com

Bee Culture Magazine

Thank you for listening! 

Podcast music: Be Strong by Young Presidents; Epilogue by Musicalman; Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus; A Fresh New Start by Pete Morse; Original guitar background instrumental by Jeff Ott

Beekeeping Today Podcast is an audio production of Growing Planet Media, LLC

Growing Planet Media, LLC

10 Mar 2025Raising Package Bees & Queens with Ray Olivarez (324)00:54:46

Spring is here, and if you haven’t thought about your packages and queens yet, it’s time to act! In this episode, Beekeeping Today Podcast welcomes Ray Olivarez of Olivarez Honey Bees (OHB) to discuss the intricacies of raising high-quality queens and packages. Ray shares the fascinating journey of his family’s multi-generational beekeeping business, the logistics of safely transporting thousands of package bees across the country, and the meticulous selection process that ensures strong, productive colonies.

From the challenges of breeding mite-resistant bees to the latest advancements in bee transport and health, this episode dives deep into what it takes to deliver robust packages and queens to beekeepers nationwide. Ray also discusses OHB’s work with Saskatraz, Golden West, and Project Apis m. (VSH) breeding programs, as well as the newly available Dalan vaccinated queens aimed at preventing American Foulbrood (AFB).

Whether you’re a seasoned beekeeper or a beginner, you’ll gain valuable insights into what goes into producing and transporting high-quality package bees and queens. Join us for this engaging conversation and get a behind-the-scenes look at one of the most respected queen and package producers in the industry!

Tune in now and learn how to start your season with the best bees possible!

Websites we recommend:

Copyright © 2025 by Growing Planet Media, LLC

 

HBO Logo  

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Betterbee Beekeeping Supplies

Betterbee is the presenting sponsor of Beekeeping Today Podcast. 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

Global Patties Pollen Supplements

This episode is brought to you by Global Patties! Global offers a variety of standard and custom patties. Visit them today at http://globalpatties.com and let them know you appreciate them sponsoring this episode! 

Bee Smart Designs

Thanks to Bee Smart Designs as a sponsor of this podcast! Bee Smart Designs is the creator of innovative, modular and interchangeable hive systems made in the USA using recycled and American sourced materials. Bee Smart Designs - Simply better beekeeping for the modern beekeeper.

 

Dalan Animal Health

Thanks to Dalan who is dedicated to providing transformative animal health solutions to support a more sustainable future. Dalan's vaccination against American Foulbrood (AFB) is a game changer. Vaccinated queens protect newly hatched honeybee larvae against AFB using the new Dalan vaccine. Created for queen producers and other beekeepers wanting to produce AFB free queens. 

Retailers offering vaccinated queens and packages:  https://dalan.com/order-vaccinated-queens/
 
More information on the vaccine: https://dalan.com/media-publications/

 

StrongMicrobials

Thanks to Strong Microbials for their support of Beekeeping Today Podcast. Find out more about their line of probiotics in our Season 3, Episode 12 episode and from their website: https://www.strongmicrobials.com

Northern Bee Books

Thanks for Northern Bee Books for their support. Northern Bee Books is the publisher of bee books available worldwide from their website or from Amazon and bookstores everywhere. They are also the publishers of The Beekeepers Quarterly and Natural Bee Husbandry.

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We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments in the show notes of this episode or: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com

Thank you for listening! 

Podcast music: Be Strong by Young Presidents; Epilogue by Musicalman; Faraday by BeGun; Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus; A Fresh New Start by Pete Morse; Wedding Day by Boomer; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; Red Jack Blues by Daniel Hart; Original guitar background instrumental by Jeff Ott.

Beekeeping Today Podcast is an audio production of Growing Planet Media, LLC

Copyright © 2025 by Growing Planet Media, LLC

Growing Planet Media, LLC

28 Jun 2021"Work I Knew I Must" - with Tammy Horn Potter (S4, E2)00:51:16

Tammy Horn PotterReturning to join us in this episode is Tammy Horn Potter. (She originally visited us back in Season 2!) Not only is Tammy the State Apiary Inspector for Kentucky, but she is also an accomplished author. She has just finished her fourth book entitled, “Work I Knew I Must. Reminiscence of Forty-One Years of Factory Life.”

Jane Cole worked for the A. I. Root Company for 41 years, starting when A.I. Root was making jewelry in his factory on the Town Square, in Medina, Ohio. She worked through the construction of the new factory built on the Country Fair Grounds on the edge of town to manufacture beekeeping equipment, and the many, many factory expansions they made after that. During those 41 years she did almost every job that could be done in a factory that sawed wood, made smokers, extractors, bottled honey, printed a magazine and books, and took orders and filled orders and delivered orders to customers, the railroad and the post office.

She wrote about building the new factory, child labor, factory dangers (and there were many), factory politics, noon prayers, the hundreds of people she worked with over the years, the company sponsored picnics, the men, women and children she was in charge of, and the people she worked with, and for.

When A. I. Root retired, he, too, wrote an autobiography, about running the factory that Jane Cole worked in.Root Factory Original Location

What Tammy has done is take Jane Cole’s work and stand it side by side with A. I. Root’s work to give you a very unique look at factory life, from the perspective of an employee, and her employer. Many of the events Jane found worthy of writing about were also mentioned by Root in his work. Because neither was aware of the other’s work, the telling of these events is about as straight forward from each as you can imagine.

