Episodes

May 13, 2021

Old Comb (021)

Old comb. What is old comb? Old comb is that which is darkened through generations of tiny bee's feet (ok, for the technically minded, tarsus and tarsal claws...) running across its surface. Is it good for years or should beekeepers …

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May 6, 2021

Spring Inspections (020)

Spring inspections, especially early spring, need a balance of not too often, but often enough to avoid problems. The first thing you see is…what’s left from last fall. In the south, these inspections took place some time ago, and in …

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April 29, 2021

Honey Bees Sting! (019)

Why do you keep a box full of bugs that you just know will sting? It should be an easy answer, but there’s more here that you might think, especially if you’re just getting started. Even if you’ve been doing …

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April 22, 2021

Eating Comb Honey (018)

So, how do you eat comb honey? It isn’t a mystery, but until you have tried eating comb honey, it can be a tad daunting. At first, it’s a beautiful product. Snow white cappings, beautiful honey, the perfect sweetener. But …

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April 15, 2021

Pollen Traps (017)

Trapping pollen will give you a source of good food for your bees, and it’s for free. And why more beekeepers don’t do it is interesting, but understandable. There are a host of pollen substitutes on the market that a …

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April 8, 2021

Nectar Flows (016)

If you keep good records every year, you’ll know about when to expect the various nectar flows your areas has almost every year and that your bees need to make a honey crop. Of course, your bees will tell you …

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April 1, 2021

Robbing! (015)

Imagine this… you walk out to your beeyard. There is a lot of activity. No problem. That’s good right? Probably a nectar flow, you think. But as you get closer, there is something else going on… more frantic, more commotion, …

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March 25, 2021

Swarms (014)

Have you ever tried to capture a swarm while hanging on to the top of a 10-foot ladder that’s standing in the back of a pickup? No? Well, Jim Tew has and he’ll tell you all about retrieving swarms this …

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March 18, 2021

Dealing with Bee Space (013)

How much space do bees need inside a beehive? Well, it’s between 3/16” and 5/16”, so you can figure just about a quarter inch should do. But what happens when bees don’t have bee space in a beehive? Propolis is …

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March 11, 2021

Outyards (012)

When you have more bees at home than you want, or your family wants, or your neighbors want, it’s time to find an outyard. There’s a lot to consider when choosing an outyard. There are many things to consider, such …

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March 4, 2021

Requeening (011)

Everybody who has bees at some time will have to requeen a colony. You killed her when moving frames, she quit laying, a colony that swarmed didn’t make a queen, you stepped on her when she fell off the frame. …

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Feb. 25, 2021

Smokers and Smoker Fuel (010)

A smoker is that extra hand you always need when working bees. It’s the right tool for the job. But how smokers get used is mostly influenced by what the beekeeper is doing whether you are working hard, fast and …

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Feb. 18, 2021

Packages and Nucs (009)

If you need or want to get some honey bees this spring, the two traditional means are to get a 3-pound package or a (usually) 5 frame nucleus colony. There are advantages and disadvantages to both and like so many …

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Feb. 11, 2021

Hive Finishes (008)

So, you just built brand new wooden hive boxes, tops and bottoms. It all sure looks nice, doesn’t it? How do you keep it from rotting, falling apart or just wearing out? For many beekeepers using white latex paint on …

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Feb. 4, 2021

Protective Gear (007)

What beekeepers choose to wear for protection is determined by many factors. Kim and Jim explore several of the most influential choices today when talking about Protective Gear. Choices are mostly determined by what you have and what you will …

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Jan. 28, 2021

The Good Things About Beekeeping (006)

Kim and Jim trade notes of the things about bees and beekeeping that are fun, enjoyable, educational and generous. It’s about honey, gardens, a spring day, being an expert, capturing swarms and the things that work well when you work …

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Jan. 21, 2021

Bee Equipment We Use (005)

When you look at a hive, you will see many different variations in hive equipment, components, tools and things to “make the beekeeper’s job easier”. So, what kind of equipment do you use? In this episode, Kim and Jim talk …

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Jan. 14, 2021

Mid-Winter Inspections (004)

Checking your colonies on a cold, snowy, winter day isn’t something you probably want to do, but colonies in our care need to be looked after – no matter the season. How and what you can and cannot check depend …

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Jan. 10, 2021

Off Season Storage and Chores (003)

Once you look at it, managing your space is probably the biggest challenge most beekeepers have. You have more bee equipment inside in the winter than the summer. What do you do with all of it? And once processing honey …

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Jan. 10, 2021

Emergency Winter Feeding (002)

Of course, it’s best to leave enough food on going into winter so the bees don’t get stressed or starve, but sometimes that isn’t in the equation. You take too much honey or they simply didn’t make enough during the …

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Jan. 10, 2021

Honey Bee Obscura - An Introduction (001)

Honey Bee Obscura is a brand new podcast focusing solely on honey bees and honey bee management. In fact... all things honey bees. Join each week as former Bee Culture editor and current cohost of Beekeeping Today Podcast, Kim Flottum …

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