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PODCAST

Honey Bee Obscura Podcast

The weekly podcast exploring the joys, challenges, and curiosities of keeping honey bees. Hosted by Dr. Jim Tew and produced by Jeff Ott, Honey Bee Obscura delivers short, focused conversations that dive into the details of beekeeping—from practical how-tos to quirky observations. Perfect for learning something new on the way to the apiary, at home, or wherever your bees take you.

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All Episodes

20:55

Plain Talk About Division Board Feeders (169)

Honey Bee Obscura Podcast ·

2024/03/07

In this episode Jim discusses the obscure world of division board feeders, exploring their history, evolution, and practical use in beekeeping. These feeders, which replace a frame inside the hive, have undergone significant changes over the years, from simple molded plastics to modern versions with top doors, gates, and valves. Jim shares his personal experiences, emphasizing the importance of a rough interior to prevent bee drownings and the need for a float to ensure bees can safely access the

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21:04

Talking With Kids About Bees (168)

Honey Bee Obscura Podcast ·

2024/02/29

In this enlightening episode, Jim invites American Bee Journal editor, Eugene Makovec, to the podcast to chat about their experiences and insights on how to engage young minds with the fascinating world of beekeeping. They delve into the joys and challenges of presenting beekeeping to children, from kindergarteners' innocent inquiries to the more sophisticated questions of fifth graders. Through anecdotes and practical advice, Jim and Eugene illustrate the importance of adjusting communication to

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22:19

Dealing With Heavy Hives with Anne Frey (167)

Honey Bee Obscura Podcast ·

2024/02/22

In this episode, Jim Tew and Anne Frey tackle a common yet often overlooked challenge in beekeeping: managing the heavy weight of hives. They delve into practical solutions and innovative ideas to make beekeeping tasks more manageable, emphasizing that this issue impacts beekeepers regardless of age, gender, or experience level. They both stress the importance of adapting beekeeping practices to accommodate individual capabilities and limitations, suggesting that small adjustments can lead to a more

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24:21

Sampling Varroa Mites (166)

Honey Bee Obscura Podcast ·

2024/02/15

Join Jim Tew and David Peck in a critical conversation about Varroa mite management in beekeeping. This episode demystifies the process of counting mites, offering practical advice and insights into the importance of monitoring mite levels for the health of bee colonies. Discover various methods for assessing Varroa populations, from alcohol washes to powdered sugar shakes, and learn why accurate monitoring is essential for effective beekeeping. Whether you're a long-time beekeeper or just starting

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20:30

Eating Honey (165)

Honey Bee Obscura Podcast ·

2024/02/08

Diving into the sweet yet challenging world of honey consumption, this week’s episode of Honey Bee Obscura delves into the nuances of enjoying honey—without the mess. Jim discusses the inevitable sticky spills that occur no matter how careful you are with honey. Whether it’s a drop missing the target or the complexities of enjoying comb honey and dealing with the leftover wax, Jim covers it all. Jim also explores the best ways to store honey, debating glass vs. plastic containers, and addresses

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23:32

Colony Collapse and Varroa, Plain Talk with Dr. David...

Honey Bee Obscura Podcast ·

2024/02/01

In today's episode, Jim is joined by Dr. David Peck, an expert in varroa mites, to delve into the critical issue of honey bee colony collapse linked to varroa infestation. This topic is different from Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD), focusing instead on the impact of varroa mites and the diseases they introduce to both adult bees and larvae. The episode addresses a common frustration among beekeepers: the collapse of their strongest and most productive summer colonies. These hives, characterized by

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21:25

In Class with Jim: "Supering" (163)

Honey Bee Obscura Podcast ·

2024/01/25

In this episode we delve into the concept of "supering," a term unique to beekeeping that has emerged over the past century. To those outside the beekeeping community, the term might sound like something out of a superhero comic, but for beekeepers, it's a crucial aspect of hive management. Jim, guides listeners through the history and significance of supering in beekeeping. But what exactly is supering? It involves adding boxes, known as supers or honey supers, to the hive. These are designed for

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19:30

Mentoring Young Beekeepers (162)

Honey Bee Obscura Podcast ·

2024/01/18

In today's episode, Jim and Becky Masterman (co-host of Beekeeping Today Podcast) delve into the challenges and joys of mentoring young beekeepers, with a special focus on family dynamics. Jim shares his recent experience of being asked to mentor his grandson, who lives four hours away in a different state, adding a layer of complexity to the mentoring process. Mentoring within the family brings its unique pressures, but it also offers an invaluable chance for seasoned beekeepers to revisit the

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21:14

Colony Confinement (161)

Honey Bee Obscura Podcast ·

2024/01/11

Beekeepers must often confine their bees to the hives for long or short periods of time, whether it be to move them from one yard to another, or if pesticides are to be used in neighboring fields and even transporting home package bees or nucs in the spring. Have you ever considered the effects this confinement may have on the colony? On today episode, Jim and Becky Masterman, PhD, discuss the ramifications of confining bees to their hives on bee health and even queen viability. In the wild, honey

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22:33

Hive Inspections: When, Why and How Often (160)

Honey Bee Obscura Podcast ·

2024/01/04

Hive inspections are essential in the beekeeping, serving as the cornerstone for effective colony management. Through these inspections, beekeepers gain crucial insights that guide their decisions for immediate and long-term hive care. In this episode, Jim is joined by Anne Frey, an EAS Master Beekeeper from Betterbee, to delve into the intricacies of hive inspections. Anne shares her expertise on the timing, frequency, and methods of conducting thorough hive inspections. She emphasizes the

