Episodes

What will a healthy beekeeping industry look like five or ten years from now—and what needs to change to get us there? Recorded live at the Tri-States and Minnesota Beekeepers meeting in Fargo, Jeff Ott and Becky Masterman moderate a wide-ranging conversation with Randy Oliver of Scientific Beekeeping, Dr. Izzy Hill of Project Apis m., and Dr. Brandon Hopkins of Washington State University about protecting the future of beekeeping. The discussion begins with the economics. Commercial beekeeping...

Adam Hickman of Foxhound Bee Company joins Jeff and Becky for a behind-the-scenes look at The Rivals of Amziah King, starring Matthew McConaughey. Adam served as a bee wrangler and beekeeping consultant on the film, helping create authentic scenes using live honey bees. He shares how his team staged a cutout, prepared colonies with young nurse bees for the actors, created McConaughey’s memorable bee-covered-arm scene, and helped filmmakers get the details of beekeeping right.

What can we learn simply by listening to a honey bee colony? Dr. Dewey Caron explores the science of sound in the hive, including how bees produce and detect vibrations, the distinctive sound of queenless colonies, vibroacoustic communication during the waggle dance, predator-warning signals, and what young bees learn by following experienced dancers. Dewey also traces acoustic hive monitoring from Eddie Woods’ early Apidictor to today’s sophisticated digital and machine-learning systems. This is Part One of a two-part exploration of honey bee sounds.

Award-winning student researcher Aakash Manaswi joins Jeff and Becky to discuss his multi-year investigation into using carbon dioxide as a potential Varroa mite treatment. Aakash explains his hive-top CO₂ delivery system, laboratory and field research, treatment strategy, limitations, and plans for future testing. The conversation also covers his AI-powered Varroa sticky-board counter and his award-winning experience at the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair. Plus, Jeff and Becky discuss the opportunities—and limitations—of using AI as a beekeeping resource.

Recorded live at the Tri-States Beekeeping Conference in Fargo, North Dakota, this special panel discussion brings together four respected voices in beekeeping: Randy Oliver, Jackie Park-Burris, Dr. Katie Lee, and Dr. Rogan Tokash. Moderated by Jeff Ott and Dr. Becky Masterman, the panel examines the current state of honey bee health, including Varroa mite management, resistance to amitraz, advances in breeding mite-resistant bees, honey bee nutrition, forage availability, pesticides, and the economics affecting both commercial and hobbyist beekeepers. The discussion also addresses the future of almond pollination, the importance of applied research, and how collaboration between scientists and beekeepers continues to drive practical solutions for healthier colonies.

Preparing extracted honey for competition may seem intimidating, but according to Stephanie Slater, success comes down to patience, attention to detail, and understanding what judges are really looking for. In this episode of Winning at Honey, Stephanie shares practical advice for preparing award-winning extracted honey—from bottling weeks in advance to achieving the proper fill level, eliminating bubbles, selecting matching jars, and avoiding common defects that cost exhibitors valuable points. She also explains how judges evaluate entries, what can disqualify an otherwise beautiful jar of honey, and why proper handling begins long before the honey reaches the extraction room. Stephanie is also joined by Brutz English, President of the American Honey Judges Association, who discusses the organization’s remarkable growth, upcoming governance changes, and his vision for expanding honey judging education throughout North America.

Michael Mahar of 21st Bee joins Jeff and Becky for a wide-ranging conversation about designing durable plastic bee frames, communication passages in comb, small-cell bees, drone brood, genetics, and his unconventional treatment-free approach to Varroa management. Then Michael explains his elaborate process for creating bourbon-infused honey using bourbon-soaked oak, different toast and char levels, temperature cycling, and months of careful tasting and adjustment.

Amy Vu, Extension Coordinator with the University of Florida Honey Bee Lab and co-host of Two Bees in a Podcast, joins Jeff Ott and Dr. Becky Masterman to discuss how Extension education is shaping the future of beekeeping. Amy shares her journey from agronomy and soils science to becoming one of the country’s leading honey bee educators. The conversation explores the University of Florida’s internationally recognized Master Beekeeper Program, innovative online education efforts, Bee College, and the research and Extension programs continuing under Dr. Cameron Jack following Jamie Ellis’ transition. The discussion also travels to Thailand, where Amy leads educational expeditions introducing beekeepers to native honey bee species, Tropilaelaps mites, and practical biosecurity measures designed to reduce the risk of introducing invasive pests into North America. Finally, Amy explains Florida’s successful “Leveling Up” program, which helps hobbyist beekeepers develop business plans, …

Award-winning filmmaker Ariel Gilman captured something far deeper than beekeeping in The Boys and the Bees. In this episode, Jeff Ott and Becky Masterman welcome Georgia beekeeper Nehemiah Ray, whose family’s story became the subject of the Sundance Award-winning short documentary. Nehemiah shares how an unexpected encounter with honey bees while working in pest control led him into beekeeping, live honey bee removals, and raising his sons alongside the bees. The conversation explores fatherhood, family, resilience, honey bee removals, learning from bees, and the remarkable

Dr. Dewey Caron explains the remarkable dance language of honey bees, exploring how scout bees communicate food location, distance, direction, and resource quality through the round dance, sickle dance, and waggle dance. Along the way, he highlights the pioneering work of Karl von Frisch and the continuing discoveries that deepen our understanding of honey bee communication.

