Two Bees in a Podcast

Episode 188: Tropilaelaps Oct 29, 2024

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on October 29, 2024, Dr. Jamie Ellis and Amy Vu welcome Dr. Geoff Williams—an Associate Professor at the Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology at Auburn University—to talk about a hot global topic in the honey bee world: Tropilaelaps. This episode concludes with a Q&A segment. Check out our website: www.ufhoneybee.com, for additional resources from today's episode.

Episode 187: Consuming Irradiated Royal Jelly Oct 22, 2024

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on October 22, 2024, Dr. Jamie Ellis and Amy Vu welcome Jennifer Standley—who finished her master's degree here at the UF Honey Bee Research and Extension Laboratory, and is now completing her PhD with Dr. Geoff Williams at his laboratory in the department of Entomology and Plant Pathology at Auburn University—to talk about a research project that she did here at UF with Jamie titled, “Does consuming irradiated royal jelly affect Apis mellifera larvae development and survival to adulthood in vitro?”. This episode concludes with a Q&A segment. Check out our website: www.ufhoneybee.com, for additional resources from today's episode.

Episode 186: Commercial Beekeeping: Queen Production, Pollination, and Package Production Oct 15, 2024

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on October 15, 2024, Dr. Jamie Ellis and Amy Vu welcome Ray Olivarez—the owner of Olivarez Honey Bees incorporated in Orland, California—to talk about queen production, pollination, and package production. This episode concludes with a Q&A segment. Check out our website: www.ufhoneybee.com, for additional resources from today's episode.

Episode 185: Commercial Honey Bees and Non-native Probiotics Oct 08, 2024

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on October 8, 2024, Dr. Jamie Ellis and Amy Vu welcome Dr. Kirk Anderson—the lead scientist, a molecular microbial ecologist and research microbiologist at the Carl Hayden Bee Research Center for the USDA Agricultural Research Service—to talk about his manuscript, “A longitudinal field study of commercial honey bees shows that non-native probiotics do not rescue antibiotic treatment, and are generally not beneficial.” This episode concludes with a Q&A segment. Check out our website: www.ufhoneybee.com, for additional resources from today's episode.

Episode 184: Hive Orientation and Colony Strength Affect Honey Bee Colony Activity During Almond Pollination Oct 01, 2024

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on October 1, 2024, Dr. Jamie Ellis and Amy Vu welcome Dr. Huw Evans—a lead innovator for BeeHero X—to talk about his publication “Hive Orientation and Colony Strength Affect Honey Bee Colony Activity during Almond Pollination.” This episode concludes with a Q&A segment. Check out our website: www.ufhoneybee.com, for additional resources from today's episode.

Episode 183: Beescape Sep 24, 2024

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on September 24, 2024, Dr. Jamie Ellis and Amy Vu welcome Dr. Christina Grozinger—a Professor at Pennsylvania State University as well as the Director at the Center for Pollinator Research and the Technologies for Living Systems Center—to talk Beescape. This episode concludes with a Q&A segment. Check out our website: www.ufhoneybee.com, for additional resources from today's episode.

Episode 182: High Pesticide Exposure and Risk to Bees in Pollinator Plantings Adjacent to Conventionally Managed Blueberry Fields Sep 17, 2024

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on September 17, 2024, Dr. Jamie Ellis and Amy Vu welcome Dr. Kelsey Graham—a Research Entomologist with the USDA ARS Pollinating Insects, Biology, Management, & Systematics Research Unit in Logan, Utah—to talk about her paper, “High pesticide exposure and risk to bees in pollinator plantings adjacent to conventionally managed blueberry fields.” This episode concludes with a Q&A segment. Check out our website: www.ufhoneybee.com, for additional resources from today's episode.

Episode 181: Nano Colonies Sep 10, 2024

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on September 10, 2024, Dr. Jamie Ellis and Amy Vu welcome Dr. Zac Lamas—a NIFA Postdoctoral Fellow with Dr. Jay Evans' Laboratory at the USDA ARS Bee Research Laboratory in Beltsville, Maryland—to talk about his paper, “Nano Colonies: Rearing honey bee queens and their offspring in small laboratory arenas.” This episode concludes with a Q&A segment. Check out our website: www.ufhoneybee.com, for additional resources from today's episode.