The story Tammy as sewn together tells much about early beekeeping history and equipment, the evolution of factory equipment and science, about working as a single woman in what is mostly a man’s world, and about life in a small town in northeast Ohio at the turn of the century.

Links and websites mentioned in this podcast:

 

Honey Bee Obscura

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Good Food Awards

Calling all craft food and drink makers! Entry period for the 12th annual Good Food Awards is open now thru June 30th, and we’re accepting entries from 18 different categories of food and drink, including honey. Entries are $78 a piece to help cover logistics, and entrants can add on the option to receive judge feedback from the Blind Tasting in August for $15. Head over to goodfoodfdn.org for all the details and use code BEEKEEPING at checkout for $10 off. We look forward to seeing your entries soon!

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We welcome Betterbee as sponsor of today's episode. BetterBee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer BetterBeeservice, 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

Thanks to Strong Microbials for their support of Beekeeping TodayStrong Microbials Podcast. Find out more about heir line of probiotics in our Season 3, Episode 12 episode and from their website: https://www.strongmicrobials.com

This episode is brought to you by Global Patties! Global Patties is a family business that manufactures protein supplement patties for honey bees. Feeding your hives protein supplement patties will help ensure that they produce strong and health colonies by increasing brood production and overall honey flow. Global offers a variety of standard patties, as well as custom patties to meet your specific needs. Visit them today at http://globalpatties.com and let them know you appreciate them sponsoring this episode! 

We want to also thank 2 Million Blossoms as a sponsor of the podcast. 2 Million Blossoms is a quarterly magazine destined for2 Million Blossoms your coffee table. Each page of the magazine is dedicated to the stories and photos of all pollinators and written by leading researchers, photographers and our very own, Kim Flottum.

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We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com

Thanks to Bee Culture, the Magazine of American Beekeeping, for their support of The Beekeeping Today Podcast. Available in print and digital at www.beeculture.com

Bee Culture Magazine

Thank you for listening! 

Podcast music: Young Presidents, "Be Strong"; Musicalman, "Epilogue". Original guitar background instrumental by Jeff Ott

Beekeeping Today Podcast is an audio production of Growing Planet Media, LLC

Growing Planet Media, LLC

18 Mar 2024Beekeeping and Varroa Downunder with Liz Frost (S6, E40)00:51:08

Liz Frost and her Honey Bee Queens(#269) In this episode, Becky and her guest cohost and Bee Culture writing partner, Bridget Mendel, take you on a journey with Liz Frost, an American beekeeper turned technical specialist in honeybees for the New South Wales Department of Primary Industries in Australia. Frost shares her transition from the U.S. to Australia, offering a unique perspective on beekeeping without Varroa mites, and the recent challenges since their introduction in New South Wales.

Through engaging discussions, listeners gain insights into Australia's diverse beekeeping practices, the impact of Varroa on the industry, and the strategies being adopted to manage this new threat. Frost's journey underscores the global nature of beekeeping challenges and the importance of international knowledge exchange.

This episode not only highlights the nuances of Australian beekeeping but also serves as a reminder of the resilience and adaptability required in the face of emerging challenges.

Join us to learn from Frost's extensive experience and explore the dynamic world of beekeeping down under.

Links and websites mentioned in this episode:

 

HBO Logo

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Betterbee Beekeeping Supplies

Betterbee is the presenting sponsor of Beekeeping Today Podcast. 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

Global Patties Pollen Supplements

This episode is brought to you by Global Patties! Global offers a variety of standard and custom patties. Visit them today at http://globalpatties.com and let them know you appreciate them sponsoring this episode! 

Bee Smart Designs

Thanks to Bee Smart Designs as a sponsor of this podcast! Bee Smart Designs is the creator of innovative, modular and interchangeable hive systems made in the USA using recycled and American sourced materials. Bee Smart Designs - Simply better beekeeping for the modern beekeeper.

StrongMicrobials

Thanks to Strong Microbials for their support of Beekeeping Today Podcast. Find out more about heir line of probiotics in our Season 3, Episode 12 episode and from their website: https://www.strongmicrobials.com

Northern Bee Books

Thanks for Northern Bee Books for their support. Northern Bee Books is the publisher of bee books available worldwide from their website or from Amazon and bookstores everywhere. They are also the publishers of The Beekeepers Quarterly and Natural Bee Husbandry.

_______________

We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments in the show notes of this episode or: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com

Thank you for listening! 

Podcast music: Be Strong by Young Presidents; Epilogue by Musicalman; Faraday by BeGun; Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus; A Fresh New Start by Pete Morse; Wedding Day by Boomer; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; Original guitar background instrumental by Jeff Ott

Beekeeping Today Podcast is an audio production of Growing Planet Media, LLC

Copyright © 2024 by Growing Planet Media, LLC

Growing Planet Media, LLC

 

22 Jun 2018Bee Broker - Joe Traynor (004)00:28:40

Joe Traynor is a bee broker in the almond orchards of California. Joe smoothes the business interactions between the beekeeper/pollinator and the almond grower. He has been in the pollination business since Joe Traynorthe early '70s and has seen it all.

