Honey Bee Obscura Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Bee Beards - Part 2 (057) Jan 20, 2022

Show notes

In today's episode, Kim and Jim continue their exploration of Bee Beards… though this time… they go big… really big bee beards you see in the movies, where they use 20 maybe 30 pounds of bees, and the person is covered from the top of his head to his shoe laces? How can they do that?

You have to start with that many bees that have been queenless for up to a couple three days. Queenless packages work well here.

Then, you put them all in one big box, and using a piece of screen, with Vaseline smeared on it and artificial queen substance at the top, you dip that screen into the box, and the bees crawl up onto the screen.

Of course, you need a person willing to do this. They daub queen pheromone on his body, and the screen is moved next to him and the bees crawl onto that person. Simple as 1, 2, 3. Right?

Well, not quite that simple. There's a fourth step...You have to get them off when this is over and you have to figure out what to do with them then.

Listen in and learn how all this works from a couple of guys who have been there and done that. You'll probably never do one, but being aware of the biology at work will make you a better beekeeper.

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We welcome Betterbee as sponsor of 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, Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott

Bee Beards - Part 1 (056) Jan 13, 2022

Show notes

Really? You want to do a bee beard?

OK, let's think this through. How much do you know about bees and bee beards, and why do you want to make a bee beard anyway? Some people will think you are as crazy as a loon to try this and that you will die. But others think bee beards are a great way to demonstrate that bees are gentle, safe and actually fun to work with, if you know what you are doing. In today's episode, Kim and Jim start a discussion on… Bee Beards.

First, if your club is doing this for a county fair or some demonstration, is everybody in your club OK with this? Is the demonstration location owner OK to do this? There may be liability questions. Be prepared.

Will this be an open demonstration in a field or within an enclosed and screened tent? You need to consider where will the bees come from – package, hive, nuc, etc. Regardless, make sure they are well fed!

Jim and Kim discuss making a small-scale bee beard for a public demonstration this week.

It's OK, you can listen and not get stung.

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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, Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott

Flower Garden Site Prep (055) Jan 06, 2022

Show notes

Jim has finally figured out where he wants his flowers to be next spring, so what's next is getting those sites ready to plant, so that what he plants does the best it can for Jim, the bees and anybody who walks by.

In this episode, Kim and Jim discuss the next steps in planning his garden including the time and amount of light the spot receives, soil tests, sod removal options, and… what to plant!

Listen and learn as Kim & Jim discuss the ins and outs of flower garden site preparation, so Jim can sit on his deck and enjoy his bees!

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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, Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott

New Year - New Equipment... Assembly Required? (054) Dec 30, 2021

Show notes

You can buy all of your beekeeping equipment already assembled and if wooden boxes, already painted. They cost more than if you do it yourself, but you don't invest any time in assembly. Or, you can buy everything unassembled; nail and glue all the parts and pieces together, then paint it. You'll need the right tools of course, the room and occasionally have to get something that didn't get packed.

Buying assembled boxes can be a good idea, as long as they are put together correctly at the factory, and as long as the wooden pieces are the correct size and not warped. Check out those boxes when you get them to make sure they're square, and while you're at it, take a look at the paint job. Is it good paint, enough paint, paint where it should be?

Frames can arrive in many pieces. There are the wooden parts and possibly the wire to hold the foundation in place, eyelets to pass the wire through the end bars and all the nails you'll need to put all this together. Or, as simple as one single integrated piece of plastic: frame and foundation – complete. But wait, you can also get a hybrid. Wood frame pre-assembled, plastic foundation already snapped in and the whole thing ready to go right out of the shipping box. Fast, easy and usually in good shape.

Which is better? Listen as Kim and Jim talk about getting new beekeeping equipment and the pros, and cons, of buying it ready to go, or putting it together.

You can buy all of your new equipment (assembled or not) from our sponsor, Betterbee!

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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, Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott

Planning your Gardens for Bees (053) Dec 23, 2021

Show notes

Jim has finally taken to heart the old saying, "Plant a flower - Feed a bee" and wants to add some plants to his yard that will not only feed bees, but add beauty to his landscape. But Jim's a hard-core entomologist and hasn't spent a lot of time studying the how's and why's and where's of creating his semi-urban plain old lawn into a Garden of Earthly Delights.

Lucky for Jim, Kim went to college to learn those exact skills and has offered to give him a hand. He guides Jim in finding out what resources are at hand, what city rules and regulations he may have to follow, and what to do, and especially what not to do relative to his neighbors – both next door and across the street.

This is the first of a three part series on getting all of this done, starting out with what can and can't you do, followed by what and how and where exactly is it that you want to do all this, exactly, and finishing up with what will you plant, and why and when and will it bloom when I want it to and make sure it isn't a weed.

