Beekeeping For Newbees®

In this Bee Buzz episode, Jeff shares a hard lesson from losing an entire round of early spring splits after an unexpected cold snap. The conversation then shifts into listener questions covering when to replace old comb, how to recognize when nectar flow is starting, what to do when a new colony rejects its queen, and when feeding sugar syrup actually makes sense. What’s Inside This Episode: • A...

In this Bee Buzz episode, the Phoebeekeeper joins the conversation to discuss specialist native bees and why certain plant species matter for their survival. We also cover practical beekeeping topics including water sources, foundation color, mouse damage, requeening strategies, and early spring splits. What’s Inside This Episode: • What specialist bees are and why some rely on only one to three p...

In this episode, I sit down with Brian Peterson, co-founder of Bees in the D, to talk about urban beekeeping in Detroit and how a small idea grew into a large community-driven nonprofit. We cover education, pollinator advocacy, urban hive performance, and what it takes to scale beekeeping responsibly inside a major city. This is a practical look at how bees intersect with schools, neighborhoods, a...

In this episode, we break down the mechanics and reasoning behind splitting hives in the spring. We look at what drives swarming behavior, how to identify different types of queen cells, and how to decide when and how to split without setting your colonies back. What’s Inside This Episode: • Why colonies swarm in the spring and how genetics and overcrowding factor in • Differences between queen cu...

In this Bee Buzz episode, we dig into hive space management and common layout challenges that show up in spring. I walk through practical ways to encourage comb drawing, move bees upward into new boxes, and think through hardware choices, queen cups, treatments, and super timing. What’s Inside This Episode: • Checkerboarding frames versus inserting foundation into the center of the brood nest • A...

In this Bee Buzz Q&A episode, we cover state inspection authority, entry permits for moving bees, and what that means for backyard and rural beekeepers. I also walk through practical tips for identifying healthy colonies, finding queens more consistently, and share a fascinating video on tracking wild honeybee colonies. What’s Inside This Episode: • State inspection authority and right of entr...

In this episode, we walk through what to look for when opening your overwintered colonies for the first time in spring. From outside observation to bottom board cleanup, brood assessment, and space management, this is a practical guide to getting in and out without disrupting colony momentum. The focus is on recognizing healthy patterns, identifying red flags early, and setting yourself up for a s...

In this first official Bee Buzz episode, I’m introducing the new Q&A format and walking through real listener questions from the field. We cover queen mating corrections, Apivar timing before spring flow, VSH queens, brood box configurations, winter space management, queen excluders, divided deeps, and how to think through hive expansion without overcomplicating it. This is the conversational...

In this episode, I walk through how to prepare your beekeeping equipment before the first full spring inspection. From protective gear and smokers to hive bodies, frames, and foundation, this is about preventing avoidable problems before the season accelerates. We also talk about replacing old comb, planning splits, documenting inspections, and thinking ahead so you are not scrambling once nectar...

In this episode, I sit down with Ian Steppler of Steppler Farms in Manitoba to talk about large-scale commercial beekeeping, overwintering strategies, and how operations evolve from a few backyard hives into thousands of colonies. We cover indoor wintering facilities, honey marketing, equipment innovations, and the realities of running bees in a cold Canadian climate. This conversation offers insi...

This episode focuses on the realities of keeping bees in a suburban environment. I walk through local ordinances, neighbor considerations, hive placement strategies, pesticide concerns, forage limitations, and swarm management in high-visibility areas. If you are thinking about keeping bees in a neighborhood setting, this episode helps you understand the practical and social factors that matter ju...

In this episode, I sit down with Cedar Anderson, co-founder of Flow Hive, to talk about the origin of the Flow system and how it changes the traditional honey extraction process. We discuss how the mechanism works, hive configuration options, maintenance considerations, and common concerns beekeepers have about pests, inspections, and long-term use. After the interview, I share listener questions...

This episode walks through practical winter preparation from the bottom board up. I cover moisture control, ventilation, entrance management, feeding decisions, and different overwintering configurations based on climate. The focus is on preventing avoidable winter losses and understanding what truly matters when temperatures drop. If you have worked all season to build strong colonies, this episo...

This episode covers a mix of timely updates, listener questions, and practical hive management decisions during late summer. I share details about Virginia’s Bee Hive Distribution Program, walk through recent ventilation upgrades with nucs, and answer questions about suburban beekeeping, late-season nuc purchases, and mite-resistant genetics. The focus is on practical decision-making as colonies m...

This episode focuses on two important management decisions: combining weak or failing colonies and introducing new queens safely. I walk through when it makes sense to merge hives, how to reduce risk when combining bees, and the different techniques available for introducing mated queens. The second half of the episode covers a listener case involving suspected European foulbrood and why careful i...

This episode focuses on managing colonies during peak summer heat and what to do when you see heavy bearding and outside-the-hive activity. I break down the three primary factors that influence heat stress in a colony and walk through practical adjustments you can make to reduce risk and keep bees stable during extreme temperatures. The second half of the episode covers listener emails related to...

This episode continues the honey-focused discussion from Part 1 and works through listener emails covering smoker fuel, extraction methods, queen cell behavior, splitting decisions, spare equipment, painting hive bodies, and comb management between boxes. It is a practical, field-driven conversation built around real questions from beekeepers managing active colonies. Part 2 expands beyond harvest...

This episode focuses on honey production questions, extraction timing, and how feeding decisions intersect with harvest season. I walk through listener questions and explain how I decide when to pull supers, when to leave stores alone, and how dearth conditions change everything. This is Part 1 of a two-part series centered on practical honey management and realistic seasonal decision making. What...

This episode works through a wide range of listener questions and timely management decisions that come up as the season shifts from spring into summer. Recorded from the apiary, it covers practical hive management topics, seasonal constraints, and how to think through decisions when conditions are less than ideal. Rather than focusing on a single technique, this episode reflects the reality of be...

This episode focuses on supplemental feeding and how to decide when, why, and how to feed colonies when natural forage is limited or unreliable. I walk through real-world feeder options, mixing methods, and placement considerations, along with the tradeoffs that come with each approach. Rather than treating feeding as a default, this episode explains how to use it intentionally to support colony g...

This episode focuses on what new beekeepers should realistically expect from colonies during their first season, whether they start with package bees or nucleus colonies. I walk through common questions around honey production, growth pace, feeding, and survival, using real examples from recent inspections and management decisions. The goal is to reset expectations early so new beekeepers focus on...

This episode shifts to listener questions and practical decisions that come up outside of textbook scenarios. Recorded after a long day in the apiary, it covers gear choices, learning paths, and real management calls that new beekeepers face once colonies are up and running. Rather than walking through a single technique, this episode focuses on how to think through common situations and weigh tra...

This episode is a real-world walk through recent hive inspections and the decisions that followed them. I share what I’m seeing across several colonies, how I document inspections, and how those notes guide interventions when things do not go as planned. The focus is on practical observation, decision-making, and problem solving rather than ideal scenarios. What’s Inside This Episode: Why consiste...

This episode continues the swarm season series by focusing on how different hive configurations affect space, brood management, and swarm pressure. I walk through several common layouts, explain why they work, and share practical tradeoffs based on colony growth, workload, and long-term goals. Rather than prescribing a single correct setup, this episode is about understanding options and choosing...

This episode kicks off a two-part series focused on swarm season and what actually drives colonies to leave when spring populations explode. I walk through what changes inside the hive as brood production ramps up, how crowding and temperature stress build, and why swarm pressure increases even in colonies that appear healthy. The emphasis here is understanding the conditions that create swarm ris...