He has written several books and has donated the proceeds to bee research. Book titles (available on Amazon) include "Honey: The Gourmet Medicine" and "Ideas in Soil and Plant Nutrition".

Later in the episode, Kim provides his perspective on the value a broker provides the beekeeper.

Find out more about Pollination Week at Pollinator.org.

Questions/Comments: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com

 

Thanks to Bee Culture, the Magazine of American Beekeeping, for their support of The Beekeeping Today Podcast. Available in print and digital at www.beeculture.com

 

Thanks for listening! 

 

Podcast music: Young Presidents, "Be Strong"

 

07 Mar 2022End of Winter Discussion with Kim, Jim Tew & Jeff (S4, E38)00:47:08

What should a beekeeper be doing this time of year - end of winter and the beginning of spring? What is different between the southern and the northern tier of States?

Where do you start? What do you look for? What can you do? 

In today's episode, we invite long time Ohio State University extension beekeeper and educator and cohost of the Honey Bee Obscura Podcast , Dr. James Tew, to talk with us about his experiences and insights into this important and potentially critical time of year.

Discussions include:

  • What do you do with the old equipment?
  • When do you retire it?
  • How do you know if it is still serviceable?
  • Is there a standard way to determine if the equipment will still work? Does it matter?
  • Why does Kim sit on his hive bodies?

You will be surprised by how these three beekeepers approach this question. (Or not... remember, three beekeepers... five ways of doing something...)

Late winter, early spring inspections start the beekeeping year. How you start, definitely effect the rest of the year.

Listen in and listen as three experienced beekeepers discuss their approaches to late winter, early spring management!

If you like this episode, share it with other beekeepers. Do you have a different approach? Leave a comment on the episode page and start a conversation!

Links and websites mentioned in this podcast: 

Honey Bee Obscura

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We welcome Betterbee as sponsor of today's episode. BetterBee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer BetterBeeservice, 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

We welcome HiveAlive back as an episode sponsor. HiveAlive is the #1 liquid feed supplement for honeybees worldwide.  It contains a unique blend of seaweed extracts, thyme and lemongrass. HiveAlive has been proven to increase bee strength, produce more honey, improved bee gut health and improved overwinter survival. Ask about HiveAlive and new HiveAlive Fondant & Pollen Patty at your local beekeeping store or visit the website www.usa.hivealivebees.com for more information.  

This episode is brought to you by Global Patties! Global Patties is a family business that manufactures protein supplement patties for honey bees. Feeding your hives protein supplement patties will help Global Pattiesensure that they produce strong and health colonies by increasing brood production and overall honey flow. Global offers a variety of standard patties, as well as custom patties to meet your specific needs. Visit them today at http://globalpatties.com and let them know you appreciate them sponsoring this episode! 

Thanks for Northern Bee Books for their sponsorship of Bee Books: Old & New with Kim Flottum. Northern Bee Books is the publisher of bee books available worldwide from their website or from Amazon and bookstores everywhere. They are also the publishers of The Beekeepers Quarterly and Natural Bee Husbandry. Check them out today!

Thanks to Strong Microbials for their support of Beekeeping TodayStrong Microbials Podcast. Find out more about heir line of probiotics in our Season 3, Episode 12 episode and from their website: https://www.strongmicrobials.com

We want to also thank 2 Million Blossoms as a sponsor of the podcast. 2 Million Blossoms is a regular podcast featuring interviews with leading bee and insect researchers in the world of pollination, hosted by Dr. Kirsten Traynor.

_______________

We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com

Thanks to Bee Culture, the Magazine of American Beekeeping, for their support of The Beekeeping Today Podcast. Available in print and digital at www.beeculture.com

Bee Culture Magazine

Thank you for listening! 

Podcast music: Be Strong by Young Presidents; Epilogue by Musicalman; Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus; Original guitar background instrumental by Jeff Ott

Beekeeping Today Podcast is an audio production of Growing Planet Media, LLC

Growing Planet Media, LLC

23 Oct 2023Bee Conspiracy with Author David Boito (S6, E19)00:34:45

Bee ConspiracyIn pop culture, beekeepers are generally portrayed as quirky side characters. There are exceptions, of course. The movie Ullee's Gold with Peter Fonda, comes to mind, as does The Secret Life of Bees, first as a novel and later a movie. Now, there is a new book where both bees and an entomologist are the subject, victim, and heros! Today, author and screenwriter, David Boito, join Jeff and Becky to talk about his newly released book, Bee Conspiracy.

David talks about why he chose the characters he did and why he set bees as both the focus of the heros and the villan of his novel. Part cop-buddy, murder mystery, futuristic and agro-terrorism, Bee Conspiracy, is a fun winter read for anyone interested in insects and especially honey bees. 

Interesting and entertaining, today’s episode is one you will want to listen to!

Leave comments and questions in the Comments Section of the episode's website.

Links and websites mentioned in this podcast:

 

Honey Bee Obscura

______________

Betterbee Beekeeping Supplies

Betterbee is the presensting sponsor of Beekeeping Today Podcast. 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

Global Patties Pollen Supplements

This episode is brought to you by Global Patties! Global offers a variety of standard and custom patties. Visit them today at http://globalpatties.com and let them know you appreciate them sponsoring this episode! 

