The Hive Jive - Beekeeping Podcast

Oh my gawd its back again! (The summer dearth that is...) John reminds us that most things in beekeeping are cyclical and points to a couple of episodes from year one of the podcast that can help you through this tough spot of summer. The guys also tackle a few listener questions from Becca, Tim, and Rachel.

John checks in with Ken to see how things are going so far. Has Ken finally learned his lesson about not being a Front Porch Beekeeper? We’ve heard a lot about how many new colonies have been acquired by either swarm capture or water meter removals, but how many colonies have been lost this year? Let’s see what answers are to be had…

In this episode the guys discuss a few listener stories regarding bee stings, as well as some YouTube videos about Honey Bees Choosing what they prefer. Tune in now to catch the buzz!

In this episode John adds a couple of after-thoughts to the previous honey extracting episode. Also the guys discuss some of the findings from John’s recent visit up to see Ken’s hives and their Hail Mary attempt to salvage what they could.

This episode has been a year in the making for those of you who have been following alongside the podcast in time with your own beekeeping journey. And, if everything has gone well, and mother nature was kind to you and your bees, hopefully it is time for your first legitimate honey harvest!! Tune in now as John walks us through the concept of the honey harvest and extraction process.

John sits down with Steve Jimenez from Hives for Heroes to discuss the important work that they are doing to help save veteran’s lives, and rescue bees in the process. There are countless heroes out there who come back to a world they don’t often relate to any longer. They struggle to cope with the things they have seen and done and they fall victim to the effects of PTSD. Often these individuals...

It’s Ken’s Birthday!!! Or, rather, it was his birthday. He is happy to be 21 again, or maybe it was 22. It’s hard to keep track once you are up there that far. But, the addition 3 dozen and 6 years experience sure does help out along the way. (You do the math!) In this episode we catch up on Ken’s swarm traps, talk about BetterComb briefly, and have a sneak peek ahead to a potential honey harvest.

Ken curls up for a nice little nap while John tackles another batch of Listener Questions from ya’ll.

Ken learns a hard lesson in what happens when you get lax and just do “Front Porch Beekeeping”… meaning you simply watch the bees from the entrance coming and going, peek in via an observation window, or crack the lid just long enough to say “Yep, there’s bees in there.” Unfortunately that last remark is all you can actually gather from this style of observation, and you don’t really know what mig...

John sits down with NYC’s premier beekeeper, Mr. Andrew Coté, to discuss what it is like being a 4th generation beekeeper in the Big Apple. The guys cover a wide range of topics including the challenges of rooftop beekeeping, having hives on United Nations soil, and helping beekeepers around the world via Bees Without Borders. Andrew also gives us a sneak peek at what it was like writing his new b...

John tackles another round of listener questions directly from you lovely Hive Jivers. Is your question on the list?

It's time to go back and quickly recap the key points from our spring episodes. Can Ken hold his own, or will he fail this pop quiz?

In what almost feels like a regular episode, the guys lose track of time and give us our first 45-minute episode since the Quarantine started. Recent rains may signal a light at the end of the tunnel, and a hopeful saving grace for a potential honey harvest this summer. A lot of people have been dealing with swarming already this year, and that might only continue now that rains have arrived. Plus...

In this episode, John discusses one listeners opinion of the P word, and then turns around and chastises sensationalists for using the M word. Say what? Tune in now to untangle this mess, and to learn a little bit of truth about the Asian Giant Hornet and whether it currently garners the attention it is getting in the media at the moment.

This April was like a yo-yo as far as the weather went. This back and forth caused some setbacks to the flowers, which negatively impacted the bees, and therefore some of the beekeepers as well. John sits down to tell just a few of the problems that he faced this past month in an effort to let everyone know that we all face hard times every now and then. It happens to us all.

In this episode John attempts to walk us through the concept of reading your comb. Did the bees drink that jar of sugar syrup you just gave them yesterday, or simply store it? Are they raising brood? Does your queen have a good laying pattern? Is there a nectar flow in your area? All of these things can be determined by learning how to read your comb to better understand what is going on with your...

On the previous episode they guys discussed how you can raise a new queen. But, what about the actual installation process itself? Regardless if you have a ripe queen cell, a new virgin queen in a cage, or have purchased a fully mated queen, how you install them can make all the difference!

Today, on a very crackly episode, the guys discuss the various ways you can raise a new queen bee at home. Both on purpose, and of course by accident.

While the social distancing continues, John and Ken phone in another episode via remote broadcast and teleconference. This week the guys are discussing the different ways that you can make a split from your colony. There are a lot of different options based on the time of year, available resources, and what you are trying to accomplish. Tune in now to see if they guys can help make it clear as mud...

The guys are forced to do their first ever episode via Teleconference and they aren't so sure they like it all that much. But, despite all the crazy COVID19 restrictions and hurdles, there is still a lot of bee talk that needs doing! So join us as the guys phone in their experiences while installing Ken’s first packages of bees.

Ken seems to think that you can teach your bees how to play checkers. There is a management aspect to beekeeping called Checkerboarding, but it has nothing to do with your bees playing checkers. Sorry Ken. Tune in now to learn what this concept means, and catch up on what all is going on in these strange times.

You've heard the guys joke about bee math and compare it to chicken math, meaning you say you only want one or two and end up with 3 or 4. However, now it is time to talk about real bee math. How do you know if it is time to start raising queens in your area? How long will it take? You need Bee Math!

John and Ken visit with Mary Reed, the Chief Apiary Inspector for the state of Texas. At first glance, some new beekeepers might be intimidated by the thought of a State Inspector coming to look at their hives. However, it can be quite a fun and educational experience. Tune in now as the group discusses what it is to be an apiary inspector, what an inspection is like, and what they are looking for...

In the previous episode they guys discussed some initial spring tasks such as rotating your boxes. But, what about those of us that don’t use a Langstroth style hive? Well, this episode will break down how you can accomplish the same sort of task for all your Horizontal Hive Style setups out there!

It’s time to take a look at the second set of checklist items headed into the pre-springtime for your second year of beekeeping. (Keep in mind, these will also be the same for each spring moving forward.) The guys will cover the items you need to be focused on as your temps start to rise and the bees begin early brood production, including: checking food stores and walking that fine line between s...