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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

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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22:11

Wintering with Anne Frey (264)

Honey Bee Obscura Podcast ·

2026/01/01

In this New Year's Day episode of Honey Bee Obscura, Jim Tew is joined by Anne Frey for a timely and practical conversation about wintering honey bee colonies during extended cold spells. As winter settles in across much of North America, Jim and Anne focus on what beekeepers can—and cannot—do during deep winter to support colony survival. The discussion centers on insulation, emergency feeding, and realistic expectations when temperatures plunge. Anne explains why it's not "too late" to add

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23:54

Plain Talk: Christmas Day Stories (263)

Honey Bee Obscura Podcast ·

2025/12/25

In this Christmas Day Plain Talk episode of Honey Bee Obscura, Jim Tew offers listeners something intentionally different. Rather than focusing on hive management or seasonal techniques, Jim invites listeners into a reflective conversation shaped by memory, family, and the passage of time. Jim begins by acknowledging that Christmas has never been a strongly beekeeping-centered season for him. From there, he shares a formative story from early in his beekeeping life—one that begins with his passion

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18:43

Plain Talk: Beekeeping Oddities (262)

Honey Bee Obscura Podcast ·

2025/12/18

In this Plain Talk episode of Honey Bee Obscura, Jim Tew settles into his shop on a cold winter day to reflect on the many ways beekeeping appears odd to those outside the craft—and completely normal to those who practice it. Sparked by casual comments from friends asking whether he still "does that bee thing," Jim explores how deeply beekeeping reshapes perspective. He begins with one of the most obvious oddities: beekeepers accept being stung as part of the deal. While that alone is a deal-breaker

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17:37

Plain Talk: Apiary Winter Wonderland (261)

Honey Bee Obscura Podcast ·

2025/12/11

In this week's episode of Honey Bee Obscura, Jim Tew invites listeners into an apiary winter wonderland, where a fresh blanket of snow becomes one of the beekeeper's most revealing diagnostic tools. While the bee yard is silent on the surface, the snow tells its own story—tracks from deer and other wildlife, drifts shaped by wind, and the scattered bodies of a few dead bees shed light on how colonies are coping with single-digit temperatures. Jim reflects on the unmistakable signs of winter stress,

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22:06

Plain Talk: Fishing for Beekeepers (260)

Honey Bee Obscura Podcast ·

2025/12/04

This week on Honey Bee Obscura, Jim reflects on a familiar challenge in the beekeeping world: How do we find new beekeepers? A winter snowstorm derailed his plans to record with his grandson and two of his college friends, but the experience sparked a larger, thoughtful conversation about what draws people to bees—and why most people never pick up the craft. Jim revisits his own journey into beekeeping, remembering how early exposures didn't quite "stick" until years later, when something finally

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21:57

Plain Talk: Slipshod Beekeeping (259)

Honey Bee Obscura Podcast ·

2025/11/27

Sometimes beekeeping doesn't look polished, tidy, or picture-perfect—and in this week's episode, Jim leans right into that truth with a candid look at what he calls slipshod beekeeping. After visiting beekeepers and listeners at the Kentucky State Beekeepers Assn, he returns home to a bee yard that reflects the realities of taking several years off to care for family. With winter approaching and the colonies not quite where he wants them, Jim takes listeners along as he makes quick, imperfect, but

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20:00

Plain Talk: Artistry in Beekeeping (258)

Honey Bee Obscura Podcast ·

2025/11/20

Jim Tew returns with a reflective look at artistry in beekeeping—a part of the craft that may not appear in manuals but lives vividly in the memories and creative expressions of beekeepers everywhere. In this week's episode, Jim shares the story of a remarkable young artist he taught during his early years at the University of Maryland. Her detailed drawings of honey bees—rendered in graphite, colored pencil, and ink—left a lasting impression that still hangs on his office wall decades later. Using

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19:40

Plain Talk: A Fall Hive Check (257)

Honey Bee Obscura Podcast ·

2025/11/13

In this Plain Talk episode of Honey Bee Obscura, Jim Tew heads out to the bee yard for a quiet, reflective fall inspection. As the days shorten and the goldenrod fades, Jim shares what he looks for when evaluating his colonies' readiness for winter. He discusses the telltale signs of healthy late-season activity, how to spot the early warning flags of robbing, and when it's best to step back and simply observe. Jim talks through practical steps such as checking hive weight, watching for moisture