StrongMicrobials

Thanks to Strong Microbials for their support of Beekeeping Today Podcast. Find out more about heir line of probiotics in our Season 3, Episode 12 episode and from their website: https://www.strongmicrobials.com

Northern Bee Books

Thanks for Northern Bee Books for their support. Northern Bee Books is the publisher of bee books available worldwide from their website or from Amazon and bookstores everywhere. They are also the publishers of The Beekeepers Quarterly and Natural Bee Husbandry.

_______________

We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments in the show notes of this episode or: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com

Thank you for listening! 

Podcast music: Be Strong by Young Presidents; Epilogue by Musicalman; Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus; A Fresh New Start by Pete Morse; Wedding Day by Boomer; Original guitar background instrumental by Jeff Ott

Beekeeping Today Podcast is an audio production of Growing Planet Media, LLC

Copyright © 2023 by Growing Planet Media, LLC

Growing Planet Media, LLC

18 Sep 2023The North American Honey Bee Expo with Kamon Reynolds (S6, E14)00:48:04

On this week’s episode we welcome beekeeper, YouTube influencer and conference organizer Kamon Reynolds.

Kamon’s YouTube channel provides viewers factual and entertaining looks at managing honey bees, product reviews and interviews. There are many different beekeeping Youtube channels, and Kamon’s is one of the best. In today’s show, he tells us how it all got started.

Also today, he talks about the new North American Honey Bee Expo, set for early January in Louisville, Kentucky. The NAHBE promises to be the largest beekeeping show in the United States, featuring hands-on beekeeping speakers and presentations, a super large trade show with products available to buy at a discount, a honey show and the awarding of the 2024 Next Gen Beekeeper to 30 young and upcoming beekeepers.

Beekeeping is a lifelong learning adventure. Fall and winter offer a perfect chance to invest in your skills and expertise. Whether you choose to attend a regional conference, attend a national event, or simply immerse yourself in a good beekeeping book, keeping your education alive during the off-season will pay dividends in the health and success of your colonies.

Listen today!

We hope you enjoy the episode. Leave comments and questions in the Comments Section of the episode's website.

Thank you for listening!

Links and websites mentioned in this podcast:

 

Honey Bee Obscura

______________

Betterbee is the presensting sponsor of Beekeeping Today Podcast. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer BetterBeeservice, 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

This episode is brought to you by Global PattiesGlobal PattiesGlobal offers a variety of standard and custom patties. Visit them today at http://globalpatties.com and let them know you appreciate them sponsoring this episode! 

Thanks to Strong Microbials for their support of Beekeeping TodayStrong Microbials Podcast. Find out more about heir line of probiotics in our Season 3, Episode 12 episode and from their website: https://www.strongmicrobials.com

Thanks for Northern Bee Books for their support. Northern Bee Books is the publisher of bee books available worldwide from their website or from Amazon and bookstores everywhere. They are also the publishers of The Beekeepers Quarterly and Natural Bee Husbandry.

_______________

We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments in the show notes of this episode or: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com

Thank you for listening! 

Podcast music: Be Strong by Young Presidents; Epilogue by Musicalman; Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus; A Fresh New Start by Pete Morse; Wedding Day by Boomer; Original guitar background instrumental by Jeff Ott

Beekeeping Today Podcast is an audio production of Growing Planet Media, LLC

Copyright © 2023 by Growing Planet Media, LLC

Growing Planet Media, LLC

10 Nov 2019It Is Combplex - A New Approach To Varroa Treatments - (S2, E07)00:58:57

Nathan Oaks, Hailey ScofieldJoining this episode is a team representing one of the 18 finalist in the Empire State Development and Cornell University’s Center for Regional Economic Advancement for “Grow-NY”. Grow-NY is a food innovation and agricultural technology business challenge focused on enhancing the emerging food, beverage and agriculture innovation cluster in the Central New York, Finger Lakes and Southern Tier regions of the State.

Today’s guests, one of 199 teams competing for the $1-Million prize developed an innovative approach and product “Combplex” to fight the beekeeper’s #1 pest: The Varroa Mite. 

Jenn SmithFirst up is Jenn Smith from Grow-NY who introduces the competition and provides the background.

From Combplex, co-owners Hailey Scofield and Nathan Oaks join the episode. Hailey is a PhD candidate at Cornell University in the Department of Neurobiology and Behavior where she studied honey bee thermoregulation and development under Thomas Seeley before transitioning to work with Professors Scott McArt and Cole Gilbert on more applied research on the impacts of transportation stress and development in commercial migratory beekeeping operations.

Nathan is currently a fifth-year PhD candidate at Cornell, where he studies Computational Biology with Professor Philipp Messer and looks forward to continuing to wear many hats as Combplex grows.

Websites and Links mentioned in the Podcast:

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This episode is brought to you by Global Patties! Global Patties is a family business that manufactures protein supplement patties for honey bees. Feeding your hives protein supplement patties will help ensure that they produce strong and health colonies by increasing brood production and overall honey flow. Global offers a variety of standard patties, as well as custom patties to meet your specific needs. Visit them today at http://globalpatties.com and let them know you appreciate them sponsoring this episode! 