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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, Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott

Considering the Bee Culture December Issue (052) Dec 16, 2021

Show notes

The December, 2021 issue of Bee Culture magazine arrived this month. In this episode, Kim and Jim look at this special issue and discuss why it's special every December.

Starting right off, it's the Interview issue, where the regular writers, and some others, introduce the readers to industry people, friends in bees and beekeeping, or just someone they think their readers would like to get to know.

The issue includes the annual honey price report too, which shows honey prices for a couple dozen honey products (bulk, 1-lb., 2, 5-lb., comb and the rest), plus prices for beeswax and pollination for each or their seven regions across the country. Of course, that happens every month, but the December report shows those average prices for prior years so you can see what's changing, and by how much. How much do you charge for a one-pound jar, retail? We'll bet not enough. You can compare your prices with others in your region in this issue

Finally, for the last 30 some years, Kathy Summers has been making the Publications Department run as smooth as warm honey. Ordering supplies, managing inventories for the books, keeping track of the accounting part of the department, plus doing all of the layout and design for every issue. Kathy is stepping down at the end of this month for a well-deserved rest.

Imagine creating over 360 different magazines! That's a lot of looking good, reading good and making it all work, work.

Thank you, Kathy!

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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, Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott

Considering Packages or Nucs for the Spring (051) Dec 09, 2021

Show notes

Will it be packages of nucs next spring?

It's only December, how do I know what I'll want, and, if any, how many I'll want? Getting nucs or packages in the spring has changed a lot in the last several years. The quality of queens has changed. Everybody has varroa, well almost everybody, so how and when do I treat these new entries into my apiary?

How many of what I have now will still be here next spring? What if they all are? Or what if none are? And where can I get packages now? The post office used to deliver. That's gone. Used to be a bee supply outfit up the road, but they don't do nucs, only packages. And how much will they cost? If I can find some?

An overwintered nuc with an overwintered queen is probably the best bet for making it to next fall, and I might make some honey, too. But is that queen overwintered, or brand new? And how much time and money will it cost me to get a package established next summer if it doesn't rain until August, or it doesn't quit raining until next August? Do I have the time, and the money?

Gotta figure this out pretty quick, because the suppliers are already telling me they will run our fast next spring. Get your order in now, or maybe go without.

Listen as Kim & Jim discuss the pros and cons of Packages and Nucs!

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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, Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott

New Swarms On Deadout Comb? (050) Dec 02, 2021

Show notes

Can You Put New Swarms on Old Comb?

You've caught your first swarm. Where should it go? You don't have any new equipment to put it on, but you have an overwintered colony that didn't make it. Can you use the combs from that colony? Always the best answer – It Depends!

First, ask yourself, why did that colony die? Was it maybe American Foulbrood? European Foulbrood? If you don't know you need to find out BEFORE you put more bees in those boxes. Have them tested.

If the colony went queenless overwinter, there will probably be some dead bees and lots or at least some honey. But if there's no bees, none, and lots and lots of honey, maybe varroa and virus.

Did you count mites last fall? Did you treat when you should have?

Drawn comb is an incredible resource for your bees and for you, but how old is that comb? Do you date frames, is that wax clean enough to use another season?

Listen today as Kim & Jim discuss the ins-and-outs of using that dead colony's comb with a new swarm!

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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, Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott

Artificial Honeycomb (049) Nov 25, 2021

Show notes

Back about 100 years ago, there was so much adulterated honey for sale that people were reluctant to buy it at all. Comb honey was seen as being different because that couldn't be adulterated, right? Well, A. I. Root put up an award looking for fake comb honey because he was sure it couldn't be done.

Fast forward 100 years or so and that may not be the case anymore. People can digitally print fully drawn comb for bees to use, from either beeswax, or other edible waxes. Bees seem to like it and it works just fine in a beehive, giving bees a boost when they need it the most.

So, can you make fake comb honey? Well, perhaps. Tune in and listen to Kim and Jim examine these old and new rules about comb honey, and see what the world is up to with these newfangled inventions.

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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, Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott

What's That Smell - Part 2: The Good (048) Nov 18, 2021

Show notes

Bees, honey, smoker smoke, and lots more all have their own aroma. Beekeeping is rich in its own smells. Most are fragrant, rich and a delight to work with. Some, not so much. This is a two-part series, started in the last episode, #47.

In today's Part 2, we spent some time smelling honeys, the types and seasons and sources and times. Then we looked the wonderful aromas the come from beekeeping products. Beeswax being rendered, honey being uncapped, the smell of brand-new wax foundation, burning wax candles, the smell of your workshop as you put together new equipment.

Come on along and learn what you can expect when dealing with honey, honey bees and all that comes with them, and what you already may have experienced and not thought much about. One aroma is worth a thousand words.

What are YOUR favorite smells of beekeeping? Let us know!

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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, Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott

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