Beekeeping Today Podcast

Fall is here. No amount of denial no longer can hide that fact, now.  There is lots to do to prep the bees for the coming cold months. You should be well down that task list of colony preparation. In this episode, we talk with Betterbee co-owner, John Rath, about constructing bear fences. Fall is a time when all animals across the Northern Hemisphere prepare for the coming winter. Many find our ca...

There are two organizations shaping the American beekeeping industry: the American Beekeeping Federation (ABF) and the American Honey Producers Association (AHPA). On today's episode, we talk with Dan Winter, President of the American Beekeeping Federation. The ABF takes comprehensive approach to serving its members by, addressing educational programs, research, and legislation impacting beekeeper...

On this week's episode we welcome beekeeper, YouTube influencer and conference organizer Kamon Reynolds. Kamon's YouTube channel provides viewers factual and entertaining looks at managing honey bees, product reviews and interviews. There are many different beekeeping Youtube channels, and Kamon's is one of the best. In today's show, he tells us how it all got started. Also today, he talks about t...

Welcome to another episode of Beekeeping Today Podcast! This week, we're excited to host Joy and Eric McEwen, the authors behind the recently released book, "Raising Resilient Bees." The McEwens offer a natural and sustainable model that focuses on hive health and prioritizes the well-being of the bee over the beekeeper. We chat about their book as well as their approach to beekeeping which places...

While Jeff and Kim are taking time this week to tend their bees, we bring you this Archive Special from May of 2021. In this third installment of our five-part Hive Types Series , we talk with Colorado Master Beekeeper and columnist Tina Sebestyen about the Long or Horizontal Langstroth. Horizontal hives are very much like the traditional Langstroth hives, which are vertical  stacks of boxes, exce...

On today's episode we are joined by professor, author and noted speaker Dr. Dewey Caron. Dewey is an active member of the Honey Bee Health Coalition where he helps with the creation and maintenance of the Coalition's Hive Management program. Today he joins us to talk about the just updated, Varroa Management Guide. Varroa management is a very serious problem for beekeepers around the world. Sadly,...

Thanks to Jennifer Keller, opening this episode! Jennifer stopped at the Betterbee booth during EAS and left us that greeting! You too can record an opening for an upcoming episode! Simply record one on your phone and send it to us at the podcast! Simple as that!! We do have an important show coming up for you today. We talk with Becky Masterman of the Minnesota Honey Producers Association and com...

Etienne Tardif and Ron Miksha join us today to talk about the Western Apicultural Society 2023 Conference in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Listen in as they talk about all that's going to be happening and everything you wanted to know about this year's WAS meeting, highlighting the topic Northern Lights Beekeeping This year, the conference is at the Gray Eagle Resort and Casino in Calgary, Canada . Th...

On today's podcast, we talk with third generation Australian commercial beekeeper, Victor Croker. When we caught up with Victor, he was in the States promoting his new EPS (Expanded Polystyrene) hive system developed with his experience of over the past 40 years of moving beehives around Eastern Australia. His beekeeping business centers on producing over 330,000 pounds of honey and pollinating al...

In this episode we talk with Amber Leach, North American Sales Manager, and Dr. Miguel Angel Rodriguez, DVM, and Business Development Head, from Véto-Pharma. Véto-Pharma is just rolling out and the distribution of their newest varroa control compound called Amiflex. Primarily for commercial beekeepers, this amitraz-based product comes in premeasured does of a gel beekeepers can place in their hive...

We are excited to bring you this packed episode. We start with Jeff talking with Becky Masterman, from the Minnesota Honey Producers Assn. about the USDA-ARS National Publication 305 (NP-305) and its importance.  Next Jeff and Kim talk with Dr. Lars Chittka about his book, The Mind of a Bee . Becky Masterman has been on the podcast before and we enjoy having her back to discuss the USDA-ARS NP-305...

In today's episode, we have two guests, both deep in the promotion of honey and honey bees.  First up, Jeff talks with Allison Hager, the 2023 American Honey Princess, and then we talk with Keith Seiz, of the National Honey Board (NHB) and how they are promoting the use of honey and how this benefits beekeepers across the United States. First up, we learn about the  American Beekeeping Federation...

In today's episode, we welcome back Dr. Andony Melathopoulos of Oregon State University. In this episode, Andony talks about the dual concerns surrounding European Foulbrood (EFB) and the ongoing debate between native bees and honey bees on public lands. EFB, a highly contagious bacterial disease, poses a significant threat to honey bee populations and the beekeeping industry. Andony works with be...

