Pests And Predators Episodes

The Honey Bee Health Coalition just released the 9th edition of the Varroa Management Guide. For many beekeepers, this guide has become the go-to reference for cutting through misinformation and focusing on proven, research-backed practices. With this latest edition, the Coalition has made meaningful updates that reflect the increasing difficulty of controlling Varroa, even when best practices are followed.

Dr. Dewey Caron explains how to build an effective Varroa management plan using IPM principles, early-season control, and the right combination of treatment tools.

Dr. Dewey Caron discusses updates to the Honey Bee Health Coalition’s Varroa Management Guide, including new thresholds, decision tools, and science-based strategies for controlling mites.

Jeff Pettis and Carlos Perea return to discuss Terra Vera’s hive health approach, including varroa control, pathogen reduction, and new tools for improving biosecurity in beekeeping.

Dr. Dewey Caron explains the biology of Varroa mites, how they reproduce inside brood cells, and why understanding their life cycle is essential for protecting honey bee colonies.

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.

Honey bees continue to face shifting pressures from pests, and few are as relentless as varroa mites. In this episode, Jeff and Becky talk with Washington State University graduate student Molly Quade, whose research into fighting varroa with fungi offers a promising biological alternative to traditional mite treatments. Molly studies entomopathogenic fungi—especially Metarhizium species—which naturally infect arthropods and are already used in agriculture for pest management. Her work center...

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 Technical Manager for Bee Health at GreenLight Biosciences, to discuss Norroa, the first EPA-approved dsRNA-based treatment for Varroa mites. Norroa introduces a fundamentally new approach: instead of killing mites outright, it prevents them from reproducing. Adam explains how...

In this Beekeeping Today Podcast Short, Jeff and Becky continue their special series on Varroa treatments and control strategies with Dr. David Peck of Betterbee. In this installment, they explore one of the hardest realities of beekeeping—what it looks like when colonies die from Varroa infestations and associated viruses. David explains that “death by Varroa” isn’t just a winter loss—it’s a collapse that can happen in late summer or fall when mite levels and viruses overwhelm a colony. Toge...

In this Beekeeping Today Podcast Short, Jeff and Becky are joined once again by Dr. David Peck of Betterbee to explore non-chemical strategies for managing varroa mites. While miticides remain the backbone of many treatment programs, non-chemical approaches can play a valuable role in integrated pest management—if used wisely. David highlights proven practices like drone brood removal, which exploits the mite’s preference for drone cells, and brood interruption techniques, including splits, s...

In this Varroa Treatment Short, Jeff and Becky are joined once again by Dr. David Peck of BetterBee to discuss two thymol-based mite control options: ApiLife-Var and Apiguard . Both products rely on the essential oil thymol, but differ in formulation and delivery. ApiLife Var comes as wafers containing thymol along with eucalyptus oil, menthol, and camphor, while Apiguard is a gel tray or gel-applied product containing thymol alone. While both products are gentle on bees and effective against...

In this Varroa Treatment Short, Jeff and Becky are joined by Dr. David Peck of BetterBee to discuss HopGuard 3, the latest version of this organically derived mite control option. The conversation covers the product’s evolution from earlier formulations, its active ingredient (hops beta acids), and what makes it safe to use even with honey supers in place. The discussion highlights the pros—organic origins, safe with honey, rotation potential—and the cons, including its limited effectiveness dur...

Dr. Lewis Bartlett returns to Beekeeping Today Podcast to share the latest science on honey bee health, pest management, and the evolving challenges beekeepers face worldwide. In this wide-ranging conversation, Lewis dives into how shifting climates, global trade, and emerging pests are reshaping the landscape for beekeeping. He explores the role of integrated pest management, the importance of genetic diversity in colonies, and why maintaining flexibility is essential for long-term success. ...

In this Varroa Treatments short, Jeff Ott and co-host Dr. Becky Masterman welcome Dr. David Peck from Betterbee to discuss formic acid—a powerful tool in the fight against varroa mites. David explains how Formic Pro, the most common formic acid varroa treatment product now available in the U.S., is formulated to safely release vapors that penetrate capped brood cells, killing mites both on adult bees and developing brood. David and Becky highlight both the strengths and cautions: formic acid’...