Dr. Robert Owen joins Jeff Ott and Becky Masterman to discuss his new book Beekeeping Success, honey bee genetics, queen breeding, Varroa management, Tropilaelaps, Australian beekeeping, and lessons learned while working with beekeepers around the world.

Dr. Vincent Ricigliano joins Jeff Ott and Becky Masterman to discuss the future of honey bee nutrition and biotechnology. The conversation explores algae-based supplemental diets, functional feeds, RNAi technologies, viral management, and emerging tools aimed at helping beekeepers better manage Varroa, disease pressures, and colony health challenges.

Stephanie Slater returns with a busy summer update, sharing highlights from the Heartland Apicultural Society conference, a youth beekeeping camp, and preparations for upcoming honey judging events. This month’s featured topic explores how to create award-winning beeswax exhibits, including proper wax handling, candle preparation, common mistakes to avoid, and practical tips that judges look for in competition entries. Stephanie also spotlights upcoming honey shows in Colorado and South Carolina and offers encouragement for first-time exhibitors.

In this episode, Jeff Ott and Becky Masterman welcome Dr. Jack Rath, former owner of Betterbee, veterinarian, beekeeper, and queen breeder, for a detailed conversation about instrumental insemination of honey bee queens. Jack explains how the process is used in selective breeding programs, why instrumentally inseminated queens are typically breeder queens, and how queen producers use them to develop traits such as Varroa resistance, gentleness, overwintering ability, and honey production. The discussion covers queen and drone timing, semen collection, equipment, aftercare, queen acceptance, and the complexity of maintaining multiple breeding lines. Jack also shares how his background in veterinary reproductive work helped prepare him for this highly technical aspect

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.

Dave Wade joins Beekeeping Today to discuss his fascinating experiments exploring how honey bees move wax throughout the hive. By providing supplemental wax and using colored wax to track its movement, Dave has documented how colonies recycle and relocate wax for comb construction, brood rearing, honey capping, and hive maintenance. Along the way, he shares practical insights on drawing comb, managing honey-bound colonies, and helping bees build comb later in the season.

Kamon Reynolds joins Jeff Ott and Becky Masterman to discuss plans for the 2027 North American Honey Bee Expo, including expanded educational programming, new presentation tracks, and a formal call for speaker proposals. The conversation also highlights the Beginning Beekeeping Short Course being developed with Beekeeping Today, attendance growth, international outreach, and the Expo’s mission to connect, educate, and inspire beekeepers of all experience levels.

In this episode of Bee Science, Dr. Dewey Caron discusses one of the most important late-summer management tasks: removing honey supers and preparing honey for harvest. Dewey reviews the advantages and disadvantages of bee escape boards, fume boards, bee blowers, and bounce-and-brush techniques while also covering robbing prevention, brood in supers, honey moisture testing, and proper post-harvest handling. The result is a practical guide to protecting both honey quality and colony health as the season transitions toward fall.

Chris Hansen joins Beekeeping Today to discuss the fascinating and often-overlooked world of package bee transportation. Drawing on nearly thirty years of beekeeping experience and years operating a specialized bee-hauling business, Chris explains how package bees are safely transported across the country, the importance of airflow and temperature management, and the logistical challenges involved in moving thousands of bees. Jeff and Becky also discuss spring management, honey supers, swarm prevention, and answer a listener question about common misconceptions among third-year beekeepers.

Dr. Jennie Durant joins Beekeeping Today to discuss her new book, Bitter Honey: Big Ag’s Threat to the Bees and the Fight to Save Them. Drawing on years of research and interviews with beekeepers, growers, and scientists, Jennie explores the challenges facing modern pollinators, including habitat loss, agricultural intensification, honey adulteration, climate change, and varroa management. She also shares hopeful examples of habitat restoration and conservation efforts that can help support both honey bees and native pollinators.

Stephanie Slater discusses preparing for the upcoming honey show season, shares major news about the new American Honey Judges Association, explains how Black Jar Honey Tasting Contests bring beekeepers together, and offers practical advice on one of the most overlooked keys to success in honey competitions: carefully reading the rules before entering.

Beekeepers from across North America reunite for the Spring 2026 Regional Beekeepers Roundtable. Ang Roell, Bonnie Morse, Duane Combs, Jay Williams, and Paul Longwell compare regional honey flows, Varroa management strategies, small hive beetle challenges, queen breeding efforts, honey marketing, and innovative beekeeping projects. The discussion includes practical lessons, field observations, and plenty of entertaining stories from the bee yard.

In this episode of Beekeeping Today, Jeff Ott and Becky Masterman welcome Ana Heck and Robyn Underwood from the Apiculture Extension Educators of America (AEEA) to discuss the value and impact of extension education in beekeeping and agriculture. They explore how extension programs connect research-based information with local communities, support beginning and experienced beekeepers, and help strengthen relationships between universities, researchers, and the public. The conversation highlights the evolving role of Extension in today’s rapidly changing agricultural landscape and why trusted, science-based outreach remains essential for honey bee health and beekeeper success.

In this episode of the Queen Series, beekeeper and educator Ang Roell joins Jeff Ott and Becky Masterman to discuss practical queen management from the perspective of a hands-on beekeeper. Ang shares insights on queen quality, colony temperament, requeening decisions, swarm management, and what newer beekeepers should understand about the queen’s role in colony health and productivity. The conversation blends science, observation, and real-world experience while exploring how queens influence everything from brood patterns to beekeeper confidence. Ang also discusses education, mentorship, and helping more people become comfortable working bees thoughtfully and successfully.