Episode 180: Wild Honey Bee Colonies and Research in South Africa Sep 03, 2024

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on September 3, 2024, Dr. Jamie Ellis and Amy Vu welcome back Kaylin Kleckner—a PhD candidate at the Honey Bee Research and Extension Laboratory at the University of Florida—to talk about wild honey bee colonies as well as some specific research she is doing in South Africa. This episode concludes with a Q&A segment. Check out our website: www.ufhoneybee.com, for additional resources from today's episode.

Episode 179: Colony Size, Rather Than Geographic Origin of Stocks Aug 27, 2024

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on August 27, 2024, Dr. Jamie Ellis and Amy Vu welcome Dr. Mehmet Döke—an Assistant Professor at the University College of Utrecht in the Netherlands—to talk about a publication that he wrote, “Colony Size, Rather Than Geographic Origin of Stocks, Predicts Overwintering Success in Honey Bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae) in the Northeastern United States.” This episode concludes with a Q&A segment. Check out our website: www.ufhoneybee.com, for additional resources from today's episode.

Episode 178: Doctor Keith Delaplane on Biogeography Evolution: Part Two Aug 20, 2024

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on August 20, 2024, Dr. Jamie Ellis and Amy Vu welcome back Dr. Keith Delaplane—Professor, Walter B. Hill Fellow & Honey Bee Program Director in the Department of Entomology at the University of Georgia—to continue speaking about biogeography evolution. This episode is part two of two and concludes with a Q&A segment. Check out our website: www.ufhoneybee.com, for additional resources from today's episode.

Episode 177: Doctor Keith Delaplane on Biogeography Evolution: Part One Aug 13, 2024

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on August 13, 2024, Dr. Jamie Ellis and Amy Vu welcome back Dr. Keith Delaplane—Professor, Walter B. Hill Fellow & Honey Bee Program Director in the Department of Entomology at the University of Georgia—to talk about biogeography evolution. This episode is part one of two. This episode concludes with a Q&A segment. Check out our website: www.ufhoneybee.com, for additional resources from today's episode.

Episode 176: The EPIQ Program (Education about Production and Insemination of Queens) Aug 06, 2024

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on August 6, 2024, Dr. Jamie Ellis and Amy Vu welcome Dr. Robyn Underwood—an Extension Educator in Apiculture with the Department of Entomology at Penn State University as well as the EPIQ Program Leader—to talk about the EPIQ Program. This episode concludes with a Q&A segment. Check out our website: ufhoneybee.com, for additional resources from today's episode.

Episode 175: The Honey Factory Jul 30, 2024

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on July 30, 2024, Dr. Jamie Ellis and Amy Vu welcome back Dr. Tom Seeley—a Professor of Biology in the Department of Neurobiology and Behavior at Cornell University as well as the author of several books on honey bee behavior—to talk about his research on the honey bee colony as a honey factory as well as his new book: Piping Hot Bees and Boisterous Buzz-Runners. This episode concludes with a Q&A segment. Check out our website: ufhoneybee.com, for additional resources from today's episode.

Episode 174: Hygiene-Eliciting Brood Semiochemicals as a Tool for Assaying Honey Bee Colony Resistance to Varroa Jul 23, 2024

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on July 23, 2024, Dr. Jamie Ellis and Amy Vu welcome Dr. Kaira Wagoner—a research scientist with the Department of Biology at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro as well as the CEO of Optera—to talk about the research paper, “Hygiene-Eliciting Brood Semiochemicals as a Tool for Assaying Honey Bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae) Colony Resistance to Varroa.” This episode concludes with a Q&A segment. Check out our website: ufhoneybee.com, for additional resources from today's episode.

Episode 173: The Nutritional Landscape in Agroecosystems Jul 16, 2024

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on July 16, 2024, Dr. Jamie Ellis and Amy Vu welcome Dr. Pierre Lau—a research entomologist/ecologist at the Pollinator Health in Southern Crop Ecosystems Research Unit which is part of the USDA ARS—to talk about the research paper, “The nutritional landscape in agroecosystems: a review on how resources and management practices can shape pollinator health in agricultural environments.” This episode concludes with a Q&A segment. Check out our website: ufhoneybee.com, for additional resources from today's episode.

Episode 172: Breeding for Varroa Resistance Jul 09, 2024

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on July 9, 2024, Dr. Jamie Ellis and Amy Vu welcome back Dr. Marla Spivak—a distinguished McKnight professor in the Department of Entomology at the University of Minnesota—to talk about breeding for Varroa resistance. This episode concludes with a Q&A segment. Check out our website: ufhoneybee.com, for additional resources from today's episode.

