In this episode, Jim takes listeners on an auditory stroll through his bee yard during a recent vibrant spring day. As the bees buzz energetically around him, Jim shares his personal reflections and insights on the bustling life of the hive. With the backdrop of blooming fruit trees and a flurry of bee activity, he paints a vivid picture of a beekeeper's spring routine—from managing swarming colonies to the simple joy of observing bees at work. Jim discusses the challenges and surprises of early...
May 02, 2024•19 min•Ep. 177
In this enlightening episode, Jim takes listeners on a historical journey through the evolution of beekeeping hives. Delving into the storied past of traditional box hives, Jim reflects on a unique box hive he acquired, which was originally built in 1853—the same year L.L. Langstroth revolutionized beekeeping with his patented removable frame hive. This episode not only explores the construction and historical significance of traditional box hives but also juxtaposes them with the transformative...
Apr 25, 2024•21 min•Ep. 176
In this episode, Jim explores the practical aspects of dealing with "less-than-pristine" honey, an inevitable challenge for many beekeepers. Throughout the discussion, Jim shares personal anecdotes and insights from his extensive experience, providing a nuanced look at what beekeepers can do with honey that doesn't meet the highest quality standards. Whether it's honey from wax melters, overwintered hives, or colonies affected by varroa, Jim explores the various destinies of these batches. He di...
Apr 18, 2024•21 min•Ep. 175
In this episode, hosts Jim Tew and guest Anne Frey, delve into the intriguing and sometimes baffling phenomenon of beekeepers being unable to locate their hive's queen. Whether you're an experienced beekeeper or just starting, losing sight of your queen can stir a mix of mystery and panic. But as Jim and Anne discuss, this situation is more common than one might think and is part of the beekeeping journey. Through their engaging conversation, they offer insights and anecdotes on the various reas...
Apr 11, 2024•22 min•Ep. 174
In this episode, Jim Tew takes listeners on an intricate journey into the life of a honey bee egg, uncovering its quiet but highly active existence. Despite the challenge of discussing such a microcosmic topic, Jim eloquently demystifies the complexities surrounding the initial stage of a bee's life cycle. From the difficulties beekeepers face in spotting these tiny, almost ethereal eggs, to the importance of eggs as indicators of a queen's presence and health, this episode provides a deep dive ...
Apr 04, 2024•22 min•Ep. 173
In this intriguing episode, Jim Tew and Anne Frey delve into the unexpected and often perplexing world of queen bee behavior and physiology that diverges from the norm. This episode explores the rare but fascinating occurrences that beekeepers might encounter with their queens, ranging from fainting queens during marking to queens with anatomical abnormalities. The hosts share their personal experiences and the lessons learned from handling queens that don't always follow the script, highlightin...
Mar 28, 2024•20 min•Ep. 172
In this episode of Honey Bee Obscura, Jim takes beekeepers through the critical period of late winter and early spring, emphasizing the delicate balance between intervening in the hive and letting bees be. Drawing from his observations during an unseasonably warm day in Northeast Ohio, Jim shares his insights into the significance of weather for beekeeping and the implications of seasonal changes for bee activity. He delves into practical advice for beekeepers on how to conduct inspections witho...
Mar 21, 2024•19 min•Ep. 171
In this episode of Honey Bee Obscura, we dive into the intricacies of nurturing nucleus colonies (nucs) with beekeeping expert Anne Frey from Better Bee. Jim and Anne discuss the benefits and methods of working with nucs, emphasizing their role in sustainable beekeeping practices. Anne shares her extensive experience, focusing on the use of double nucs and their construction, management, and advantages for beekeepers, especially when it comes to overwintering. This insightful discussion covers t...
Mar 14, 2024•21 min•Ep. 170
In this episode Jim discusses the obscure world of division board feeders, exploring their history, evolution, and practical use in beekeeping. These feeders, which replace a frame inside the hive, have undergone significant changes over the years, from simple molded plastics to modern versions with top doors, gates, and valves. Jim shares his personal experiences, emphasizing the importance of a rough interior to prevent bee drownings and the need for a float to ensure bees can safely access th...
Mar 07, 2024•21 min•Ep. 169
In this enlightening episode, Jim invites American Bee Journal editor, Eugene Makovec, to the podcast to chat about their experiences and insights on how to engage young minds with the fascinating world of beekeeping. They delve into the joys and challenges of presenting beekeeping to children, from kindergarteners' innocent inquiries to the more sophisticated questions of fifth graders. Through anecdotes and practical advice, Jim and Eugene illustrate the importance of adjusting communication t...
