Honey Bee Obscura Podcast

Honey Bee Obscura Podcast

Short, in-depth review of all things honey bees with hosts, Kim Flottum and Jim Tew

Recent Episodes

Learning To Deal With Stings (129)

June 8, 2023

All beekeepers must one day, cross a threshold: dealing with bee stings. For some, it is a small, hardly seen threshold. For others, it is a major challenge that takes time to overcome. On today's episode Jim and Jeff Ott ta…

Replacing The Queen (128)

June 1, 2023

Replacing a seemingly good queen can be a difficult decision to make. If her brood pattern is good, the colony temperment is nice, they've produced a good crop... and the only fault against her is that she is last year's que…

Vanishing Swarms: Now You See Them, Now You Don't! (127)

May 25, 2023

If you've been a beekeeper for any length of time and especially, after your first year in your own bee yard, you've seen a swarm, looked away to pick up something - maybe your camera, turn around and they're gone! Just like…

Bee Trailers - The Portable Bee Hive (126)

May 18, 2023

Anyone who's moved more than one hive, more than once in a season has considered... a simpler way of getting the job done. We've all see photos and videos of beekeepers moving around an orchard of some sort, using BobCats or…

Memorable Stings (125)

May 11, 2023

If you’ve been keeping bees for a bit, you probably already have a couple of stories about that “one time in a beeyard”, or honey house, or somewhere that gave a whole new meaning to the word “sting”. Teaching a beginner’s c…

Well... It Depends - Swarms (124)

May 4, 2023

A lot of times, when somebody asks us a bee question, the best answer we can give them is, “It Depends.” In today’s episode, Kim and Jim explore the topic of Swarms. Where did it come from? Where do you put it? What do you d…

Recent Blog Posts

A Plan for a Very Simple Observation Hive

In my opinion, observations hive fall into two broad categories Nicely constructed, permanent-type furniture hives. Simple, quick glass box type hives for short term use. Furniture grade hives are much more satisfying from a furniture quality…

About the Hosts

Jim TewProfile Photo

Jim Tew

Host, Author

Dr. James E. Tew is an Emeritus Faculty member at The Ohio State University. Jim is also retired from the Alabama Cooperative Extension System. During his forty-eight years of bee work, Jim has taught classes, provided extension services, and conducted research on honey bees and honey bee behavior.

He contributes monthly articles to national beekeeping publications and has written: Beekeeping Principles, Wisdom for Beekeepers, The Beekeeper’s Problem Solver, and Backyard Beekeeping. He h

Kim FlottumProfile Photo

Kim Flottum

Host, Author

Kim Flottum attended the University Of Wisconsin, Madison, receiving a BS in Horticulture Production. While an undergrad he worked for the UW Entomology Department, researching insect control in green houses and gardens, and writing Extension Bulletins about those pests.

After graduation, he worked for the USDA Honey Bee Research Lab in Madison for four years, studying crop pollination, pesticide problems with honey bees and using honey plants in the home landscape. When the lab closed, he m