Episodes

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.

The Heartland Apicultural Society returns to Michigan State University May 30–31, 2026, bringing together beekeepers from across the region for two days of education, networking, and hands-on learning. In this Beekeeping Today Podcast Short, Jeff Ott and Becky Masterman welcome Ana Heck of Michigan State University and Dr. Robyn Underwood of Penn State University to preview the upcoming conference and explain why this event offers something valuable for everyone from beginning beekeepers to expe...

In this Bee Science with Dewey, Dewey explores the rapid growth of honey bee colonies in spring and the management decisions beekeepers face during this critical season. Dewey discusses how pollen availability, weather, and nutrition drive brood production and colony expansion, while also increasing the risk of swarming and varroa mite reproduction. The episode reviews current research on protein supplementation, including studies from the University of Guelph, the USDA, and Washington State University, highlighting how supplemental feeding can support stronger spring buildup and improved overwintering success. Dewey also examines brood breaks, swarm prevention, colony evaluation methods, and the importance of balancing growth with pest management. Throughout the discussion, Dewey emphasizes practical observation and individualized colony management, reminding beekeepers that no two colonies—or spring seasons—are exactly alike.

Jeff Ott and Becky Masterman welcome Randy and Eric Oliver to discuss selective breeding, Golden West queens, and the future of Varroa-resistant honey bees. The Olivers explain their breeding philosophy, mite wash systems, drone management, and why genetics may offer the long-term solution to Varroa control.

Stephanie Slater shares expert tips on selecting and preparing jars for honey shows, along with updates on upcoming events and judging opportunities.

Dr. Juliana Rangel joins the Queen Series to explore honey bee mating behavior, drone importance, and the science behind queen quality and longevity.

Dr. Sammy Ramsey joins this BTP Short to discuss his work on National Geographic’s Secrets of the Bees. From science to storytelling, he shares how the series reveals new insights into honey bee behavior, Varroa resistance, and the emotional connection between humans and bees.

Dr. David Tarpy joins Jeff and Becky to kick off a new queen-focused series by redefining what “queen quality” really means. Moving beyond brood patterns, Tarpy explains how mating success, sperm viability, and colony perception all shape a queen’s performance. The discussion highlights how worker bees—not just the queen herself—play a central role in determining colony outcomes, and why environmental stressors like temperature and pesticides can lead to premature queen failure. This episode provides a science-based foundation for understanding queens as part of a complex, responsive system rather than a simple egg-laying individual.

Swarm season moves fast, and knowing when—and how—to respond can make all the difference. In this episode, Jeff and Becky talk with Mateo Kaiser about how Bee Swarmed is helping beekeepers connect with swarm opportunities in real time. Mateo explains how the platform streamlines swarm reporting, reduces confusion for the public, and increases the chances that swarms are safely collected and rehomed. The conversation also explores practical swarm management decisions, including when to split colonies and how to stay ahead of swarming pressure during rapid spring buildup. Looking ahead, Mateo shares how emerging data tools—like swarm timing predictions and trap placement insights—are giving beekeepers a new way to anticipate swarm behavior rather than simply react to it.