Episode 171: Honey Bee Stings from a Medical Perspective Jul 02, 2024

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on July 2, 2024, Dr. Jamie Ellis and Amy Vu speak with Dr. Michael Brown—a practicing family physician, a hobbyist beekeeper, the President of the Missouri State Beekeeper’s Association, and a Master Beekeeper in the Great Plains Master Beekeeper Program—about honey bee stings. This episode concludes with a Q&A segment. Check out our website: ufhoneybee.com, for additional resources from today's episode.

Episode 170: Indoor Overwintering Bees Jun 25, 2024

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on June 25, 2024, Dr. Jamie Ellis and Amy Vu welcome back Ian Steppler—who is a commercial beekeeper and runs the Canadian Beekeeper’s Blog— to talk about one of the latest crazes in the bee world: indoor overwintering. This episode concludes with a Q&A segment. Check out our website: ufhoneybee.com, for additional resources from today's episode.

Episode 169: Mental Wellness and Beekeeping Jun 18, 2024

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on June 18, 2024, Dr. Jamie Ellis and Amy Vu speak with Kathy Clay, a retired Battalion Chief Fire Marshal and certified Master Beekeeper, about the link between mental wellness and beekeeping. This episode concludes with a Q&A segment. Check out our website: ufhoneybee.com, for additional resources from today's episode.

Episode 168: Beekeeping with Larry Connor Jun 11, 2024

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on June 11, 2024, Dr. Jamie Ellis and Amy Vu speak with Dr. Larry Connor the owner and founding member of Wicwas Press, LLC about his experience as a bee keeper, a bee scientist, and a bee educator as well as brood patterns and why they’re important. This episode concludes with a Q&A segment. Check out our website: ufhoneybee.com, for additional resources from today's episode.

Episode 167: Honey Bee Clustering Jun 04, 2024

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on June 4, 2024, Dr. Jamie Ellis and Amy Vu welcome back Derek Mitchell from the University of Leeds Institute of Thermofluids to talk about his research article, “Honeybee cluster—not insulation but stressful heat sink.” This episode concludes with a Q&A segment. Check out our website: ufhoneybee.com, for additional resources from today's episode.

Episode 166: Environmental DNA May 28, 2024

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on May 28, 2024, Dr. Jamie Ellis and Amy Vu speak with Dr. Leigh Boardman—an assistant professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Memphis—about Environmental DNA (eDNA), how it works in the honey bee world, and how it might be beneficial to beekeepers in the future. This episode concludes with a Q&A segment. Check out our website: ufhoneybee.com, for additional resources from today's episode.

Episode 165: Structural Bee Removal May 21, 2024

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on May 21, 2024, Dr. Jamie Ellis and Amy Vu speak with Jean Navarro—a beekeeper, pest control operator, and the owner of Mega Bee Rescues and Pest Control—about structural bee removal. This episode concludes with a Q&A segment. Check out our website: ufhoneybee.com, for additional resources from today's episode.

Episode 164: The Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honey Bees, and Farm-raised Fish (ELAP) Program May 14, 2024

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on May 14, 2024, Dr. Jamie Ellis and Amy Vu speak with Seth Cross, a National Program Manager for ELAP with the Farm Service Agency within the U.S. Department of Agriculture, about what he manages on the national level: the emergency assistance for livestock, honey bees, and farm-raised fish (ELAP) program. This episode concludes with a Q&A segment. Check out our website: ufhoneybee.com, for additional resources from today's episode.

Episode 163: Sideline Beekeeping in Ecuador May 07, 2024

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on May 7, 2024, Dr. Jamie Ellis and Amy Vu speak with Manuel Cornejo—a sideline beekeeper from Ecuador—about what it’s like to be a beekeeper in Ecuador and some of its unique aspects. This episode concludes with a Q&A segment. Check out our website: ufhoneybee.com, for additional resources from today's episode.

Episode 162: Amitraz Resistance in Varroa Apr 30, 2024

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on April 30, 2024, Dr. Jamie Ellis and Amy Vu speak with Dr. Frank Rinkevich, a Research Entomologist at the USDA-ARS Honey Bee Breeding, Genetics, and Physiology Laboratory in Baton Rouge, Louisiana about Amitraz resistance. This episode concludes with a Q&A segment. Check out our website: ufhoneybee.com, for additional resources from today's episode.