_______________

We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com

Thanks to Bee Culture, the Magazine of American Beekeeping, for their support of The Beekeeping Today Podcast. Available in print and digital at www.beeculture.com

Thank you for listening! 

Podcast music: Young Presidents, "Be Strong"

 

20 Nov 2019Jerry Hayes & Kim Flottum: Passing the Torch at Bee Culture (S2, E08)00:40:54

Kim & JerryIn the last episode of Beekeeping Today Podcast, Kim announced that he was stepping down his post of 30+ years at Bee Culture and handing over the reins of the world class publication to Jerry Hayes.  Jerry has a a long history in beekeeping and is well respected in the industry. In this episode, Jerry and Kim talk about the transition, Jerry's direction for Bee Culture, his move to Ohio and what he sees as challenges to the industry.

Also in this episode, while at Apimondia in September, Kim talked to Brett Adee about honey adulteration/contamination and the impact of that problem to beekeepers. 

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This episode is brought to you by Global Patties! Global Patties is a family business that manufactures protein supplement patties for honey bees. Feeding your hives protein supplement patties will help ensure that they produce strong and health colonies by increasing brood production and overall honey flow. Global offers a variety of standard patties, as well as custom patties to meet your specific needs. Visit them today at http://globalpatties.com and let them know you appreciate them sponsoring this episode! 

_______________

We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com

Thanks to Bee Culture, the Magazine of American Beekeeping, for their support of The Beekeeping Today Podcast. Available in print and digital at www.beeculture.com

Thank you for listening! 

Podcast music: Young Presidents, "Be Strong"

24 Oct 2022Winter Bees, Summer Bees and Imidacloprid (S5, E19)00:46:46

Winter bees, those bees that emerge during the cold winter months when there is little to no exposure to the world outside, are very different from summer bees, which emerge during the hectic and exposed to everything bees are exposed to in their environment. In today’s episode, we talk with Drs. Mohamed Alburaki and Miguel Corona, two USDA-ARS entomologists researching these differences and specifically the effects of the neonaticide imidacloprid on developing bee larvae.

The environment for winter bees is almost exclusively limited to what happens inside the hive. They live months longer than summer bees. Summer bees, on the other hand, live very short lives. Summer bees are either nurse bees or foragers, or maybe both, so they are exposed to all the things their environment has to offer. One of those is exposure to pesticides, the most common is imidacloprid.

It turns out, summer bees tend to prefer food given to them that has some small amount of this pesticide in it.  The speculation is that the taste is what they are used to – all summer long they ate food tainted with this pesticide. Meanwhile, winter bees, who never foraged or fed bees with nectar or pollen exposed to this pesticide, didn’t like it at all and would avoid it at all costs.

What this means for beekeepers is that managing your bees to avoid pesticides is the best option you can have. If you can’t avoid it, be aware of your bee’s tendency to favor the pesticide taste, if that is what they were raised on. It’s a complicated and toxic world out there. Be aware. You can read this very well thought out USDA paper by clicking on the link provided. You may have to read it twice. We had to read it more than that, but it was well worth the time.

We hope you enjoy the episode. Leave comments and questions in the Comments Section of the episode's website.

Thank you for listening!

Links and websites mentioned in this podcast: 

Honey Bee Obscura

______________

This episode is brought to you by Global PattiesGlobal PattiesGlobal offers a variety of standard and custom patties. Visit them today at http://globalpatties.com and let them know you appreciate them sponsoring this episode! 

We welcome Betterbee as sponsor of today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer BetterBeeservice, 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

Thanks to Strong Microbials for their support of Beekeeping TodayStrong Microbials Podcast. Find out more about heir line of probiotics in our Season 3, Episode 12 episode and from their website: https://www.strongmicrobials.com

Thanks for Northern Bee Books for their sponsorship of Bee Books: Old & New with Kim Flottum. Northern Bee Books is the publisher of bee books available worldwide from their website or from Amazon and bookstores everywhere. They are also the publishers of The Beekeepers Quarterly and Natural Bee Husbandry.

We want to also thank 2 Million Blossoms as a sponsor of the podcast. 2 Million Blossoms is a regular podcast featuring interviews with leading bee and insect researchers in the world of pollination, hosted by Dr. Kirsten Traynor.

_______________

We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments in the show notes of this episode or: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com

Thanks to Bee Culture, the Magazine of American Beekeeping, for their support of The Beekeeping Today Podcast. Available in print and digital at www.beeculture.com

Bee Culture Magazine

Thank you for listening! 

Podcast music: Be Strong by Young Presidents; Epilogue by Musicalman; Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus; A Fresh New Start by Pete Morse; Original guitar background instrumental by Jeff Ott

Beekeeping Today Podcast is an audio production of Growing Planet Media, LLC

Growing Planet Media, LLC

22 Apr 2024Christy Payne - Urban Beekeeping for Hire (S6, E45)00:38:24

Christy Payne(#274) Welcome to this informative episode of the "Beekeeping Today Podcast," featuring a detailed discussion with Christy Payne from Collinsville, Oklahoma. This episode is designed to provide both new and experienced beekeepers with insights into advanced beekeeping practices and the integration of beekeeping within corporate environments.

