Honey Bee Management Episodes

In this episode, we welcome back Dr. Priyadarshini “Priya” Basu of Washington State University to discuss two major topics shaping the future of beekeeping: the upcoming COLOSS North America meeting and the evolving science o...

Dewey Caron introduces colony necropsy, showing how hive debris can diagnose colony health, seasonal progress, and unseen stress—giving beekeepers a simple, low-disturbance management tool.

What can the hive floor reveal about colony health? Scottish beekeeper Ray Baxter explains how studying hive debris—from pollen and wax to Varroa fragments, aka bottom-up beekeeping—can guide better management decisions and deepen understanding of honey bee biology.

A revisited beginner classic on how to get started in beekeeping, covering mentors, hive location, expectations, and first-year success.

Jeff and Becky answer listener questions on mentorship, overwintering, feeding bees, hive tools, monitoring systems, and common beekeeping myths in this wide-ranging Q&A episode.

What really happens inside a hive during extreme winter conditions? Etienne Tardif joins the podcast to share cold-climate insights on feeding, insulation, brood timing, and how data can reveal what bees need to survive winter.

What does a world-renowned honey bee researcher actually do in his own bee yard? Jeff Pettis returns to share insights on bee health, Tropilaelaps research, and the practical choices guiding his day-to-day beekeeping.

A thoughtful end-of-year conversation with Jeff Ott, Becky Masterman, and David Peck reflecting on the challenges and lessons of beekeeping in 2025—from varroa and viruses to smarter management and reasons for optimism heading into 2026.

In this Holiday Special episode of Beekeeping Today Podcast, Jeff Ott, Becky Masterman, and Jim Tew share a reflective conversation on bees, beekeeping, and the quieter rhythms of winter during Christmas week.The discussion explores what honey bees are doing inside winter clusters, how beekeepe…

AJ and Chryssa Gardner share how a backyard garden turned into a thriving sideline beekeeping operation built on stewardship, nutrition, and respect for the bees. This thoughtful conversation explores why putting bees first leads to healthier colonies—and extraordinary honey.

BroodMinder joins Jeff and Becky to share big updates, new leadership changes, and the latest advances in hive-monitoring tools. Founder Rich Morris, software lead Amanda Stoltz, and global collaborator Lorenzo Pons discuss how sensors help beekeepers track colony health, nectar flows, and threats …

Varroa mites remain the most destructive pest facing honey bees today—but a revolutionary new treatment may finally shift the balance. In this episode, Jeff Ott and Dr. Becky Masterman welcome Adam Pachl, North American Techn...

In this October Beekeeping Today Podcast Short , Dr. Dewey Caron returns from Apimondia in Copenhagen and the Washington State Beekeepers Association Conference with another Audio Postcard—this time exploring the long-debated...

In this special Beekeeping Today Podcast roundtable, Jeff Ott and Dr. Becky Masterman gather an inspiring group of regional beekeepers from across the U.S. to share how their colonies fared through the 2025 season and what th...

Fall is one of the most critical times in the beekeeping calendar, and in this episode Jeff and Becky welcome Jim Tew of Honey Bee Obscura for a lively and practical discussion about preparing colonies for winter. The convers...

In this episode of Beekeeping Today Podcast , Jeff and Becky sit down with East Coast beekeeper and innovator Jim Fischer , the creator of Fischer’s Bee-Quick . Known for its pleasant almond-cherry aroma, Bee-Quick was develo...

In this episode, Jeff Ott and Becky Masterman welcome back Kamon Reynolds , Tennessee beekeeper and founder of the North American Honeybee Expo (NAHBE) . Kamon shares how he balances managing over 150 colonies with organizing...

In this BTP Short, Dr. Dewey Caron shares another of his “audio postcards,” this time exploring the critical role of fat bees—also known as diutinus bees—in helping colonies survive winter. Dewey explains how these long-lived...

In this milestone 350th episode of Beekeeping Today Podcast , Jeff Ott and Becky Masterman welcome Vikki Atkinson of Pennsylvania to share her deep experience managing over 100 Top-Bar hives. Vikki walks listeners through the...

In this episode, Jeff and Becky welcome Indiana beekeeper Dave McComb to share his journey from inheriting one defensive hive in 2018 to managing over 100 colonies, producing honey, nucs, and queens with remarkable success. D...

In this episode, Jeff and Becky dive into the fascinating world of two-queen hive systems with guests Alan Wade and Dannielle Harden. Alan, an Australian researcher and longtime contributor to The Australasian Beekeeper, brin...

In this Beekeeping Today Podcast Short, Dr. Dewey Caron returns with his latest “audio postcard,” diving into summer apiary management. As the season heats up, Dewey asks: are we unknowingly stressing our bees through our sup...

In this lively episode, Jeff and Becky welcome back Dr. Jim Tew, host of Honey Bee Obscura and longtime beekeeper, for an unscripted conversation on the quirks, questions, and quiet joys of summer beekeeping. With decades of ...

On this special edition of Shorts, Dr. Dewey Caron shares another “audio postcard” exploring the vital role of communication in supering—adding boxes to a hive for nectar storage and honey production. Dewey explains how supering is a message...