Episode 161: Darwinian Beekeeping Apr 23, 2024

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on April 23, 2024, Dr. Jamie Ellis and Amy Vu speak with Dr. Lewis Bartlett, an Assistant Professor at the Center for the Ecology of Infectious Diseases at the Odum School of Ecology, about darwinian beekeeping. This episode concludes with a Q&A segment. Check out our website: ufhoneybee.com, for additional resources from today's episode.

Episode 160: Vespa velutina: The Yellow-Legged Hornet Apr 16, 2024

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on April 16, 2024, Dr. Jamie Ellis and Amy Vu speak with Dr. James Fulton, a research scientist at the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Honey Bee Diagnostic Laboratory, about Vespa velutina—more commonly known as the yellow-legged hornet. This episode concludes with a Q&A segment. Check out our website: ufhoneybee.com, for additional resources from today's episode.

Episode 159: Farm Safety and H2A Apr 09, 2024

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on April 9, 2024, Dr. Jamie Ellis and Amy Vu speak with Dr. Kim Morgan, an Extension Economist, who is an associate professor at the Southwest Florida Research and Education Center at the University of Florida. They discuss safety in the apiary, risk management, heat illness, the H-2A program, and more. This episode concludes with a Q&A segment. Check out our website: ufhoneybee.com, for additional resources from today's episode.

Episode 158: Global Beekeeping Apr 02, 2024

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on April 2, 2024, Dr. Jamie Ellis and Amy Vu speak with Dr. Jeff Pettis, the President of Apimondia, about the organization, global challenges, the future of beekeeping, and more. This episode concludes with a Q&A segment. Check out our website: ufhoneybee.com, for additional resources from today's episode.

Episode 157: Backyard Beekeeping and Minimizing Losses Mar 26, 2024

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on March 26, 2024, Dr. Jamie Ellis and Amy Vu speak with Theresa Martin, a Cornell Master Beekeeper, about minimizing losses as a backyard beekeeper, sensors, logging, and more. This episode concludes with a Q&A segment. Check out our website: ufhoneybee.com, for additional resources from today's episode.

Episode 156: Commercial Beekeeping Mar 19, 2024

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on March 19, 2024, Dr. Jamie Ellis and Amy Vu speak with Leo Rukin, a commercial beekeeper here in Florida, about cranberry pollination, bogs, migratory beekeeping, and more. This episode concludes with a Q&A segment. Check out our website: ufhoneybee.com, for additional resources from today's episode.

Episode 155.5: Special Announcement Mar 18, 2024

In this special episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on March 18, 2024, Dr. Jamie Ellis and Amy Vu have a very exciting announcement: Two Bees in a Podcast is back! Tune in Tuesdays at noon for new episodes!

Episode 155: Hearing about Honey bee Nutrition Dec 12, 2023

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on December 12, 2023, Dr. Jamie Ellis and Amy Vu speak with Dr. Priya Basu, an assistant professor in pollinator health and apiculture at Mississippi State University, on honey bee health and nutrition. This episode concludes with a Q&A segment. Check out our website ufhoneybee.com for additional resources from today’s episode.

Episode 154: Addressing Food Insecurity with The Herban Bee Dec 01, 2023

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on December 1, 2023, Dr. Jamie Ellis and Amy Vu speak with Mika Hardison, a beekeeper, educator and founder of The Herban Bee in Jacksonville, Florida, on value added products and urban beekeeping to address food insecurity. This episode concludes with a Q&A segment. Check out our website ufhoneybee.com for additional resources from today’s episode.

Episode 153: Beekeeping in Brazil Nov 17, 2023

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on November 17, 2023, Dr. Jamie Ellis and Amy Vu speak with Dr. Samir Moura Kadri, a post-doctoral research scholar (currently at the UF Honey Bee Lab) in the College of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science from Sao Paolo State University in Brazil, on Brazilian beekeeping and research. This episode concludes with a Q&A segment. Check out our website ufhoneybee.com for additional resources from today’s episode.

Episode 152: Discovering Bee Data with HiveTracks App Nov 10, 2023

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on November 10, 2023, Dr. Jamie Ellis and Amy Vu speak with James Wilkes, the founder of HiveTracks and a computer science professor at Appalachian State University in North Carolina, on using technology to understand how to improve your beekeeping operations. This episode concludes with a Q&A segment. Check out our website ufhoneybee.com for additional resources from today’s episode.

