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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

15:47

The Wayward Swarm, Part 4 (284)

Honey Bee Obscura Podcast ·

2026/05/21

In this final installment of the "Wayward Swarm" saga, Dr. Jim Tew and Jason Ferrell return to the colony that has caused more trouble, worry, and excitement than either expected. After multiple attempts to recover and hive the swarm — including ladders, falls, cold weather, bee vacuums, overloaded trap cages, and weeks of uncertainty — Jim finally opens the hive for the first inspection. What they discover surprises both of them. Despite losing a significant number of bees during the ordeal and

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17:04

The Wayward Swarm, Part 3 (283)

Honey Bee Obscura Podcast ·

2026/05/14

In this third installment of The Wayward Swarm, Jim Tew returns to the now-infamous swarm hanging high in a tree after days of cold rain and falling temperatures. Joined by longtime beekeeper friend Jason Ferrell, Jim attempts one final rescue effort for what may be one of the largest — and most ill-fated — swarms either of them has encountered. What follows is raw, field-recorded beekeeping under miserable spring conditions. With temperatures hovering near 40°F, rain moving through, and the cluster

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17:03

Plain Talk: The Wayward Swarm, Part 1 (282)

Honey Bee Obscura Podcast ·

2026/05/07

In this episode of Honey Bee Obscura, Jim Tew delivers a candid, field-side reflection on the challenges—and realities—of swarm management when conditions, equipment, and personal limitations don't align. What begins as a routine observation quickly turns into a frustrating and physically risky attempt to retrieve a swarm positioned just out of safe reach. Jim walks listeners through his decision-making in real time: weighing experience against instinct, confronting the temptation to "just try one

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17:15

Plain Talk: Packages and Swarms (281)

Honey Bee Obscura Podcast ·

2026/04/30

In this episode of Honey Bee Obscura, Jim Tew brings listeners along for a raw, unfiltered walk through his apiary during one of beekeeping's most unpredictable seasons. After expecting significant winter losses, Jim ordered five packages—only to discover that many of his colonies survived. What follows is a practical and honest look at the realities of managing too many bees, not enough equipment, and the financial weight of modern beekeeping. Working through newly installed packages, Jim shares

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18:15

Installing Packaged Bees with Anne Frey, Part 2 (280)

Honey Bee Obscura Podcast ·

2026/04/23

Jim Tew and Anne Frey return for Part 2 of their discussion on honey bee packages, continuing a practical and often humorous look at the realities of installing packages and managing queens in the early season. Picking up where they left off, the conversation dives deeper into real-world beekeeper experiences—especially the unexpected challenges that arise when beginners misunderstand the basics of package installation. Jim and Anne share stories that highlight just how confusing early beekeeping

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19:43

Installing Packaged Bees with Anne Frey, Part 1 (279)

Honey Bee Obscura Podcast ·

2026/04/16

Package bee installation is one of the most common ways new beekeepers start a colony, and in this episode of Honey Bee Obscura, Jim Tew is joined by Anne Frey of Betterbee to share practical, experience-based approaches to getting packages established successfully. As spring arrives, Jim opens with a familiar situation—ordering packages after winter losses, only to find more colonies survived than expected. That leads into a broader discussion of why packages remain a popular entry point for

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19:12

Plain Talk: Seeing The Light (278)

Honey Bee Obscura Podcast ·

2026/04/09

In this episode of Honey Bee Obscura, Jim Tew reflects on the contrast between light and darkness—both in beekeeping and in life. Recorded in the bee yard on a meaningful personal day, Jim shares a quiet, thoughtful conversation that begins with remembrance and transitions into observation. As spring unfolds and colonies build, he considers one of the enduring mysteries of honey bees: how they function so effectively within the complete darkness of the hive. Jim explores how bees move between two

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23:33

Nucs & Wax Production with Anne Frey (277)

Honey Bee Obscura Podcast ·

2026/04/02

In this episode of Honey Bee Obscura, Jim Tew is joined by Anne Frey for a wide-ranging discussion on nucleus colonies, wax production, and the practical realities of working with smaller hives. The conversation begins with a focus on nucs as both a management tool and a learning platform. Anne suggests that beginners may benefit from maintaining not just two full colonies, but also a nuc—providing flexibility for making splits, building comb, and maintaining backup resources such as queens and

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16:53

Plain Talk: BSI - Bee Scene Investigation (276)

Honey Bee Obscura Podcast ·

2026/03/26

In this episode of Honey Bee Obscura, Jim Tew takes listeners into the bee yard for what he calls a "bee scene investigation"—a hands-on look at two colonies that failed over winter and what can (and cannot) be learned from their remains. What begins as a straightforward inspection quickly becomes something more reflective. Jim encounters unusual signs, including a colony where the bees died not in a typical cluster—an observation that raises more questions than answers. While signs like dysentery,

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20:05

Plain Talk: Old Hives, New Bees (275)

Honey Bee Obscura Podcast ·

2026/03/19

What does it really mean to put new bees into old equipment—and what does that decision say about how we keep bees? In this episode of Honey Bee Obscura, Dr. Jim Tew takes a broader, more reflective look at a common springtime practice. Using the simple scenario of installing new bees into old hives, Jim explores the practical, experiential, and sometimes philosophical aspects of beekeeping. While equipment reuse is part of the discussion, the deeper focus is on how beekeepers make decisions—often

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19:31

Plain Talk: Tri-County (274)

