Videos

May 7, 2026

Plain Talk: The Wayward Swarm, Part 1 (282)

Plain Talk: The Wayward Swarm, Part 1 (282)

In this episode of Honey Bee Obscura, Jim Tew delivers a candid, field-side reflection on the challenges—and realities—of swarm management when conditions, equipment, and personal limitations don’t align. What begins as a routine observation quickly turns into a frustrating and physically risky attempt to retrieve a swarm positioned just out…

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April 30, 2026

Plain Talk: Packages and Swarms (281)

Plain Talk: Packages and Swarms (281)

In this episode of Honey Bee Obscura, Jim Tew brings listeners along for a raw, unfiltered walk through his apiary during one of beekeeping’s most unpredictable seasons. After expecting significant winter losses, Jim ordered five packages—only to discover that many of his colonies survived. What follows is a practical and…

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April 23, 2026

Installing Packaged Bees with Anne Frey, Part 2 (280)

Installing Packaged Bees with Anne Frey, Part 2 (280)

Jim Tew and Anne Frey return for Part 2 of their discussion on honey bee packages, continuing a practical and often humorous look at the realities of installing packages and managing queens in the early season. Picking up where they left off, the conversation dives deeper into real-world beekeeper experiences—especially…

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April 16, 2026

Installing Packaged Bees with Anne Frey, Part 1 (279)

Installing Packaged Bees with Anne Frey, Part 1 (279)

Package bee installation is one of the most common ways new beekeepers start a colony, and in this episode of Honey Bee Obscura, Jim Tew is joined by Anne Frey of Betterbee to share practical, experience-based approaches to getting packages established successfully. As spring arrives, Jim opens with a familiar…

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April 9, 2026

Plain Talk: Seeing The Light (278)

Plain Talk: Seeing The Light (278)

In this episode of Honey Bee Obscura, Jim Tew reflects on the contrast between light and darkness—both in beekeeping and in life. Recorded in the bee yard on a meaningful personal day, Jim shares a quiet, thoughtful conversation that begins with remembrance and transitions into observation. As spring unfolds and…

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April 2, 2026

Nucs & Wax Production with Anne Frey (277)

Nucs & Wax Production with Anne Frey (277)

In this episode of Honey Bee Obscura, Jim Tew is joined by Anne Frey for a wide-ranging discussion on nucleus colonies, wax production, and the practical realities of working with smaller hives. The conversation begins with a focus on nucs as both a management tool and a learning platform. Anne…

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March 26, 2026

Plain Talk: BSI - Bee Scene Investigation (276)

Plain Talk: BSI - Bee Scene Investigation (276)

In this episode of Honey Bee Obscura, Jim Tew takes listeners into the bee yard for what he calls a “bee scene investigation”—a hands-on look at two colonies that failed over winter and what can (and cannot) be learned from their remains. What begins as a straightforward inspection quickly becomes…

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March 19, 2026

Plain Talk: Old Hives, New Bees (275)

Plain Talk: Old Hives, New Bees (275)

What does it really mean to put new bees into old equipment—and what does that decision say about how we keep bees? In this episode of Honey Bee Obscura, Dr. Jim Tew takes a broader, more reflective look at a common springtime practice. Using the simple scenario of installing new…

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March 12, 2026

Plain Talk: Tri-County (274)

Plain Talk: Tri-County (274)

In this episode of Honey Bee Obscura, Jim Tew reflects on attending a recent Tri-County beekeeping meeting—one he helped organize years ago while working at the OSU Research Center in Wooster, Ohio. His plan was to record conversations with beekeepers at the event and capture some of the voices and…

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March 5, 2026

Plain Talk: Late Winter Robbing (273)

Plain Talk: Late Winter Robbing (273)

On a cold, soggy walk back to the bee yard, Jim reflects on an uncomfortable but important topic: robbing. With temperatures hovering around 40°F and only a hint of flight activity, he begins to question what he’s seeing. Are the bees simply stretching their wings, or are they already checking…

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Feb. 26, 2026

Georgia Winter Visit with Anne Frey (272)

Georgia Winter Visit with Anne Frey (272)

This week on Honey Bee Obscura, Jim and Anne take listeners south — to Georgia — for a mid-winter comparison of beekeeping realities. Anne recently visited beekeeping friends near the Atlanta latitude and found that while Georgia winters are milder than New York or Ohio, they come with their own…

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Feb. 19, 2026

Plain Talk: Miracle Bees (271)

Plain Talk: Miracle Bees (271)

In this reflective winter walk-through, Jim Tew returns to the bee yard expecting discouraging losses—but instead finds surprising signs of life. Colonies he believed were gone are flying, cleansing, and holding on after one of the coldest winters in recent memory - miracle bees! As Jim navigates snow, mud, and…

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Feb. 12, 2026

Package Bees with Anne Frey (270)