Episode 151: PAm Bridging Research and Beekeepers Nov 03, 2023

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on November 3, 2023, Dr. Jamie Ellis and Amy Vu speak with Danielle Downey, with Project Apis m. on the work that they do and how it helps beekeepers. This episode concludes with a Q&A segment. Check out our website ufhoneybee.com for additional resources from today’s episode.

Episode 150: Beekeeping in Thailand Oct 21, 2023

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on October 21, 2023, Dr. Jamie Ellis and Amy Vu speak with Guntima Suwannapong, a leader of the honey bee laboratory in the department of biology from Burhapa in Thailand, on beekeeping practices and research. This episode concludes with a Q&A segment on oxalic acid treatments. Check out our website ufhoneybee.com for additional resources from today’s episode.

Episode 149: Drones Galore! Oct 13, 2023

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on October 13, 2023, Dr. Jamie Ellis and Amy Vu speak with Garrett Slater, a post-doctoral researcher, from USDA ARS Honey Bee Breeding Genetics and Physiology in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. This episode concludes with a Q&A segment. Check out our website ufhoneybee.com for additional resources from today’s episode.

Episode 148: The Cape Honey Bee and Small Hive Beetles Oct 06, 2023

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on October 6, 2023, Dr. Jamie Ellis and Amy Vu speak with Peter Neumann, the Director of the Institute of Bee Health in Switzerland, on the Cape Honey Bee and other areas of his research. This episode concludes with a Q&A segment. Check out our website ufhoneybee.com for additional resources from today’s episode.

Episode 147: Generational Beekeeping and Queen Breeding with Ted Miksa Sep 29, 2023

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on September 29, 2023, Dr. Jamie Ellis and Amy Vu speak with Ted Miksa, a queen breeder with Miksa Honey Farm and Chairman of the Florida Honey Bee Technical Council on generational beekeeping and queen breeding. This episode concludes with a Q&A segment. Check out our website ufhoneybee.com for additional resources from today’s episode.

Episode 146: Getting to know Hives for Heroes Aug 03, 2023

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on August 3, 2023, Dr. Jamie Ellis and Amy Vu speak with Steve Jimenez, a US veteran and founder of beekeeping nonprofit Hives for Heroes from Houston, Texas. This episode concludes with a Q&A segment. Check out our website ufhoneybee.com for additional resources from today’s episode.

Episode 145: Bees on the Dance Floor (aka, the Virginia Landscape) Jul 28, 2023

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on July 28, 2023, Dr. Jamie Ellis and Amy Vu speak with Brad Ohlinger, a PhD researcher from Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia, on honey bee communication and foraging systems. This episode concludes with a Q&A segment. Check out our website ufhoneybee.com for additional resources from today’s episode.

Episode 144: Getting Ready for EAS Jul 13, 2023

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on July 13, 2023, Dr. Jamie Ellis and Amy Vu speak with Mary Duane and Lou Naylor, leaders from the Eastern Apicultural Society in Massachusetts, on the upcoming 2023 Eastern Apicultural Society’s annual conference. This episode concludes with a Q&A segment. Check out our website ufhoneybee.com and https://easternapiculture.org/ for additional resources from today’s episode.

Episode 143: All About the Commercial Beekeeping, Honey! with Bob Binnie Jul 05, 2023

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on July 5, 2023, Dr. Jamie Ellis and Amy Vu speak with Bob Binnie, a commercial beekeeper and owner of Blue Ridge Honey Company from in Lakemont, Georgia, on using social media to promote beekeeping! This episode concludes with a Q&A segment. Check out our website ufhoneybee.com for additional resources from today’s episode and Bob's YouTube channel.

Episode 142: All About Extension, Honey! with Jason Graham Jun 21, 2023

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on June 21, 2023, Dr. Jamie Ellis and Amy Vu speak with Jason Graham, a former UF HBREL researcher and Program Director at Planet Bee Foundation in California, on his journey through academia, nonprofit beekeeping education and outreach. This episode concludes with a Q&A segment. Check out our website ufhoneybee.com for additional resources from today’s episode.

Episode 141: Testing Bee Genes Jun 15, 2023

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on June 15, 2023, Dr. Jamie Ellis and Amy Vu speak with Mohamed Alburaki, a researcher from USDA ARS in Beltsville, Maryland, on diversity and genetic testing of bees. This episode concludes with a Q&A segment. Check out our website ufhoneybee.com for additional resources from today’s episode.