Feb 29, 2024•21 min•Ep. 168
In this episode, Jim Tew and Anne Frey tackle a common yet often overlooked challenge in beekeeping: managing the heavy weight of hives. They delve into practical solutions and innovative ideas to make beekeeping tasks more manageable, emphasizing that this issue impacts beekeepers regardless of age, gender, or experience level. They both stress the importance of adapting beekeeping practices to accommodate individual capabilities and limitations, suggesting that small adjustments can lead to a ...
Feb 22, 2024•22 min•Ep. 167
Join Jim Tew and David Peck in a critical conversation about Varroa mite management in beekeeping. This episode demystifies the process of counting mites, offering practical advice and insights into the importance of monitoring mite levels for the health of bee colonies. Discover various methods for assessing Varroa populations, from alcohol washes to powdered sugar shakes, and learn why accurate monitoring is essential for effective beekeeping. Whether you're a long-time beekeeper or just start...
Feb 15, 2024•24 min•Ep. 166
Diving into the sweet yet challenging world of honey consumption, this week’s episode of Honey Bee Obscura delves into the nuances of enjoying honey—without the mess. Jim discusses the inevitable sticky spills that occur no matter how careful you are with honey. Whether it’s a drop missing the target or the complexities of enjoying comb honey and dealing with the leftover wax, Jim covers it all. Jim also explores the best ways to store honey, debating glass vs. plastic containers, and addresses ...
Feb 08, 2024•21 min•Ep. 165
In today's episode, Jim is joined by Dr. David Peck, an expert in varroa mites, to delve into the critical issue of honey bee colony collapse linked to varroa infestation. This topic is different from Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD), focusing instead on the impact of varroa mites and the diseases they introduce to both adult bees and larvae. The episode addresses a common frustration among beekeepers: the collapse of their strongest and most productive summer colonies. These hives, characterized ...
Feb 01, 2024•24 min•Ep. 164
In this episode we delve into the concept of "supering," a term unique to beekeeping that has emerged over the past century. To those outside the beekeeping community, the term might sound like something out of a superhero comic, but for beekeepers, it's a crucial aspect of hive management. Jim, guides listeners through the history and significance of supering in beekeeping. But what exactly is supering? It involves adding boxes, known as supers or honey supers, to the hive. These are designed f...
Jan 25, 2024•21 min•Ep. 163
In today's episode, Jim and Becky Masterman (co-host of Beekeeping Today Podcast) delve into the challenges and joys of mentoring young beekeepers, with a special focus on family dynamics. Jim shares his recent experience of being asked to mentor his grandson, who lives four hours away in a different state, adding a layer of complexity to the mentoring process. Mentoring within the family brings its unique pressures, but it also offers an invaluable chance for seasoned beekeepers to revisit the ...
Jan 18, 2024•20 min•Ep. 162
Beekeepers must often confine their bees to the hives for long or short periods of time, whether it be to move them from one yard to another, or if pesticides are to be used in neighboring fields and even transporting home package bees or nucs in the spring. Have you ever considered the effects this confinement may have on the colony? On today episode, Jim and Becky Masterman, PhD, discuss the ramifications of confining bees to their hives on bee health and even queen viability. In the wild, hon...
Jan 11, 2024•21 min•Ep. 161
Hive inspections are essential in the beekeeping, serving as the cornerstone for effective colony management. Through these inspections, beekeepers gain crucial insights that guide their decisions for immediate and long-term hive care. In this episode, Jim is joined by Anne Frey, an EAS Master Beekeeper from Betterbee, to delve into the intricacies of hive inspections. Anne shares her expertise on the timing, frequency, and methods of conducting thorough hive inspections. She emphasizes the impo...
Jan 04, 2024•23 min•Ep. 160
In this week's episode, Jim is delighted to welcome back David Peck from Betterbee. In this intriguing discussion, they explore what Jim calls, "Reverse Beekeeping," a unique approach that focuses on maintaining smaller bee colonies. Traditionally, beekeeping has been all about growing large colonies for honey production and pollination. This has led to bee breeders selecting for traits that encourage large and rapid brood development and has influenced the design of beekeeping equipment, like t...
Dec 28, 2023•20 min•Ep. 159
Practice makes perfect, as the old adage says. This really rings true in the bee yard and working with honey bees. This week, Jim invites Betterbee’s EAS Master Beekeeper, Anne Frey, to the podcast to discuss how experience, gained by doing something over and over, is the basis of becoming a better beekeeper. Experience is needed for confidence. Lighting and maintaining a smoker, finding a queen and even managing stings become more intuitive with each repetition. Experience isn’t just about doin...
