Shows / Honey Bee Obscura 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.
Episodes
- Honey Bee Obscura Podcast
Bee Trailers - The Portable Bee Hive (126)
Anyone who's moved more than one hive, more than once in a season has considered... a simpler way of getting the job done. We've all see photos and videos of…
- Honey Bee Obscura Podcast
Memorable Stings (125)
If you've been keeping bees for a bit, you probably already have a couple of stories about that "one time in a beeyard", or honey house, or somewhere that gave…
- Honey Bee Obscura Podcast
Well... It Depends - Swarms (124)
A lot of times, when somebody asks us a bee question, the best answer we can give them is, "It Depends." In today's episode, Kim and Jim explore the topic of…
- Honey Bee Obscura Podcast
Marking Queens (123)
On today's episode, Kim and Jim discuss all the pros and cons about marking queens. Lots of questions come up when you mention marking queens. For most of us…
- Honey Bee Obscura Podcast
What About Those Springtime Bee Yard Chores (122)
Depending on where you live, spring chores were over a couple of months ago, or you'll be finishing them up about the time you check this podcast out, so we'll…
- Honey Bee Obscura Podcast
Lessons Learned: Memorable Meetings (121)
Are you a club president or in charge of planning meetings for your beekeeping organization? They always go well, don't they? No... of course not. They don't…
- Honey Bee Obscura Podcast
What's This About Bees Eating Their Young? (120)
Jim got a call from a listener who had a question. She wrote, "I went out to my bees early this week, and in front of the hive and on the landing board I saw…
- Honey Bee Obscura Podcast
What About That Pollen Flow (119)
It seems that pollen flows just don't get the respect that a good honey flow does, do they? And you've got to wonder why? In today's episode, Kim and Jim take…
- Honey Bee Obscura Podcast
Dealing with Old Frames (118)
So, you take a quick look at that top box this spring, and it's pretty much empty and you don't need the room for a bit, so remove the box. Then you take a…
- Honey Bee Obscura Podcast
Should You Paint Your Hive? (117)
You've spent lots of money on your woodenware and you want it to look good, last many years, and be safe for your the honey bees and the environment. What are…
- Honey Bee Obscura Podcast
Preparing for the First Nectar Flow (116)
It's early March, bees are flying every few days, early maples are blooming. Are you asking yourself, "Are my bees ready for the nectar flow?" On today's…
- Honey Bee Obscura Podcast
Managing The Small Colony (115)
The more colonies you have, the more you will notice differences between them throughout the year. On today's episode, Kim and Jim talk about what do you do…
- Honey Bee Obscura Podcast
Considering Atypical Bee Yards (114)
There's lots of places you can keep bees that aren't the typical backyard. Today Kim and Jim take a look at a couple of these places. The first is in an unused…
- Honey Bee Obscura Podcast
Finding Bee Yards (113)
It happens to most beekeepers are one point, where you have to find someplace else to keep your bees. A new, different beeyard. Where do you start? Whether you…
- Honey Bee Obscura Podcast
Spring Bees: Are Nucs A Good Deal? (112)
There are a lot of good reasons to start a new colony in your beeyard using a nucleus (nuc) colony, consisting of a mated queen, brood and drawn comb rather…
- Honey Bee Obscura Podcast
Bee Management on Warm(ish) Winter Days (111)
It's going to be 50 degrees tomorrow. Kim and Jim are going to have to check their bees for the first time this very early spring. So what do they do, how do…
- Honey Bee Obscura Podcast
Dealing with Package Queens (110)
The queens that come with packages today seem to be different that those we could get five or ten years ago and we think that points to some changes need to be…
- Honey Bee Obscura Podcast
Considering New Honey Bee Queens (109)
This is the time of year to think seriously about the queens you have in your colonies, or the queens you had in your colonies last season. If replacement is…
- Honey Bee Obscura Podcast
Dealing With American Foulbrood (108)
American Foulbrood is in the news lately… and for a good, positive reason. But what does it mean if you determine or a state apiarist determines you have a…
- Honey Bee Obscura Podcast
Beekeeping New Years Resolutions (107)