Honey Bee Obscura Podcast ·

2026/03/12

In this episode of Honey Bee Obscura, Jim Tew reflects on attending a recent Tri-County beekeeping meeting—one he helped organize years ago while working at the OSU Research Center in Wooster, Ohio. His plan was to record conversations with beekeepers at the event and capture some of the voices and stories from the meeting. But sometimes plans change. A packed room, wind, and background noise made recording nearly impossible. Back at the bee yard, Jim shares his impressions of the day instead

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16:45

Plain Talk: Late Winter Robbing (273)

Honey Bee Obscura Podcast ·

2026/03/05

On a cold, soggy walk back to the bee yard, Jim reflects on an uncomfortable but important topic: robbing. With temperatures hovering around 40°F and only a hint of flight activity, he begins to question what he's seeing. Are the bees simply stretching their wings, or are they already checking neighboring colonies for available resources? Jim revisits a warm spell from a few weeks earlier when surprising flight activity left him wondering if robbing had begun earlier than expected. With no pollen

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20:04

Georgia Winter Visit with Anne Frey (272)

Honey Bee Obscura Podcast ·

2026/02/26

This week on Honey Bee Obscura, Jim and Anne take listeners south — to Georgia — for a mid-winter comparison of beekeeping realities. Anne recently visited beekeeping friends near the Atlanta latitude and found that while Georgia winters are milder than New York or Ohio, they come with their own management challenges. Unlike northern operations that rely heavily on solid winter feed, Georgia beekeepers depend on syrup feeding much of the year due to extended nectar dearths following an early June

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17:39

Plain Talk: Miracle Bees (271)

Honey Bee Obscura Podcast ·

2026/02/19

In this reflective winter walk-through, Jim Tew returns to the bee yard expecting discouraging losses—but instead finds surprising signs of life. Colonies he believed were gone are flying, cleansing, and holding on after one of the coldest winters in recent memory - miracle bees! As Jim navigates snow, mud, and the emotional ups and downs of winter beekeeping, he shares candid thoughts about preparation, neglect, resilience, and the seasonal rhythm that every beekeeper eventually learns to accept

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23:45

Package Bees with Anne Frey (270)

Honey Bee Obscura Podcast ·

2026/02/12

In this episode of Honey Bee Obscura, Jim Tew welcomes Anne Frey to explore the practical and often uncertain process of preparing for spring package bees. Together, they discuss one of the most common beekeeper questions—how many colonies to order—highlighting that the answer depends not only on winter losses, but also on personal goals, budget, and the balance between enjoyment and workload in beekeeping. The conversation then shifts to the realities of transporting packages safely. Jim and Anne

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16:53

Plain Talk: A Cold Bee Yard (269)

Honey Bee Obscura Podcast ·

2026/02/05

Winter doesn't always offer tidy lessons, and in this Plain Talk episode, Jim Tew takes listeners with him into a brutally cold Ohio bee yard. Standing among hives buried in snow after weeks of extreme temperatures, Jim shares an honest, unfiltered look at what it feels like to face possible winter losses—without inspections, without answers, and without easy optimism. Rather than offering prescriptions or quick fixes, Jim reflects on expectations versus reality. He talks candidly about how weather

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19:55

Plain Talk: Hive Tops and Winter Thoughts (268)

Honey Bee Obscura Podcast ·

2026/01/29

In this Plain Talk episode, Jim Tew records from his shop as a major winter storm approaches, using the moment to reflect on beekeeping, weather, and long-term planning. He shares a personal story about storms, preparation, and unpredictability before turning his attention to the coming season and what lies ahead for his apiary. Jim discusses plans to rebuild his colonies after winter losses, including ordering packages, establishing a single outyard, and returning to what he calls "traditional

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22:03

Plain Talk: NAHBE Reflections (267)

Honey Bee Obscura Podcast ·

2026/01/22

In this Plain Talk episode of Honey Bee Obscura, Jim Tew shares thoughtful reflections following his recent experience at the North American Honey Bee Expo. Walking the show floor, Jim was struck not only by the size and energy of the event, but by how dramatically beekeeping equipment, ideas, and approaches have evolved over the years. Jim revisits pivotal moments from his career—early encounters with Africanized bees, queen rearing efforts, international travel, and decades of teaching—and

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08:55

Plain Talk: NAHBE Walkabout (266)

Honey Bee Obscura Podcast ·

2026/01/15

In this special, on-the-floor episode of Honey Bee Obscura, Jim Tew records live from the bustling floor of the North American Honey Bee Expo in Louisville, Kentucky. It's Jim's first time attending NAHBE, and the scale of the event leaves a strong impression—thousands of beekeepers, hundreds of vendors, and an industry that has grown far beyond what many long-time beekeepers first experienced. As Jim walks the show floor, he reflects on how dramatically beekeeping equipment, protective gear, and

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20:07

Beekeeping Invasions with Anne Frey (265)

Honey Bee Obscura Podcast ·

2026/01/08

Beekeeping today looks very different than it did just a few decades ago, largely because of the steady arrival of invasive pests and pathogens. In this episode of Honey Bee Obscura, Jim Tew welcomes Anne Frey for a thoughtful, experience-based discussion on how beekeepers have responded to these challenges over time. Jim and Anne reflect on the early days of tracheal mites, the arrival of Varroa, and the emergency treatments that once dominated management strategies. They discuss how research,

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