In this Beekeeping Today Podcast Short, Dr. Dewey Caron returns with his monthly audio postcard—this time focused on August mite management and a remarkable discovery about honey bee learning. Dewey reminds beekeepers that August is a critical month to monitor and treat for varroa mites before their populations explode. He shares updates on new and emerging treatments, including Norroa (a dsRNA-based biopesticide), Mite Bee Gone (L-glutamic acid strips), and Apivar 2.0, as well as best practices...

Late summer brings not just honey harvests but also the return of yellow jackets. For many beekeepers, their sudden appearance can spark concern—or outright dread—around the bee yard. In this episode, Jeff and Becky sit down with Dr. Richard Zack, professor of entomology at Washington State University, to unpack the truth about these misunderstood wasps. Rich shares fascinating insights into yellow jacket biology, their annual colony cycle, and why they turn up at apiaries during nectar deart...

In this installment of the Varroa Treatment Series, Jeff and Becky welcome Dr. David Peck of BetterBee to discuss oxalic acid treatments, one of the most widely used organic options for controlling Varroa mites. The conversation explores both oxalic acid vaporization (OAV) and the dribble method, breaking down how each is applied, safety considerations, and when they are most effective. David explains the differences between registered products like Api-Bioxal and EZ-OX, recent label updates ...

In this BTPS Varroa Treatments short, Jeff and Becky are joined again by Dr. David Peck of Betterbee to explore amitraz—known commercially to most U.S. beekeepers as Apivar. As a synthetic miticide, Apivar has long been a cornerstone of mite control due to its effectiveness, wide temperature range, and bee-friendly properties. But as with many tools in the beekeeper’s arsenal, its strength may also be its vulnerability. David explains how amitraz works by overstimulating the varroa mite’s ner...

In this episode, Jeff and Becky speak with Dr. Steve Pernal, research scientist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, about his team’s recent work monitoring Varroa destructor populations and treatment efficacy across Canada. As varroa continues to be the leading driver of colony mortality, Steve and his colleagues are collecting long-term data on mite levels, reinfestation rates, and treatment performance across a wide range of beekeeping operations. Steve shares insights from national moni...

In this Varroa Treatments Short, Jeff and Becky are once again joined by Dr. David Peck of Betterbee to examine two early weapons in the war against varroa: Apistan and CheckMite+. These synthetic miticides—fluvalinate and coumaphos—once gave beekeepers a critical lifeline when varroa first emerged in U.S. apiaries in the late 1980s. But what started as a breakthrough quickly turned into a warning tale of overuse, resistance, and long-lasting chemical residues. David walks us through the hist...

In this episode of our BTP Shorts series on varroa treatments, Jeff and Becky welcome back Dr. David Peck of Betterbee to explore VarroxSan—an extended-release oxalic acid strip used to manage varroa mites. David explains how this USDA-registered product works, its origins in South American formulations like Aluen CAP, and why its slow-release delivery makes it a valuable tool for maintaining mite levels throughout the brood cycle. Oxalic acid, a naturally occurring organic acid, is effective...

In this first episode of our Beekeeping Today Podcast Shorts series on varroa mites, Jeff Ott and Becky Masterman are joined by Dr. David Peck of Betterbee to lay the foundation for an important multi-part series. Varroa mites continue to be the most damaging pest to honey bee colonies worldwide. In this introduction, the trio covers the biology and lifecycle of varroa, the damage they inflict, and why routine monitoring and informed treatment choices are critical for beekeepers. David explai...

In this episode of Beekeeping Today Podcast, we welcome an inspiring young voice in honey bee research—Atreya Manaswi, a high school senior and top 40 finalist in the 2025 Regeneron Science Talent Search. Atreya shares the fascinating journey that began with a fishing trip and led to a multi-year research project aimed at controlling one of the most damaging pests of honey bees: the small hive beetle. Working under mentorship from the USDA and University of Florida, Atreya developed a new org...

Dr. Samuel Ramsey returns to the podcast with jaw-dropping updates from his global research into Tropilaelaps and Varroa mites. In this fast-paced and eye-opening conversation, Sammy shares the latest findings from his Honey Bee-nome Project,...