Beekeeping Today Podcast - Presented by Betterbee

David Wade

David Wade Profile Photo

Hobby Beekeeper/Wax Experimenter

Dave Wade is a 20 year hobby beekeeper from Sturbridge, MA. He is a long time member and a newly elected board member of the Worcester County Beekeeping Association. The club recently celebrated 125 years. In August 2024, he discovered a method to get honey bees to build comb late season by providing them with strips of rolled up wax foundation. He was able to extend the comb building season through September, in Massachusetts. In 2025, he conducted an experiment with package hives in which he showed that providing spring packages with supplemental rolls of wax the hives grew stronger and faster than the control group.

390
June 22, 2026

Moving Wax Around the Hive with Dave Wade (390)

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.
Guest: David Wade