Beekeeping today looks very different than it did just a few decades ago, largely because of the steady arrival of invasive pests and pathogens. In this episode of Honey Bee Obscura, Jim Tew welcomes Anne Frey for a thoughtful, experience-based discussion on how beekeepers have responded to these challenges over time.

Jim and Anne reflect on the early days of tracheal mites, the arrival of Varroa, and the emergency treatments that once dominated management strategies. They discuss how research, regulation, and practical experience gradually replaced panic-driven responses, leading to more stable—though still imperfect—approaches to colony health. The conversation also revisits Colony Collapse Disorder, how public understanding diverged from beekeeper reality, and what long-term data revealed about recurring cycles of loss.

Looking forward, Jim and Anne turn their attention to emerging threats such as Tropilaelaps mites and the yellow-legged hornet, emphasizing the role of human movement in spreading invasive species. While the challenges are real and ongoing, they agree that today's beekeepers are better equipped than ever to adapt, monitor, and respond.

This episode offers perspective, historical context, and plain talk for anyone trying to understand how modern beekeeping arrived where it is—and why adaptability remains essential.

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Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee's mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com

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Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.

Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott

Cartoons by: John Martin (Beezwax Comics)

Copyright © 2026 by Growing Planet Media, LLC

In this New Year's Day episode of Honey Bee Obscura, Jim Tew is joined by Anne Frey for a timely and practical conversation about wintering honey bee colonies during extended cold spells. As winter settles in across much of North America, Jim and Anne focus on what beekeepers can—and cannot—do during deep winter to support colony survival.

The discussion centers on insulation, emergency feeding, and realistic expectations when temperatures plunge. Anne explains why it's not "too late" to add insulation, how minimal disturbance compares to the consequences of starvation, and why proactive feeding decisions often matter more than perfect timing. Together, they explore how clusters respond to disturbance, why insulation at the top of the hive plays a critical role in managing condensation, and how beekeepers can make calm, informed choices even in the coldest months.

Jim and Anne also examine ongoing debates around ventilation versus condensing hives, drawing on observations from wild colonies, research by Tom Seeley, and years of hands-on experience. The conversation widens to include polystyrene versus wooden hives, winter behavior in northern versus southern climates, and the delicate balance between insulation, solar gain, and cleansing flights.

Grounded in plain talk and practical experience, this episode offers reassurance, perspective, and actionable guidance for beekeepers wintering colonies as one year ends and another begins.

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Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee's mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com

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Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.

Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott

Cartoons by: John Martin (Beezwax Comics)

Copyright © 2026 by Growing Planet Media, LLC

In this Christmas Day Plain Talk episode of Honey Bee Obscura, Jim Tew offers listeners something intentionally different. Rather than focusing on hive management or seasonal techniques, Jim invites listeners into a reflective conversation shaped by memory, family, and the passage of time.

Jim begins by acknowledging that Christmas has never been a strongly beekeeping-centered season for him. From there, he shares a formative story from early in his beekeeping life—one that begins with his passion for woodworking and building his own beekeeping equipment and ends with a Christmas Day epiphany. Surrounded by stacks of partially built frames and running a saw while his family gathered inside, Jim realized something important had been lost. That moment marked a turning point, changing how he balanced making things with simply being present.

The episode weaves through additional Christmas memories, including childhood disappointments, restored gifts that went unappreciated at the time, and the slow understanding that comes with age. Jim reflects on his father's quiet sacrifices, the meaning of reuse and repair, and how perspective reshapes memories long after the wrapping paper is gone.

Jim also shares a humorous and thoughtful story about his childhood realization that Santa Claus might not arrive the way he imagined, marking another moment of growing up without spoiling the magic for others. He closes by reminding listeners that not every Christmas needs to be perfect to be meaningful, offering gratitude for shared stories, past experiences, and the opportunity to simply talk together—one more time.

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Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee's mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com

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Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.

Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott

Cartoons by: John Martin (Beezwax Comics)

Copyright © 2025 by Growing Planet Media, LLC

In this Plain Talk episode of Honey Bee Obscura, Jim Tew settles into his shop on a cold winter day to reflect on the many ways beekeeping appears odd to those outside the craft—and completely normal to those who practice it. Sparked by casual comments from friends asking whether he still "does that bee thing," Jim explores how deeply beekeeping reshapes perspective.

He begins with one of the most obvious oddities: beekeepers accept being stung as part of the deal. While that alone is a deal-breaker for many, beekeepers normalize pain, protective gear, and the inevitability that bees will occasionally get through even the best equipment. Jim draws thoughtful comparisons to other pursuits where risk and discomfort are accepted without question.

From there, he examines how outsiders view hive inspections as breaking and entering—smoking bees, dismantling their homes, and rearranging their world—actions that feel routine to beekeepers but astonishing to others. He also reflects on the long-standing discomfort some people feel about taking honey, and how the language of "robbing" bees gave way to more ethical framing over time.

Jim discusses the near obsession beekeepers have with queens, the deeply philosophical nature of beekeeping conversations, and the surprisingly medieval jargon that still defines the craft. He closes by reflecting on how beekeeping alters one's sense of time, seasonality, and awareness of the natural world—quietly reshaping how beekeepers see everything around them.