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20:15

Keeping Small Colonies (159)

Honey Bee Obscura Podcast ·

2023/12/28

In this week's episode, Jim is delighted to welcome back David Peck from Betterbee. In this intriguing discussion, they explore what Jim calls, "Reverse Beekeeping," a unique approach that focuses on maintaining smaller bee colonies. Traditionally, beekeeping has been all about growing large colonies for honey production and pollination. This has led to bee breeders selecting for traits that encourage large and rapid brood development and has influenced the design of beekeeping equipment, like the

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21:17

Repetition Beekeeping (158)

Honey Bee Obscura Podcast ·

2023/12/21

Practice makes perfect, as the old adage says. This really rings true in the bee yard and working with honey bees. This week, Jim invites Betterbee’s EAS Master Beekeeper, Anne Frey, to the podcast to discuss how experience, gained by doing something over and over, is the basis of becoming a better beekeeper. Experience is needed for confidence. Lighting and maintaining a smoker, finding a queen and even managing stings become more intuitive with each repetition. Experience isn’t just about doing;

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20:27

Downsizing Your Bee Operation (157)

Honey Bee Obscura Podcast ·

2023/12/14

There comes a time for many beekeepers when they realize they have more colonies than time to properly work them - with “work” being the operative word. If they’ve been keeping bees long enough, they may decide that hefting ten-frame hive bodies full or honey or bees just too difficult. The beekeeper decides to downsize. In today’s episode, Kim and Jim discuss the considerations and options available to the beekeeper when dealing with unwanted hive bodies and frames. Beekeepers do all sorts of

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23:47

Queen Isolation Cages (156)

Honey Bee Obscura Podcast ·

2023/12/07

In today's episode, Jim and David Peck, PhD, delve into a fascinating topic that rarely gets any ‘air time’ unless you are interested specifically in raising queens: Queen Isolation Cages. For beekeepers, the queen bee is the heart of the hive, responsible for laying eggs and maintaining hive order. Queen Isolation Cages are ingenious tools that allow beekeepers to temporarily isolate the queen from the rest of the colony. This technique can be applied in various scenarios, from performing selective

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19:18

Winter Chores: Culling Combs (155)

Honey Bee Obscura Podcast ·

2023/11/30

In this episode of Honey Bee Obscura, Kim and Jim delve into several important maintenance tasks that beekeepers can undertake during the winter season to ensure the health and productivity of their hives. Winter might seem like a downtime, but it's a critical period for preparing your hives for the upcoming spring. One key task they discuss is culling old comb. This task is near and dear to Kim. It involves removing combs that are over three years old or show signs of disease, pest infestation, or

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19:46

Archive Special - Preparing Your Hives for Winter! (154)

Honey Bee Obscura Podcast ·

2023/11/23

Happy Thanksgiving!! Join Kim and Jim in this special archive episode from late October 2021, where they delve into the critical task of preparing your hives for the winter season. This episode is particularly crucial for beekeepers in colder climates. Are you comfortable in shorts outdoors during this time of year? If yes, then wrapping your colonies for winter might not be a necessity. However, if a brisk step outside in shorts sends shivers down your spine, this episode is tailored for you! Key

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16:20

Browsing Bee Books (153)

Honey Bee Obscura Podcast ·

2023/11/16

As the leaves fall and the bees nestle in for winter, many beekeepers find themselves next to a warm fire, a cup of tea in hand, flipping through the pages of their cherished bee books. Have you ever looked at your shelf brimming with bee books and wondered, 'Will I ever read all of these?' You're not alone. In this cozy episode of Honey Bee Obscura, Kim rejoins Jim in the studio to delve into the fascinating world of beekeeping literature. They explore the shelves of their personal libraries,

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17:53

Rothenbuhler's Legacy (152)

Honey Bee Obscura Podcast ·

2023/11/09

In today’s episode Jim invites Becky Masterman to discuss the lasting impact of Dr. Walter Rothenbuhler’s seminal research on honey bee hygienic behavior. His work, which has been a bedrock in the field of apiculture, sheds light on the genetic foundations of disease resistance among honey bees, particularly against threats like American Foulbrood. Jim provides a unique inside perspective to Dr. Rothenbuhler as Jim personally knew and worked with him at The Ohio State University bee lab. Today's

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18:31

Transfers and Cutouts (151)

Honey Bee Obscura Podcast ·

2023/11/02

Beekeeping is not always as straightforward as hive inspections and honey extraction. When bees decide to set up shop in places beyond the traditional hive box, it requires specialized techniques and knowledge to safely and ethically relocate them. When beekeepers set up plain boxes (not the standard Langstroth hive with moveable frames) then move them to a standard hive, it is often called a 'transfer'. When honey bees are removed from a structure, such as the wall of a house, it is called a

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19:39

Dealing With Quirky Queens (150)

Honey Bee Obscura Podcast ·

2023/10/26

In the intricate realm of beekeeping, the queen bee reigns supreme, yet she remains a mysterious figure for many beekeepers. Join Jim as he welcomes Anne Frey, the head beekeeper of Betterbee, to delve into the fascinating world of Queen Quirks: Unusual Phenomena in Queen Bees. Jim and Anne share their wealth of experiences raising queens, offering invaluable insights into the enigmatic quirks that queens can exhibit. Together, they explore a variety of intriguing situations, including dealing with

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269 results

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