Beekeeping Today Podcast - Presented by Betterbee

Episodes

March 24, 2026

Bonus – Introducing Stephanie Slater: Honey Shows and Judging

Stephanie Slater introduces her experience with honey shows and judging, previewing a new series on evaluating honey and participating in beekeeping competitions.

Listen to the Episode
March 23, 2026

Spotted Lanternfly Honey: Beekeeper Opportunity? (377)

Spotted lanternfly honey is gaining attention across the beekeeping world. In this episode, Jeff and Becky talk with Dr. Robyn Underwood and Dr. Ferhat Ozturk about what this honey really is, how it’s produced, and what it means for beekeepers navigating invasive species.

Listen to the Episode
March 18, 2026

Bee Science: Varroa Mites with Dewey Caron (BSD-3)

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.

Listen to the Episode
March 16, 2026

Jamie Ellis: Improving Honey Bee Health (376)

Dr. Jamie Ellis discusses honey bee health research, practical beekeeping insights, and how current science helps beekeepers make better management decisions in the apiary.

Listen to the Episode
March 9, 2026

Tara Chapman: For the Bees (375)

Tara Chapman returns to discuss her book For the Bees, her biology-first approach to teaching beekeeping, and how she built a successful bee business starting with just two hives in Austin, Texas.

Listen to the Episode
March 2, 2026

COLOSS & Honey Bee Nutrition with Dr. Priya Basu (374)

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...

Listen to the Episode
Feb. 23, 2026

Midwest Honey Bee Expo - Panel Discussion: Building Your Business (37…

Jeff and Becky introduce a live business panel from the 2026 Midwest Honey Bee Expo. Experienced beekeepers discuss profitability, overwintering losses, labor, and the financial realities of running a sustainable beekeeping operation.

Listen to the Episode
Feb. 18, 2026

[Bonus] Colony Necropsy with Dewey (BSD-2)

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.

Listen to the Episode
Feb. 16, 2026

Bottom Up Beekeeping (372)

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.

Listen to the Episode
Feb. 9, 2026

Archive Special: How To Get Started With Bees - Part 1 (371)

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

Listen to the Episode
Feb. 2, 2026

Queens, DCAs, and Africanized Honey Bees with Chip Taylor and Gard Ot…

Returning guests Dr. Chip Taylor and Dr. Gard Otis revisit queen mating, DCAs, and Africanized honey bees—exploring what we know, what we still don’t, and how decades of research have reshaped long-held assumptions.

Listen to the Episode
Jan. 26, 2026

Listener Beekeeping Questions (369)

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.

Listen to the Episode
Jan. 21, 2026

Bonus: Bee Science with Dewey — Clustering and Winter Survival (BSD-1)

How do honey bees survive winter — and what role does clustering really play? In this first episode of Bee Science with Dewey, Dr. Dewey Caron explains the biology behind winter clustering and what it means for colony survival.

Listen to the Episode
Jan. 19, 2026

Cold-Climate Beekeeping and Winter Feeding Insights with Etienne Tard…

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.

Listen to the Episode
Jan. 10, 2026

[Bonus] North American Honey Bee Expo 2026, Day 3 (Saturday)

Join us for a special series of episodes recorded live from the floor of the North American Honey Bee Expo in Louisville, KY, January 8–10, 2026. Jeff and Becky bring you the latest beekeeping insights, trends, and innovation...

Listen to the Episode
Jan. 9, 2026

[Bonus] North American Honey Bee Expo 2026, Day 2 (Friday)

Join us on the floor at NAHBE 2026 for Day 2 as we capture conversations, reflections, and the energy of one of North America’s premier beekeeping events.

Listen to the Episode
Jan. 8, 2026

[Bonus] North American Honey Bee Expo 2026, Day 1 (Thursday)

Day One of the North American Honey Bee Expo!

Listen to the Episode
Jan. 5, 2026

Bee Health, Research, and Real-World Beekeeping with Dr. Jeff Pettis …

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.

Listen to the Episode
Dec. 29, 2025

End of Year Wrap-Up: Lessons from 2025 and Looking Ahead (366)

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.

Listen to the Episode
Dec. 22, 2025

Holiday Special with Jim Tew - The Promise of Bees (365)

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…

Listen to the Episode
Dec. 17, 2025

[Bonus] Short - Hive Debris Analysis with Dr. Dewey Caron

In this December Beekeeping Today Short, Dr. Dewey Caron explores what hive debris analysis can tell us about colony health and seasonal activity. From mite levels to cluster size, pollen use, pests, and even signs of queen events, Dewey walks listeners through how bottom-board “trash” provides sur…

Listen to the Episode
Dec. 15, 2025

Bees First, Honey Second with AJ & Chryssa Gardner (364)

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.

Listen to the Episode
Dec. 8, 2025

Changes at BroodMinder (363)

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 …

Listen to the Episode
Dec. 1, 2025

Honey Bee Viruses with Declan Schroeder (362)

Virologist Dr. Declan Schroeder joins Becky and guest co-host Bridget Mendel to explore the evolving world of honey bee viruses—how they spread, how Varroa changes the equation, and what current research reveals about colony health. This clear, accessible conversation helps beekeepers understand th…

Listen to the Episode