Honey Bee Obscura Podcast

Reflections on the 300th Episode

In this special 300th episode of Honey Bee Obscura, Dr. Jim Tew heads back to his bee yard for a thoughtful look at where the podcast began, where it has taken him, and w

Small Late-Summer Colonies with Anne Frey (299)

Late summer can expose the colonies that simply haven't kept pace. Maybe they're late splits, small nucs, colonies recovering from swarming, or colonies that never develo

Archive Special: Fall Feeding with Kim Flottum (298)

When should you feed your honey bees—and when is feeding simply masking another problem? In this Honey Bee Obscura Archive Special, we revisit a conversation between Jim

Easy Bee Plants with Anne Frey (297)

What can the average beekeeper realistically plant to help honey bees and other pollinators? Jim Tew is joined by Anne Frey of Betterbee for a practical and sometimes wan

Plain Talk: Old Beekeeping Books (296)

On a quiet, rainy morning, Jim Tew opens a few fragile old beekeeping books and takes us on an unscripted trip through the practices, tools, and ideas of beekeepers who c

Tiny Hives Update with Sherry (295)

Not every colony survives—and sometimes the best lesson comes from the colonies that don't. This week on Honey Bee Obscura, Jim Tew provides tiny hives update for the lis

Memorable Stings with Anne Frey (294)

Every beekeeper remembers a few stings that stand out above all the rest. This week on Honey Bee Obscura, Dr. Jim Tew and Anne Frey share some of their most memorable e

Beekeeping in Hot Weather with Anne Frey (293)

Summer heat changes the way both beekeepers and honey bee colonies operate. In this episode, Jim Tew is joined by Anne Frey of Betterbee to explore what beekeeping in hot

Archive Special: Removing Honey (292)

Removing honey from a hive sounds simple until the supers are full. In this Honey Bee Obscura Archive Special, the late Kim Flottum and Dr. Jim Tew revisit one of the m

Plain Talk: Hot Bees, Ants and Weeds (291)

As summer temperatures climb across much of North America, Dr. Jim Tew reflects on what extreme heat means for both honey bees and the people who care for them. Speaking

A Small Open Colony (290)

Sometimes honey bees choose unusual places to live. In this episode of Honey Bee Obscura, Jim Tew visits the property of longtime bee lab colleague Sherry to examine a

Plain Talk: Hot Bees (289)

Summer heat brings a familiar sight to many beekeepers: honey bees clustered outside the hive entrance, hanging from the landing board, and covering the front of the colo

Archive Special: Working Bees in the Heat (288)

In this Honey Bee Obscura Archive Special, Jim Tew and Kim Flottum revisit an important topic that becomes increasingly relevant as summer progresses: working bees in the

Plain Talk: Tall Grass In The Bee Yard (287)

In this reflective episode of Honey Bee Obscura, Dr. Jim Tew walks back to his bee yard after several days of rain and immediately confronts a familiar challenge: grass a

Plain Talk: Five Nice Hives (286)

In this episode of Honey Bee Obscura, Jim Tew heads into the bee yard to check on five package colonies installed earlier in the spring. What begins as a routine inspecti

A Novice Teaches Beekeeping (285)

Jim Tew welcomes his grandson, Will Laditka, back to Honey Bee Obscura for a candid conversation about the realities of learning beekeeping as a young beginner. Will refl

The Wayward Swarm, Part 4 (284)

In this final installment of the "Wayward Swarm" saga, Dr. Jim Tew and Jason Ferrell return to the colony that has caused more trouble, worry, and excitement than either

The Wayward Swarm, Part 3 (283)

In this third installment of The Wayward Swarm, Jim Tew returns to the now-infamous swarm hanging high in a tree after days of cold rain and falling temperatures. Joined

Plain Talk: The Wayward Swarm, Part 2 (282)

In this episode of Honey Bee Obscura, Jim Tew delivers a candid, field-side reflection on the challenges—and realities—of swarm management when conditions, equipment, and

Plain Talk: Packages and Swarms (281)

In this episode of Honey Bee Obscura, Jim Tew brings listeners along for a raw, unfiltered walk through his apiary during one of beekeeping's most unpredictable seasons.