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19:02

Spring Prep Now with Anne Frey (256)

Honey Bee Obscura Podcast ·

2025/11/06

Winter may have a firm grip on the landscape, but beekeepers can still get ready for the season ahead. In this Honey Bee Obscura episode, Jim Tew sits down with Anne Frey of Betterbee to talk about how to make the most of cold months by planning for spring. Anne and Jim share practical ideas to ensure you're not scrambling once the weather breaks — from repairing and assembling hive equipment to mapping out management tasks on your beekeeping calendar. Anne suggests using past notes or calendars to

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22:40

Beekeeping Efficiency with Anne Frey (255)

Honey Bee Obscura Podcast ·

2025/10/30

What does "efficiency" really mean in beekeeping—and can it go too far? In this Honey Bee Obscura episode, Jim Tew welcomes back Anne Frey of Betterbee for a lively, down-to-earth talk about working smarter in the bee yard without losing the joy of beekeeping. Anne shares her insights from running a small commercial operation in upstate New York, where rainy days and heavy supers are a constant challenge. Together, she and Jim discuss practical ways to save time, reduce lifting, and improve

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22:25

Plain Talk: The Smoked Beekeeper (254)

Honey Bee Obscura Podcast ·

2025/10/23

Jim Tew is back from a long drive through Michigan’s autumn beauty—and while the leaves have changed, his thoughts haven’t strayed far from bees or smoke. In this week’s Honey Bee Obscura, Jim explores one of beekeeping’s oldest tools—the smoker—and how this essential companion has become both a help and a health concern. From his makeshift recording spot at his daughter’s home to a chat with a firefighter friend, Jim dives into the effects of smoke on both beekeepers and bees. He reflects on his

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19:45

Plain Talk: The Traveling Beekeeper (253)

Honey Bee Obscura Podcast ·

2025/10/16

In this reflective episode, Jim Tew takes listeners on a journey through his years as a traveling beekeeper, visiting apiaries and researchers around the world. From the early days of Africanized “killer” bees in Venezuela to disciplined Burmese military trainees in Myanmar, Jim recounts how these experiences shaped his understanding of honey bees and the people who care for them. Jim describes the sobering reality of working with hyper-defensive bees in Venezuela and the evolution of those colonies

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19:46

Plain Talk: Trusting Your Gut (252)

Honey Bee Obscura Podcast ·

2025/10/09

In this Plain Talk episode, Jim Tew reflects on one of beekeeping’s most underrated tools—instinct. Beekeepers make hundreds of small decisions in the apiary, many of them guided by experience and that unspoken “gut feeling.” But how do you know when to trust it? Jim shares a story from helping his grandson’s neglected hive in Michigan that appeared doomed by American foulbrood. Everything looked and smelled like the dreaded disease, and his first instinct was to destroy the colony. But something

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19:34

Archive Special: Preparing for Winter (251)

Honey Bee Obscura Podcast ·

2025/10/02

In this Archive Special from October 2021, we revisit a conversation with the late Kim Flottum and Jim Tew as they discuss the many ways beekeepers prepare colonies for the cold months ahead. From simple windbreaks to traditional tar paper wraps, insulated hive covers, and quilt boxes filled with wood shavings, Jim and Kim explore techniques both old and new. The discussion highlights how winter prep has evolved, offering options for hobbyists with just a few colonies, sideliners with dozens, and

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22:57

Plain Talk: Last Chance Winter Prep (250)

Honey Bee Obscura Podcast ·

2025/09/25

This milestone episode marks 250 installments of Honey Bee Obscura. Jim reflects on more than 5,000 minutes of plain talk beekeeping, the early days recording with the late Kim Flottum, and the ongoing joy of talking bees every Thursday morning. With autumn closing in, Jim turns to a practical and urgent subject: your last chance winter prep for bees. He discusses how to evaluate queens in late September, when to combine weak colonies, and whether requeening makes sense this late in the year

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269 results

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