Package Bees with Anne Frey (270)

In this episode of Honey Bee Obscura, Jim Tew welcomes Anne Frey to explore the practical and often uncertain process of preparing for spring package bees. Together, they discuss one of the most common beekeeper questions—how many colonies to order—highlighting that the answer depends not only on winter losses, but…

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Jan. 29, 2026

Plain Talk: Hive Tops and Winter Thoughts (268)

Plain Talk: Hive Tops and Winter Thoughts (268)

In this Plain Talk episode, Jim Tew records from his shop as a major winter storm approaches, using the moment to reflect on beekeeping, weather, and long-term planning. He shares a personal story about storms, preparation, and unpredictability before turning his attention to the coming season and what lies ahead…

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Jan. 22, 2026

Plain Talk: NAHBE Reflections (267)

Plain Talk: NAHBE Reflections (267)

In this Plain Talk episode of Honey Bee Obscura, Jim Tew shares thoughtful reflections following his recent experience at the North American Honey Bee Expo. Walking the show floor, Jim was struck not only by the size and energy of the event, but by how dramatically beekeeping equipment, ideas, and…

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Jan. 15, 2026

Plain Talk: NAHBE Walkabout (266)

Plain Talk: NAHBE Walkabout (266)

In this special, on-the-floor episode of Honey Bee Obscura, Jim Tew records live from the bustling floor of the North American Honey Bee Expo in Louisville, Kentucky. It’s Jim’s first time attending NAHBE, and the scale of the event leaves a strong impression—thousands of beekeepers, hundreds of vendors, and an…

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Jan. 8, 2026

Beekeeping Invasions with Anne Frey (265)

Beekeeping Invasions with Anne Frey (265)

Beekeeping today looks very different than it did just a few decades ago, largely because of the steady arrival of invasive pests and pathogens. In this episode of Honey Bee Obscura, Jim Tew welcomes Anne Frey for a thoughtful, experience-based discussion on how beekeepers have responded to these challenges over…

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Jan. 1, 2026

Wintering with Anne Frey (264)

Wintering with Anne Frey (264)

In this New Year’s Day episode of Honey Bee Obscura, Jim Tew is joined by Anne Frey for a timely and practical conversation about wintering honey bee colonies during extended cold spells. As winter settles in across much of North America, Jim and Anne focus on what beekeepers can—and cannot—do…

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Dec. 25, 2025

Plain Talk: Christmas Day Stories (263)

Plain Talk: Christmas Day Stories (263)

In this Christmas Day Plain Talk episode of Honey Bee Obscura, Jim Tew offers listeners something intentionally different. Rather than focusing on hive management or seasonal techniques, Jim invites listeners into a reflective conversation shaped by memory, family, and the passage of time. Jim begins by acknowledging that Christmas has…

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Dec. 18, 2025

Plain Talk: Beekeeping Oddities (262)

Plain Talk: Beekeeping Oddities (262)

In this Plain Talk episode of Honey Bee Obscura, Jim Tew settles into his shop on a cold winter day to reflect on the many ways beekeeping appears odd to those outside the craft—and completely normal to those who practice it. Sparked by casual comments from friends asking whether he…

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Dec. 11, 2025

Plain Talk: Apiary Winter Wonderland (261)

Plain Talk: Apiary Winter Wonderland (261)

In this week’s episode of Honey Bee Obscura, Jim Tew invites listeners into an apiary winter wonderland, where a fresh blanket of snow becomes one of the beekeeper’s most revealing diagnostic tools. While the bee yard is silent on the surface, the snow tells its own story—tracks from deer and…

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Dec. 4, 2025

Plain Talk: Fishing for Beekeepers (260)

Plain Talk: Fishing for Beekeepers (260)

This week on Honey Bee Obscura, Jim reflects on a familiar challenge in the beekeeping world: How do we find new beekeepers? A winter snowstorm derailed his plans to record with his grandson and two of his college friends, but the experience sparked a larger, thoughtful conversation about what draws…

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Nov. 27, 2025

Plain Talk: Slipshod Beekeeping (259)

Plain Talk: Slipshod Beekeeping (259)

Sometimes beekeeping doesn’t look polished, tidy, or picture-perfect—and in this week’s episode, Jim leans right into that truth with a candid look at what he calls slipshod beekeeping. After visiting beekeepers and listeners at the Kentucky State Beekeepers Assn, he returns home to a bee yard that reflects the realities…

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Nov. 20, 2025

Plain Talk: Artistry in Beekeeping (258)

Plain Talk: Artistry in Beekeeping (258)

Jim Tew returns with a reflective look at artistry in beekeeping—a part of the craft that may not appear in manuals but lives vividly in the memories and creative expressions of beekeepers everywhere. In this week’s episode, Jim shares the story of a remarkable young artist he taught during his…

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