In our conversation, Christy Payne shares her journey into beekeeping which began from the necessity to improve pollination in her garden and expanded to her becoming a key figure in urban beekeeping at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Tulsa. Listeners will benefit from her experiences in managing hives in a corporate setting, discussing both the logistical and ecological aspects of urban beekeeping.

Throughout the episode, Christy also addresses the practicalities of maintaining hives in city environments, the importance of proper nutrition for bees, and reviews innovative beekeeping tools that can aid beekeepers in optimizing hive health and productivity.

Additionally, hosts Jeff Ott and Becky Masterman enrich the discussion with their expert insights, offering further guidance on beekeeping best practices and sustainable management. This episode serves as an excellent resource for those looking to deepen their understanding of modern beekeeping challenges and solutions.

Moreover, Christy’s involvement in educational initiatives for the community underscores the significant role beekeepers can play in promoting environmental stewardship and biodiversity through public engagement and corporate partnerships.

We invite you to listen to this episode for a comprehensive look at the strategies that can help you manage your hives more effectively and play a part in urban sustainability efforts. Stream this episode and access further beekeeping resources at www.beekeepingtodaypodcast.com.

Links and websites mentioned in this episode:

 

HBO Logo

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Betterbee Beekeeping Supplies

Betterbee is the presenting sponsor of Beekeeping Today Podcast. 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

Global Patties Pollen Supplements

This episode is brought to you by Global Patties! Global offers a variety of standard and custom patties. Visit them today at http://globalpatties.com and let them know you appreciate them sponsoring this episode! 

Bee Smart Designs

Thanks to Bee Smart Designs as a sponsor of this podcast! Bee Smart Designs is the creator of innovative, modular and interchangeable hive systems made in the USA using recycled and American sourced materials. Bee Smart Designs - Simply better beekeeping for the modern beekeeper.

StrongMicrobials

Thanks to Strong Microbials for their support of Beekeeping Today Podcast. Find out more about heir line of probiotics in our Season 3, Episode 12 episode and from their website: https://www.strongmicrobials.com

Northern Bee Books

Thanks for Northern Bee Books for their support. Northern Bee Books is the publisher of bee books available worldwide from their website or from Amazon and bookstores everywhere. They are also the publishers of The Beekeepers Quarterly and Natural Bee Husbandry.

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We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments in the show notes of this episode or: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com

Thank you for listening! 

Podcast music: Be Strong by Young Presidents; Epilogue by Musicalman; Faraday by BeGun; Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus; A Fresh New Start by Pete Morse; Wedding Day by Boomer; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; Original guitar background instrumental by Jeff Ott

Beekeeping Today Podcast is an audio production of Growing Planet Media, LLC

Copyright © 2024 by Growing Planet Media, LLC

Growing Planet Media, LLC

 

21 Oct 2024The Habitat Crisis #3 - Dr. Diana Cox-Foster (301)00:49:42

Dr. Diana Cox-FosterIn this third episode of our month-long Habitat Crisis series, made possible by the Minnesota Honey Producers Association, Jeff and Becky sit down with Dr. Diana Cox-Foster from the USDA-ARS Pollinating Insects Research Unit. Diana shares fascinating insights from her research on the complex interactions between honey bees and native pollinators, revealing the impact of habitat loss on bee populations. You’ll hear about her team’s innovative studies on the carrying capacity of environments and how honey bee colonies can coexist with native species without negatively affecting them—so long as floral resources are sufficient.

Listeners will also learn about the importance of creating more bee pastures, strategies to improve pollinator health, and the challenges posed by habitat degradation, climate change, and pesticide use. Diana’s research sheds light on how to balance the needs of managed honey bees and wild pollinators, offering science-based solutions to restore and protect critical habitats. This episode offers valuable information for beekeepers and anyone interested in supporting pollinators in the face of a changing environment.

Listen today!

Websites we recommend:

 

Copyright © 2024 by Growing Planet Media, LLC

The Habitat Crisis Series is presented by the Minnesota Honey Producers Association. The Minnesota Honey Producers Association (MHPA) is comprised of commercial, sideliner, and backyard beekeepers and has promoted Minnesota beekeeping since the early 1900’s. The recently established MHPA Habitat Program aims to provide information about vital honey bee habitat and nutrition issues by: 1) informing and uniting beekeepers around efforts to promote honey bee habitat; 2) supporting opportunities to increase honey bee habitat; and 3) improving communication about honey bee and pollinator habitat to landowners, farmers, and legislators.

 

HBO Logo

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Betterbee Beekeeping Supplies

Betterbee is the presenting sponsor of Beekeeping Today Podcast. 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

Global Patties Pollen Supplements

This episode is brought to you by Global Patties! Global offers a variety of standard and custom patties. Visit them today at http://globalpatties.com and let them know you appreciate them sponsoring this episode! 

Bee Smart Designs

Thanks to Bee Smart Designs as a sponsor of this podcast! Bee Smart Designs is the creator of innovative, modular and interchangeable hive systems made in the USA using recycled and American sourced materials. Bee Smart Designs - Simply better beekeeping for the modern beekeeper.

HiveAlive

HiveAlive offers a unique supplement with seaweed extracts, thyme, and lemongrass, proven to maintain low disease levels, increase bee populations, boost honey production, improve bee gut health, and enhance overwinter survival. Check out their new HiveAlive EZ Feed Super Syrup this fall! Visit www.usa.hivealivebees.com and use code "BTP" for a special discount.

