What can the average beekeeper realistically plant to help honey bees and other pollinators? Jim Tew is joined by Anne Frey of Betterbee for a practical and sometimes wandering—in the best possible way—conversation about bee forage. They begin with the idea of planting wildflowers and quickly confront the question of…
On a quiet, rainy morning, Jim Tew opens a few fragile old beekeeping books and takes us on an unscripted trip through the practices, tools, and ideas of beekeepers who came before us. Jim explores techniques that once seemed perfectly practical but have largely disappeared from modern apiaries—from tobacco smoke…
Every beekeeper remembers a few stings that stand out above all the rest. This week on Honey Bee Obscura, Dr. Jim Tew and Anne Frey share some of their most memorable experiences with honey bee stings—stories that range from painful to humorous, but all serve as reminders that working with…
Summer heat changes the way both beekeepers and honey bee colonies operate. In this episode, Jim Tew is joined by Anne Frey of Betterbee to explore what beekeeping in hot weather really means inside and outside the hive. Jim begins by asking a simple question: are bees actually bothered by…
Removing honey from a hive sounds simple until the supers are full. In this Honey Bee Obscura Archive Special, the late Kim Flottum and Dr. Jim Tew revisit one of the most physically demanding jobs in beekeeping: harvesting honey. They compare their different backyard setups, discuss how they remove bees…
As summer temperatures climb across much of North America, Dr. Jim Tew reflects on what extreme heat means for both honey bees and the people who care for them. Speaking from his Ohio bee yard during an intense July heat wave, Jim shares why years of experience—and a healthy respect…
Sometimes honey bees choose unusual places to live. In this episode of Honey Bee Obscura, Jim Tew visits the property of longtime bee lab colleague Sherry to examine a remarkably small colony that has established itself completely exposed on a fallen tree branch near a blueberry and elderberry planting. The…
Summer heat brings a familiar sight to many beekeepers: honey bees clustered outside the hive entrance, hanging from the landing board, and covering the front of the colony. In this episode of Honey Bee Obscura, Jim Tew reflects on what beekeepers often call “bearding” and shares memories from decades of…
In this Honey Bee Obscura Archive Special, Jim Tew and Kim Flottum revisit an important topic that becomes increasingly relevant as summer progresses: working bees in the heat of summer. As colonies reach peak population and honey supers become heavier, beekeeping becomes more physically demanding. Jim reflects on how beekeeping…
In this reflective episode of Honey Bee Obscura, Dr. Jim Tew walks back to his bee yard after several days of rain and immediately confronts a familiar challenge: grass and weeds that have grown well beyond manageable height. What begins as a discussion about mowing quickly becomes a thoughtful examination…
In this episode of Honey Bee Obscura, Jim Tew heads into the bee yard to check on five package colonies installed earlier in the spring. What begins as a routine inspection quickly becomes a reminder of how rapidly healthy colonies can develop during a favorable season. Each colony is thriving,…
Jim Tew welcomes his grandson, Will Laditka, back to Honey Bee Obscura for a candid conversation about the realities of learning beekeeping as a young beginner. Will reflects on losing his first colonies, the emotional impact of what initially appeared to be American Foulbrood, and how those difficult experiences ultimately…
In this final installment of the “Wayward Swarm” saga, Dr. Jim Tew and Jason Ferrell return to the colony that has caused more trouble, worry, and excitement than either expected. After multiple attempts to recover and hive the swarm — including ladders, falls, cold weather, bee vacuums, overloaded trap cages,…
In this third installment of The Wayward Swarm, Jim Tew returns to the now-infamous swarm hanging high in a tree after days of cold rain and falling temperatures. Joined by longtime beekeeper friend Jason Ferrell, Jim attempts one final rescue effort for what may be one of the largest —…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…