It's the beginning of a new year and Jim and Kim are thinking about New Year's Resolutions. Almost everybody makes a few Resolutions every January – even…
- Honey Bee Obscura Podcast
Bears in the Bee Yard (106)
What would you do if you received a call from a neighbor saying that your bee equipment was scattered across multiple yards? What would be YOUR first thought?…
- Honey Bee Obscura Podcast
Our Genesis Stories in Beekeeping (105)
Not a lot of people start keeping bees without some outside influence. A relative, neighbor, college class, or getting a job in bees. Jim started out with a…
- Honey Bee Obscura Podcast
Beekeeper Record Keeping Considerations (104)
Knowing what you did or saw, added or removed from a colony is useful. Whether that happened earlier in the day or the prior season. Keeping track of what, how…
- Honey Bee Obscura Podcast
Building Your Own Bee Equipment (103)
What beekeeper hasn't nailed together a hive body and thought, "Heck, I can cut these boards myself and it'd be cheaper!" Especially if they already have a…
- Honey Bee Obscura Podcast
Managing Winter Colony Die-Offs (102)
It's winter time and sure as the sky is blue (or grey – as the case may be), there will be many dead colonies out there next spring. If not in as early as in…
- Honey Bee Obscura Podcast
Consumer Honey Challenges (101)
On today's show, Kim and Jim discuss the most common 'complaint' a beekeeper who sells honey encounters. This is true whether you are selling from the back of…
- Honey Bee Obscura Podcast
5000 Years of Beekeeping in 24 Minutes (100)
Honey Bee Obscura celebrates its 100th episode with this release! Jim Tew and Kim Flottum invite, Beekeeping Today Podcast's Jeff Ott to join them to take a…
- Honey Bee Obscura Podcast
Winter Reading: What's On The List? (099)
Winter tends to have a bit more time inside than outside and one way to spend that time inside is to catch up on your reading. Jim and Kim talk a bit about the…
- Honey Bee Obscura Podcast
Colony Winter Water (098)
Why on earth would honey bee foragers go out on a freezing day in winter to collect water? Ice and snow everywhere, but there they are, trying to get a drink…
- Honey Bee Obscura Podcast
Midnight in the Bee Yard - A Halloween Special (097)
Without a doubt, some of the most peaceful places on Earth are bee yards. Tranquil, serene and quiet with only the soft hum of the bees fanning the air through…
- Honey Bee Obscura Podcast
Winter Is Coming - Winter Prep (096)
When you've been keeping bees for decades, sometimes you do things because that's the way you've always done them, right? But the world continues to change. It…
- Honey Bee Obscura Podcast
How Phenology Can Help Your Manage Bees (095)
Does your state Agriculture Department have a bulletin they share with everybody on the phenology, or bloom dates, of the wild flowers, trees and shrubs that…
- Honey Bee Obscura Podcast
Living With Your Smoker (094)
Beekeepers have a love/hate relationship with their smokers. Beekeeper families don't have split emotions… they tend HATE smokers and their lingering…
- Honey Bee Obscura Podcast
Liquifying Crystalized Honey (093)
Jim has pails of crystalized honey, but only wants enough liquid honey for his oatmeal this morning. How does he get that to work? Kim has a lot of good ideas…
- Honey Bee Obscura Podcast
Bee Suits and Protective Clothing (092)
One of the first pieces of equipment a new beekeeper buys is a bee suit. If they don't buy a bee suit, they will at least buy a veil. Stings on the face are…
- Honey Bee Obscura Podcast
Extracting Honey (091)
Moving boxes full of honey is usually a lot of work. The bees aren't happy, the boxes are heavy, it's hot and you have all your gear on to be safe. The one…
- Honey Bee Obscura Podcast
Removing Honey (090)
Harvesting your honey crop isn't about keeping bees, in fact, it is hard work. It's when you start questioning your spring decision to expand your number of…
- Honey Bee Obscura Podcast
Rim, Feeding Rim or Spacer (089)
So, what's that thing you put between two supers to give additional space between top bars below and bottom bars above so there's room for…something you want…
- Honey Bee Obscura Podcast
Dealing With Wax Moths (088)
Post-harvest time is a good time to look for wax moth in your colonies. Believe it or not, wax moths are around pretty much all of the time. On today's…
- Honey Bee Obscura Podcast
End of Season Evaluations (087)
Towards the end of the season, it's a good idea to take a look at the equipment and other management tricks you've been using all summer while it's still fresh…