StrongMicrobials

Thanks to Strong Microbials for their support of Beekeeping Today Podcast. Find out more about heir line of probiotics in our Season 3, Episode 12 episode and from their website: https://www.strongmicrobials.com

Northern Bee Books

Thanks for Northern Bee Books for their support. Northern Bee Books is the publisher of bee books available worldwide from their website or from Amazon and bookstores everywhere. They are also the publishers of The Beekeepers Quarterly and Natural Bee Husbandry.

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We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments in the show notes of this episode or: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com

Thank you for listening! 

Podcast music: Be Strong by Young Presidents; Epilogue by Musicalman; Faraday by BeGun; Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus; A Fresh New Start by Pete Morse; Wedding Day by Boomer; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; Red Jack Blues by Daniel Hart; Original guitar background instrumental by Jeff Ott.

Beekeeping Today Podcast is an audio production of Growing Planet Media, LLC

Copyright © 2024 by Growing Planet Media, LLC

Growing Planet Media, LLC

11 Sep 2023Raising Resilient Bees with Eric and Joy McEwen (S6, E13)00:49:26

Welcome to another episode of Beekeeping Today Podcast! This week, we're excited to host Joy and Eric McEwen, the authors behind the recently released book, “Raising Resilient Bees.” The McEwens offer a natural and sustainable model that focuses on hive health and prioritizes the well-being of the bee over the beekeeper.

We chat about their book as well as their approach to beekeeping which places emphasis on a system of management that works with the honey bee as opposed to against it, including a natural nest hive design. But this isn't all just for the backyard beekeeper. They're using in their pallatized operation for commercial management. 

Of course, they are also rearing their own queens, selecting for resilient, mite-resistant genetic lines, without relying on the risks of swarming or expense of grafting.

Before we meet the McEwen's, Jeff discusses the importance of hive and especially top insulation for hives going into the winter.

We hope you enjoy the episode. Leave comments and questions in the Comments Section of the episode's website.

Thank you for listening!

Links and websites mentioned in this podcast:

 

 

Honey Bee Obscura

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Betterbee is the presensting sponsor of Beekeeping Today Podcast. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer BetterBeeservice, 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

This episode is brought to you by Global PattiesGlobal PattiesGlobal offers a variety of standard and custom patties. Visit them today at http://globalpatties.com and let them know you appreciate them sponsoring this episode! 

Thanks to Strong Microbials for their support of Beekeeping TodayStrong Microbials Podcast. Find out more about heir line of probiotics in our Season 3, Episode 12 episode and from their website: https://www.strongmicrobials.com

Thanks for Northern Bee Books for their support. Northern Bee Books is the publisher of bee books available worldwide from their website or from Amazon and bookstores everywhere. They are also the publishers of The Beekeepers Quarterly and Natural Bee Husbandry.

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We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments in the show notes of this episode or: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com

Thank you for listening! 

Podcast music: Be Strong by Young Presidents; Epilogue by Musicalman; Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus; A Fresh New Start by Pete Morse; Wedding Day by Boomer; Original guitar background instrumental by Jeff Ott

Beekeeping Today Podcast is an audio production of Growing Planet Media, LLC

Copyright © 2023 by Growing Planet Media, LLC

Growing Planet Media, LLC

30 Jan 2023Bee Research Update In Germany with Dr. Kirsten Traynor (S5, E33)00:35:29

The last time we talked with Dr. Kirsten Traynor she had just started her new role in Germany. On today's episode we catch up with Kirsten and learn what research her students are conducting in Germany, at the University of Hohenheim, just outside Stuttgard. Of particular interest is the current research on the use of Lithium Chloride (LiCl) as a treatment against beekeepers number one foe - Varroa!

We also learn a bit about the beekeeping practices in Germany and the future of Kirsten's 2 Million Blossom's podcast.

We hope you enjoy the episode. Leave comments and questions in the Comments Section of the episode's website.

Thank you for listening!

Links and websites mentioned in this podcast: 

Honey Bee Obscura

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This episode is brought to you by Global PattiesGlobal PattiesGlobal offers a variety of standard and custom patties. Visit them today at http://globalpatties.com and let them know you appreciate them sponsoring this episode! 

We welcome Betterbee as sponsor of today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer BetterBeeservice, 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

Thanks to Strong Microbials for their support of Beekeeping TodayStrong Microbials Podcast. Find out more about heir line of probiotics in our Season 3, Episode 12 episode and from their website: https://www.strongmicrobials.com

Thanks for Northern Bee Books for their support. Northern Bee Books is the publisher of bee books available worldwide from their website or from Amazon and bookstores everywhere. They are also the publishers of The Beekeepers Quarterly and Natural Bee Husbandry.

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We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments in the show notes of this episode or: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com

Thanks to Bee Culture, the Magazine of American Beekeeping, for their support of The Beekeeping Today Podcast. Available in print and digital at www.beeculture.com

Bee Culture Magazine

Thank you for listening! 

