Beekeeping Buddies

Episode 51 - Beginning Winter Preparation, Another Cutout, Honeybee Hotline and more!

Episode 51 of Beekeeping Buddies takes us from new honey bee research to the very practical work of preparing colonies for winter. We dig into a recent study out of Kor

Episode 50 - Requeen Problems, Cutout, July 4 Honey Harvest, Mite Treatment Meeting, Honeybee Hotline, Droning on, and MORE!

Your Beekeeping Buddies got a little busy, but not to worry... we are back to cover our summer honey harvest, requeening issues, OA mite treatments, Norra, answer some Ho

Episode 49 - Rain, Dutch Clover, Honey Extraction, State Association Talk, and IAPV Studies, Different Beeswax, and more!

Summer is in full swing, and there is plenty happening in the bee yard. In Episode 49, Steven and Luke discuss how recent rain has affected nectar flows, the role Dutch c

Episode 48 - Growing into Sideliner Beekeeping, Increasing your Network, and Venom Cancer Research

When does a hobby become a business? In this episode, Steve and Luke discuss the transition from hobbyist beekeeper to sideliner, including the challenges, opportunities,

Episode 47 - Busy as a Bee! Cutouts, City Ordinances, Inordinate Amount of Swarms

Episode 47 of Beekeeping Buddies has us still busier than we have been in years! Early spring translated to early swarms, early honey crops, and earlier cutouts, and earl

Episode 46 - We are Having a Crazy Spring; Chasing Swarms; Preparing for the Honey Flow

Episode 46 of Beekeeping Buddies has us busier than we have been in years! Early spring means early swarms, early honey crops, and earlier cutouts! Come listen to what we

Episode 45 - Come Hang Out with Our Beekeeping Buddies 628 Dirt Rooster Randy McCaffery and His Brother Tommy McCaffery

Episode 45 of Beekeeping Buddies has us visited by some of our own Beekeeping Buddies! Randy McCaffrey (628 Dirt Rooster) and Tommy McCaffrey come by and explain how Hobb

Episode 44 - Beekeeping in Arizona with Honey Hives Farm, Package Queen Swapping, Hive Body Types and more!

Episode 44 of Beekeeping Buddies takes us out west as we talk about beekeeping in Arizona and how conditions there compare to what many of us see in the Midwest. We also

Episode 43 - Is Spring Here? Accident in the Yard! Luke Goes to the Midwest Honeybee Expo!

We're enjoying a stretch of beautiful weather here in the Peoria area, and that can only mean one thing for beekeepers: false spring temptation. This week, Steve and Lu

Episode 42 - 2025 Statistics, Season Wrap Up, Plans for the New Year!

Welcome to episode 42 where we talk about our statistics for the last year and our plans in the new one. We talk about our aparies, what we will be doing, and how we plan

Episode 41 - Winter has arrived and so has our holiday Christmas list for your beekeeping needs!

Welcome to episode 41 where we talk a bit about the weather, but because we don't have a lot going on in the yard, we are going to run down our gift buying guide for 2026

Episode 40 - We talk to Dr. Jeff Pettis about the Tropilaelaps mite and what to know about this threat

I know, two episodes in two weeks? Well, episode 40 is here, and this one is big. We sat down with Dr. Jeff Pettis, former President of Apimondia and one of the world's

Episode 39 - Fall preparation, late fall cutouts, how to price and install an observation hive

This week we dig into some of the most important tasks heading into the colder months. We cover practical fall preparation, what to expect with late-season cutouts, and h

Episode 38 - Fall has crept in, spooky Halloween Beekeeping Stories, Chunk Comb and our Honeybee Hotline!

It's the Beekeeping Buddies Halloween Special! Luke and Steve dive into the spookier side of beekeeping from bees starting WW3, to the mornful swarm, frakenbees and more!

Episode 37 - Beekeeping Buddies Finds a Buddy With 628 Dirt Rooster!

We have broken 4,000 listens and want to thank everyone for taking some time to listen to us talk about our passion, honey bees. For this episode we take a break from t

Episode 36 - Feeding for winter, details on fall feeding, measuring hives, nucs 2026, new varroa treatment, managing robbing, fall festivals, and cutouts

Around the Yard: Dry Midwest Fall: Fall is here, the hot and dry have not gone away. Details on Fall Feeding: Recipe for Luke's fall feed is: 4.5 lbs sugar, 0.5 lbs pol

Episode 35 - Dry Fall, Another Strange Cutout, Luke returns from Spain, Varroa makes it to Spain, HMF correction, Honeybee Hotline Questions, What to do with honey frames

Around the Yard: Dry Midwest Fall: Fall is mostly here, but is sure is dry. Details on Another Cutout: Luke and Steve have another fall cutout. Luke Returns From Spain:

Episode 34 - Cooler Weather Preparation, Honey Harvest for Summer, Open Feeding, Working with the USDA, Another Strange Cutout... and Important Bee News!

Around the Yard: Cooler Weather: Fall has started peeking around the corner. What do we do? Honey Harvest for Summer: Luke and Steve take the last of our summer honey.

Episode 33 - Pulling Honey, Fall Prep, News from Luke, and Lots of Honeybee Hotline

Around the Yard: Pulling Honey: Luke and Steve talk about the struggles of staying cool in the bee yard. Fall Prep: Is it already time to feed our bees for winter? What

Episode 32 - Staying Cool in the Bee Yard, Time to Feed?, Hive Treatment, Queen Introduction, Problems Running a Beekeeping Management Business

Around the Yard: Staying Cool: Luke and Steve talk about the struggles of staying cool in the bee yard. Time to Feed?: Is it already time to feed our bees for winter? H