- Honey Bee Obscura Podcast
Hive Stand Options (086)
Have you ever thought much about the hive stands you use? On today's episode, Jim and Kim take a long look at the hive stands they use and why they favor them…
- Honey Bee Obscura Podcast
How Much Honey Do You Leave On A Colony? (085)
How much honey do you leave for the bees this winter? Like lots of things in beekeeping, it depends. Since "all beekeeping is local", it is good to start in…
- Honey Bee Obscura Podcast
Dealing With Heat in the Beeyard (084)
It's hot out there and it looks like it isn't going to cool off for most of us for awhile. Also, since mite treatments should be starting now, getting honey…
- Honey Bee Obscura Podcast
Laying Workers (083)
If you have a colony of honey bees, chances are, at some point, some year, that colony will become queenless. If you do not realize it and the bees are…
- Honey Bee Obscura Podcast
After The Swarm (082)
Swarm season is fun and exhilarating. Much has been written about swarms. They've been studied, photographed, pursued and just… watched. But what does the…
- Honey Bee Obscura Podcast
The Importance of Mentors (081)
On today's episode, Kim and Jim talks about what it takes to be a mentor to another beekeeper, and therefore what you can look for in a good mentor. As a…
- Honey Bee Obscura Podcast
Queen Excluders - Love Them or Hate Them (080)
On today's episode, Jim and Jeff Ott (from Beekeeping Today Podcast), discuss the value and use of the 'love it or hate it" piece of equipment, the Queen…
- Honey Bee Obscura Podcast
Water For Your Bees (079)
After you get through the winter, spring buildup, swarming season and the ever present varroa, you can sit back and smell the flowers, right? You're a…
- Honey Bee Obscura Podcast
Dealing with Marginal Queens (078)
Pretty much every beekeeper, at one time or another, ends up with a queen that's not doing what they think she should be doing or - not doing what all the rest…
- Honey Bee Obscura Podcast
Small Furry Pests (077)
It doesn't take long after getting into beekeeping and then repeatedly, as long as you have beekeeping equipment laying around or stacked neatly, until you…
- Honey Bee Obscura Podcast
Exploring Honey Prices (076)
During a recent trip to a big-name US drug store, Kim saw honey on the shelf for $4.99 per pound. It was a blend of honeys from Argentina and India. A US…
- Honey Bee Obscura Podcast
Dealing With Feisty Bees (075)
Jim's beeyard is the center of attention this week, because his bees were bothering his wife and a very patient, longtime neighbor. That's not a good thing…
- Honey Bee Obscura Podcast
How To Plan Raised Pollinator Beds (074)
If a pollinator garden is in your future this summer, constructing a raised bed is one way to keep it under control and is a much easier approach to providing…
- Honey Bee Obscura Podcast
Final Thoughts on Package Bee Season (073)
So you have already put in your two packages (you did get two, right?) and a few days, or maybe a week later you checked them and…..something's wrong! What can…
- Honey Bee Obscura Podcast
Installing Package Bees in Inclement Weather (072)
Package season is about over for 2022. Perhaps thankfully too, depending on where in the country you live. Installing packages does not always go well or as…
- Honey Bee Obscura Podcast
Planning A Successful Bee Association Meeting (071)
Have you ever been involved in planning and carrying out a beekeeping meeting? If not, there are a host of things to consider that you may have missed when you…
- Honey Bee Obscura Podcast
Finding Bee Yards (070)
What are the important considerations for finding a new bee yard? There are a whole lot of right answers to this question and Kim and Jim explore almost all of…
- Honey Bee Obscura Podcast
Supplemental Spring Feeding of Honey Bees (069)
If your colonies make it through the winter, or if you simply purchased more bees as a package or nuc, their next challenge is making it through the changeable…
- Honey Bee Obscura Podcast
Adding Package Bees to Deadout Equipment (068)
This time of year, experienced and new beekeepers are receiving their packaged bees and nucs. Only a few of these packages and nucs are going home to new…
- Honey Bee Obscura Podcast
Capturing and Hiving Swarms (067)
A beekeeper's most exciting moment is undoubtedly, capturing and hiving a swarm... especially when it is someone else's bees! In today episode, Jim Tew and…