Podcast music: Be Strong by Young Presidents; Epilogue by Musicalman; Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus; A Fresh New Start by Pete Morse; Original guitar background instrumental by Jeff Ott

Beekeeping Today Podcast is an audio production of Growing Planet Media, LLC

Copyright © 2023 by Growing Planet Media, LLC

Growing Planet Media, LLC

23 Nov 2020Ernst Seed Company - Calvin Ernst with Kirsten (S3, E26)00:46:01

Calvin ErnstProtecting pollinators and improving the habitat for honey bees often entails planting nectar and pollen rich plants. In this episode, Kirsten talks with Calvin Ernst, founder of Ernst Seeds, who has been deeply involved with growing native plants for over 50 years. Learn how providing seeds for erosion control to the Department of Transportation helped him start his company and how he transitioned the company’s focus to natives over time. He provides solid advice on preparing the ground prior to planting for pollinators. Learn more about this family run business and how it provides for pollinators in this week’s show.

Also in this episode, Kim reviews The Art of the Bee: Shaping the Environment from Landscapes to Societies by Dr. Robert Page.

 

Additional information:

Honey Bee on a Asclepias tuberosa (Butterfly Milkweed)

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Kirsten's interviews are brought to you by BetterBeeBetterBee. BetterBee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. How do they do this? Because many of their employees are also beekeepers, so they know the needs, challenges and answers to your beekeeping questions. 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

Thanks to Strong Microbials for their support of Beekeeping Today Podcast. Find out more about heir line of probiotics in our Season 3, Episode 12 episode and from their website: https://www.strongmicrobials.com

Thank you to Global Patties for their support of Beekeeping Today Podcast! Global Patties is a family business that manufactures protein supplement patties for honey bees. Feeding your hives protein supplement patties will help ensure that they produce strong and health colonies by increasing brood production and overall honey flow. Global offers a variety of standard patties, as well as custom patties to meet your specific needs. Visit them today at http://globalpatties.com and let them know you appreciate them sponsoring this episode! 

2 Million BlossomsWe want to also thank 2 Million Blossoms as a sponsor of the podcast. 2 Million Blossoms is a new quarterly magazine destined for your coffee table. Each page of the magazine is dedicated to the stories and photos of all pollinators and written by leading researchers, photographers and our very own, Kim Flottum.

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We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com

Thanks to Bee Culture, the Magazine of American Beekeeping, for their support of The Beekeeping Today Podcast. Available in print and digital at www.beeculture.com

Thank you for listening! 

Podcast music: Young Presidents, "Be Strong", Musicalman, "Epilogue"

12 Jun 2023Banking Queens with Dr. Brandon Hopkins (S5, E52)00:45:55

On today’s episode, we welcome Dr Brandon Hopkins of Washington State University back to the podcast to talk about his recent research on the benefits of indoor banking of honey bee queens in temperature-controlled storage facilities. Traditionally, queens are banked in small nucs in yards throughout the summer.

Queen banking refers to the practice of preserving and storing surplus queen bees for use later in the season. This process allows queen breeders (both backyard and commercial) to maintain a constant supply of healthy and productive queens. By drawing on banked queens, beekeepers can address a range of challenges that may arise, such as replacing aging or underperforming queens, preventing the spread of diseases, or even expanding their operations as the season progresses.

Join us as we discuss the benefits of storing banked queens indoors as opposed to outdoors where they can be exposed to all the environmental variables, including extremes in heat, cold, and even smoke!  Should queen breeders and beekeepers purchasing queens may want to consider using queens banked indoors?

Also on today’s episode, Jeff talks with Chris Cripps, partner at Betterbee about how Betterbee started and their new sponsorship of BTP.

We hope you enjoy the episode. Leave comments and questions in the Comments Section of the episode's website.

Links and websites mentioned in this podcast: 

Honey Bee Obscura

______________

Betterbee is the presensting sponsor of Beekeeping Today Podcast. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer BetterBeeservice, 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

This episode is brought to you by Global PattiesGlobal PattiesGlobal offers a variety of standard and custom patties. Visit them today at http://globalpatties.com and let them know you appreciate them sponsoring this episode! 

Thanks to Strong Microbials for their support of Beekeeping TodayStrong Microbials Podcast. Find out more about heir line of probiotics in our Season 3, Episode 12 episode and from their website: https://www.strongmicrobials.com

We welcome Blue Sky Bee Supply as a sponsor of the podcast! Check out blueskybeesupply.com for the best selection of honey containers, caps, lids, and customized honey labels. Enter coupon code PODCAST and receive 10% off an order of honey containers, caps, lids, or customized honey labels. Offer ends December 31, 2023. Some exclusions apply.

Thanks for Northern Bee Books for their support. Northern Bee Books is the publisher of bee books available worldwide from their website or from Amazon and bookstores everywhere. They are also the publishers of The Beekeepers Quarterly and Natural Bee Husbandry.

_______________

We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments in the show notes of this episode or: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com

Thank you for listening! 

Podcast music: Be Strong by Young Presidents; Epilogue by Musicalman; Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus; A Fresh New Start by Pete Morse; Wedding Day by Boomer; Original guitar background instrumental by Jeff Ott

Beekeeping Today Podcast is an audio production of Growing Planet Media, LLC

Copyright © 2023 by Growing Planet Media, LLC

Growing Planet Media, LLC

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