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Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee's mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com

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Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.

Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott

Cartoons by: John Martin (Beezwax Comics)

Copyright © 2025 by Growing Planet Media, LLC

In this week's episode of Honey Bee Obscura, Jim Tew invites listeners into an apiary winter wonderland, where a fresh blanket of snow becomes one of the beekeeper's most revealing diagnostic tools. While the bee yard is silent on the surface, the snow tells its own story—tracks from deer and other wildlife, drifts shaped by wind, and the scattered bodies of a few dead bees shed light on how colonies are coping with single-digit temperatures.

Jim reflects on the unmistakable signs of winter stress, including the loss of one colony and the resilience shown by others. With a characteristic blend of curiosity and humor, he brings along a stethoscope to listen for the faint hum of winter clusters—an experiment rooted in both science and playfulness. Even without opening the hives, he gathers clues about colony strength, cluster placement, and the harsh realities of overwintering bees.

As he contrasts the vibrancy of summer with the quiet austerity of winter, Jim shares a thoughtful perspective on what it means to simply visit the apiary during the cold months. Sometimes the best beekeeping involves observing rather than intervening—letting the season speak and learning from what it reveals.

Join Jim for this meditative walk among resting colonies in the heart of winter.

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Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee's mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com

______________________

Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.

Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott

Cartoons by: John Martin (Beezwax Comics)

Copyright © 2025 by Growing Planet Media, LLC

This week on Honey Bee Obscura, Jim reflects on a familiar challenge in the beekeeping world: How do we find new beekeepers? A winter snowstorm derailed his plans to record with his grandson and two of his college friends, but the experience sparked a larger, thoughtful conversation about what draws people to bees—and why most people never pick up the craft.

Jim revisits his own journey into beekeeping, remembering how early exposures didn't quite "stick" until years later, when something finally clicked. This becomes the focus keyphrase fishing for beekeepers: the idea that only a small percentage of people have the spark, and it may take multiple encounters before a future beekeeper recognizes it in themselves.

Through stories about his grandson Will—who clearly has the spark—and Will's uninterested friends who don't, Jim explores the unpredictable mix of timing, curiosity, personality, and life circumstances that shape whether someone might take up beekeeping. He also explains why recruiting new beekeepers matters: supporting equipment manufacturers, keeping clubs and associations healthy, sustaining university and regulatory programs, and ensuring beekeeping remains visible and valued.

From observation hives at farmers markets to the ways beekeepers unintentionally evangelize the craft, Jim reminds listeners that encouraging new beekeepers isn't a requirement—but it's something that helps preserve a 5,000-year-old tradition for future generations.

Snow or no snow, Jim's message lands clearly: keep planting seeds. The next beekeeper might just be waiting for the right moment.

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Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee's mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com

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Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.

Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott

Cartoons by: John Martin (Beezwax Comics)

Copyright © 2025 by Growing Planet Media, LLC

Sometimes beekeeping doesn't look polished, tidy, or picture-perfect—and in this week's episode, Jim leans right into that truth with a candid look at what he calls slipshod beekeeping. After visiting beekeepers and listeners at the Kentucky State Beekeepers Assn, he returns home to a bee yard that reflects the realities of taking several years off to care for family. With winter approaching and the colonies not quite where he wants them, Jim takes listeners along as he makes quick, imperfect, but meaningful adjustments to help his bees get through the cold season.

Armed with nothing more than duct tape, scissors, and a hive tool, Jim walks through the small but necessary tasks he's tackling: closing oversized entrances, managing upper and lower exits, checking bottom trays, reducing drafts, and working around equipment that isn't ideally arranged. The episode's title, slipshod beekeeping, becomes a reminder that sometimes the best you can do is what you're able to do in the moment—and that doing something often matters more than doing nothing.

Along the way, Jim shares observations about winter flight, hive debris, scavenger activity in bottom boards, and even the surprising calm of cool-weather stings. This episode is an honest acknowledgment that not every season goes as planned, and that many beekeepers will see themselves in Jim's mix of improvisation, practicality, and hope for a more organized spring.

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Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee's mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com

______________________

Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.

Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott

Cartoons by: John Martin (Beezwax Comics)

Copyright © 2025 by Growing Planet Media, LLC

Jim Tew returns with a reflective look at artistry in beekeeping—a part of the craft that may not appear in manuals but lives vividly in the memories and creative expressions of beekeepers everywhere. In this week's episode, Jim shares the story of a remarkable young artist he taught during his early years at the University of Maryland. Her detailed drawings of honey bees—rendered in graphite, colored pencil, and ink—left a lasting impression that still hangs on his office wall decades later.

Using those early illustrations as a springboard, Jim explores how creativity intertwines with beekeeping, from sketches and carvings to wax craft and historical printing plates. He reflects on the visual language that shapes our understanding of honey bees and the sentimental power that old artwork can hold, long after its creator has moved on. Whether you're a beekeeper who sketches, carves, photographs, or simply enjoys the artistry of others, this episode offers a warm reminder of the creative spirit that has always surrounded the keeping of bees.

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Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee's mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com

______________________

Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.

Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott

Cartoons by: John Martin (Beezwax Comics)

Copyright © 2025 by Growing Planet Media, LLC