Dec 21, 2023•21 min•Ep. 158
There comes a time for many beekeepers when they realize they have more colonies than time to properly work them - with “work” being the operative word. If they’ve been keeping bees long enough, they may decide that hefting ten-frame hive bodies full or honey or bees just too difficult. The beekeeper decides to downsize. In today’s episode, Kim and Jim discuss the considerations and options available to the beekeeper when dealing with unwanted hive bodies and frames. Beekeepers do all sorts of t...
Dec 14, 2023•20 min•Ep. 157
In today's episode, Jim and David Peck, PhD, delve into a fascinating topic that rarely gets any ‘air time’ unless you are interested specifically in raising queens: Queen Isolation Cages. For beekeepers, the queen bee is the heart of the hive, responsible for laying eggs and maintaining hive order. Queen Isolation Cages are ingenious tools that allow beekeepers to temporarily isolate the queen from the rest of the colony. This technique can be applied in various scenarios, from performing selec...
Dec 07, 2023•24 min•Ep. 156
In this episode of Honey Bee Obscura, Kim and Jim delve into several important maintenance tasks that beekeepers can undertake during the winter season to ensure the health and productivity of their hives. Winter might seem like a downtime, but it's a critical period for preparing your hives for the upcoming spring. One key task they discuss is culling old comb. This task is near and dear to Kim. It involves removing combs that are over three years old or show signs of disease, pest infestation,...
Nov 30, 2023•19 min•Ep. 155
Happy Thanksgiving!! Join Kim and Jim in this special archive episode from late October 2021, where they delve into the critical task of preparing your hives for the winter season. This episode is particularly crucial for beekeepers in colder climates. Are you comfortable in shorts outdoors during this time of year? If yes, then wrapping your colonies for winter might not be a necessity. However, if a brisk step outside in shorts sends shivers down your spine, this episode is tailored for you! K...
Nov 23, 2023•20 min•Ep. 154
As the leaves fall and the bees nestle in for winter, many beekeepers find themselves next to a warm fire, a cup of tea in hand, flipping through the pages of their cherished bee books. Have you ever looked at your shelf brimming with bee books and wondered, 'Will I ever read all of these?' You're not alone. In this cozy episode of Honey Bee Obscura, Kim rejoins Jim in the studio to delve into the fascinating world of beekeeping literature. They explore the shelves of their personal libraries, s...
Nov 16, 2023•16 min•Ep. 153
In today’s episode Jim invites Becky Masterman to discuss the lasting impact of Dr. Walter Rothenbuhler’s seminal research on honey bee hygienic behavior. His work, which has been a bedrock in the field of apiculture, sheds light on the genetic foundations of disease resistance among honey bees, particularly against threats like American Foulbrood. Jim provides a unique inside perspective to Dr. Rothenbuhler as Jim personally knew and worked with him at The Ohio State University bee lab. Today's...
Nov 09, 2023•18 min•Ep. 152
Beekeeping is not always as straightforward as hive inspections and honey extraction. When bees decide to set up shop in places beyond the traditional hive box, it requires specialized techniques and knowledge to safely and ethically relocate them. When beekeepers set up plain boxes (not the standard Langstroth hive with moveable frames) then move them to a standard hive, it is often called a 'transfer'. When honey bees are removed from a structure, such as the wall of a house, it is called a 'c...
Nov 02, 2023•19 min•Ep. 151
In the intricate realm of beekeeping, the queen bee reigns supreme, yet she remains a mysterious figure for many beekeepers. Join Jim as he welcomes Anne Frey, the head beekeeper of Betterbee, to delve into the fascinating world of Queen Quirks: Unusual Phenomena in Queen Bees. Jim and Anne share their wealth of experiences raising queens, offering invaluable insights into the enigmatic quirks that queens can exhibit. Together, they explore a variety of intriguing situations, including dealing w...
Oct 26, 2023•20 min•Ep. 150
In this episode, Jim, is joined by guest, Eugene Makovec, the editor of The American Bee Journal, to dissect the emotionally charged debate that's capturing the attention of beekeepers everywhere: Do honey bees harm native bees? This intriguing question unfolds as a complex ecological issue, lacking a clear-cut victor or vanquished party. The verdict depends on a multitude of factors, including the context, location, and intricate dynamics of ecosystems. Recent research underscores the importanc...
Oct 19, 2023•22 min•Ep. 149
After all of the nectar has flowed, the honey spun and you’re just waiting to put the bees to bed for the winter, you might look around at the clutter of equipment in your bee yard, bouncing in the back of your bee truck or shoved aside in the bee hut. Is there a better way to store that equipment so it is ready to use come Spring? In this week’s episode, Jim invites Beekeeping Today Podcast’s Jeff Ott to sit in for Kim to talk about dealing with equipment in the fall. How do you protect your wo...
Oct 12, 2023•20 min•Ep. 148