On today's show, Jeff chats with Max Cherney and Nico Coallier. Max is the Chief Operating Officer and Nico the Principal Data Scientist of Nectar Technologies. Max joined us back in Season 4, along with Washington State University's Dr. Rae Olson .  The combination of Nectar's products: a NFC/QR tag, portable app and a management portal helps the owner manage their operation with a single compreh...

In today's episode we talk with Amelia Cadwell who grew up with a grandfather who kept bees, which lead to time spent working for a commercial beekeeper and today, keeps bees herself. She also works with Suterra, a global pest management company headquartered in Bend, Oregon. Suterra specializes in providing a pesticide-free approach protecting crops including citrus, nut, vine and vegetable using...

Welcome to Season 6 of Beekeeping Today Podcast! When we launched this podcast on the first day of Pollinator Week in 2018, we had no idea where the podcast would go, or how long it would continue. It is fun to see that we are still going strong and growing– thanks to you, our listeners . So, this is not a celebration of BTP as much as it is a celebration of you and your support! Thank you! If it...

On today's episode, we welcome Dr Brandon Hopkins of Washington State University back to the podcast to talk about his recent research on the benefits of indoor banking of honey bee queens in temperature-controlled storage facilities. Traditionally, queens are banked in small nucs in yards throughout the summer. Queen banking refers to the practice of preserving and storing surplus queen bees for...

"All beekeeping is local" so the saying goes.  On today's episode, we welcome back our Regional Beekeepers, all from different parts of the country, to see just how localized beekeeping can be. And how much it can be the same, too. Today we've asked  Rainier Eich (Maine), Mark Smith (North Carolina), Tracy Alarcon (Ohio), Jay Williams (Tennessee), Ed Colby (Colorado), Duane Combs (Arizona) and Pau...

In today's episode, we talk with Dr. Robyn Underwood of Penn State's Lopez-Uribe Lab. We've invited Robyn as she has researched and written about the Spotted Lantern Fly and how its presence can impact honey production. Have you ever tasted your honey and thought was a bit off, or perhaps… way off?  Maybe even awful?  If you are along the East Coast of the United States and now even parts of the M...

Amy Vu is the State Extension Entomologist for the State of Florida. She works out of the University Of Florida's Honey Bee Research Lab, headed by Dr. Jamie Ellis. As part of the Research Lab she is involved in the many project ongoing there, including The Bee College, The Master Beekeeper programs and Bee Learning courses. She also works closely with the migratory beekeepers who spend winters in...

On today's show, we invite Connecticut Master Beekeeper, Bill Hesbach back to the show to talk about the latest developments in practical varroa management. Whether you are a long time beekeeper, aka BVD beekeeper (Before Varroa Destructor) or a new beekeeper, varroa complicate the way you learn about and manage your honey bee colony. We talk with Bill about varroa and the various management appro...

Anyone who's watch the front entrance of a hive or watched honey bee gathering nectar and pollen from flowers on a tree or a field of flowers has wondered about the life of a bee. That ultimately leads to the wonderment of just what does a bee perceive of its environment and how does a bee use that information. In today's episode, we talk with Dr. Stephen Buchmann, who has studied and research bee...

On today's episode, Jeff and Kim talk with Mandy Shaw of the Beekeeper Confidential podcast. Mandy is a Portland, OR, beekeeper, active with the Portland Urban Beekeepers Association as President and other roles. We talk with her today about her background and love for honey bees, her podcast Beekeeper Confidential, why she started it, and what she has learned. Finally, we talk with Mandy about he...

In today's episode, we talk with Dr. Anthony Nearman on his recently published research on honey bee longivity in the lab. In fact, his research indicates that caged bees in the lab are only living half as long as bees from 50 years ago. Early in his research, he noted that bees used in research in the 1970's were living much longer than the bees in today's research. Anthony started to look deeper...

On today's episode, we welcome Mary Duane and Eloise (Lou) Naylor of the Eastern Apicultural Society. EAS was founded in 1955 for the "promotion of bees, education of beekeepers, certification of Master Beekeepers and excellence in bee research. EAS Master Beekeepers are recognized worldwide for their beekeeping skills and ability to educate others in the art of beekeeping. Each year, EAS hosts an...