Winter Episodes

In this week’s episode of Honey Bee Obscura, Jim Tew delves into the challenges and dilemmas beekeepers face when managing small, struggling colonies in the heart of winter. With his signature mix of candor and experience, Jim explores the emotional...

In this episode, Jim is joined by his grandson, Will, to discuss preparing hives for winter, especially for smaller or struggling colonies. Jim explains the natural decline in bee population as winter approaches and the importance of clustering...

As the temperature drops, Jim and Anne Frey discuss the age-old question: Should you insulate your hives for winter? They explore the history of hive insulation, from traditional sawdust-filled crates to modern polystyrene wraps, weighing the benefits...

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...

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...

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...

It’s going to be 50 degrees tomorrow. Kim and Jim are going to have to check their bees for the first time this very early spring. So what do they do, how do they examine a colony this time of year way up north? The beekeepers in the warmer parts of...

It’s winter time and sure as the sky is blue (or grey – as the case may be), there will be many dead colonies out there next spring. If not in as early as in the few weeks. Winter kills in the US are running something like 40+% right now. A winter...