Episode 140: Controlling Pests and Pathogens with Sunflowers Jun 07, 2023

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on June 7, 2023, Dr. Jamie Ellis and Amy Vu speak with Evan Palmer-Young, a USDA ARS post-doctoral researcher at the Bee Research Laboratory in Beltsville, Maryland, on the relationship between sunflowers and honey bees. This episode concludes with a Q&A segment. Check out our website ufhoneybee.com for additional resources from today’s episode.

Episode 139: All About the Money, Honey! with Sierra Malnove May 10, 2023

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on May 10, 2023, Dr. Jamie Ellis and Amy Vu speak with Sierra Malnove, a beekeeper and small business owner of Creamed Honey Company from Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, on “concierge” and private beekeeping. This episode concludes with a Q&A segment. Check out our website ufhoneybee.com for additional resources from today’s episode.

Episode 138: Guessing Hive Size and Strength with Infrared Technology Apr 19, 2023

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on April 19, 2023, Dr. Jamie Ellis and Amy Vu speak with Lauren Goldstein, a graduate student researcher from Michigan State and former UF HBREL intern on imaging hives with infrared. This episode concludes with a Q&A segment. Check out our website ufhoneybee.com for additional resources from today’s episode.

Episode 137: All About the Farmers Markets, Honey! with Beth Murphy Apr 12, 2023

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on April 12, 2023, Dr. Jamie Ellis and Amy Vu speak with Beth Murphy, a beekeeper and owner of Southern Bees LLC of High Springs, FL, on turning her products into profits at a local farmers market. This episode concludes with a Q&A segment. Check out our website ufhoneybee.com for additional resources from today’s episode.

Episode 136: Let's Talk about the Bee Informed Partnership Apr 05, 2023

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on April 5, 2023, Dr. Jamie Ellis and Amy Vu speak with Selina Bruckner, a postdoctoral researcher with Penn State and Nathalie Steinhauer, a University of Maryland Entomologist and science coordinator, all about the Bee Informed Partnership. This episode concludes with a Q&A segment. Check out our website ufhoneybee.com for additional resources from today’s episode.

The survey is open and accepting responses from April 1st to April 30th 2023. Please take a moment to submit your response to help us continue to inform beekeepers, researchers, policy makers, and the greater public about impacts to honey bee colony health. Visit beeinformed.org to join in the effort, learn more, and take the survey!

Episode 135: Shipping Queen Cells Mar 29, 2023

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on March 29, 2023, Dr. Jamie Ellis and Amy Vu speak with Ellen Topitzhofer, a senior faculty research assistant from the Honey Bee Laboratory Department of Horticulture in Oregon State University and future extension agent at Cornell in New York about shipping queen cells. This episode concludes with a Q&A segment. Check out our website ufhoneybee.com for additional resources from today’s episode.

Episode 134: The Many Arts of Beekeeping with Karen Boger Mar 22, 2023

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on March 22, 2023, Dr. Jamie Ellis and Amy Vu speak with Karen Boger, a beekeeper from Florida all about her artistic beekeeping hobbies and products. This episode concludes with a Q&A segment. Check out our website ufhoneybee.com for additional resources from today’s episode.

Episode 133: All About the Money, Honey! with Melanie Kirby Mar 08, 2023

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on March 8, 2023, Dr. Jamie Ellis and Amy Vu speak with Melanie Kirby, an Indigenous American queen breeder and owner of Zia Queenbees from New Mexico, on how she works professionally with bees. This episode concludes with a Q&A segment. Check out our website ufhoneybee.com for additional resources from today’s episode.

Episode 132: Student Beekeeping in Thailand Mar 01, 2023

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on March 1st, 2023, Two Bees producer Serra Sowers speaks with Lauren Roberts, a beekeeper and current entomology undergraduate from the University of Florida in Gainesville, on beekeeping in Thailand. This episode concludes with a Q&A segment from Live! Two Bees in a Podcast at the American Beekeeping Federation Conference in Jacksonville from January 2023. Check out our website ufhoneybee.com for additional resources from today’s episode.

Episode 131: Follow-up on Microplastics Feb 22, 2023

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on February 22, 2023, Dr. Jamie Ellis and Amy Vu follow-up with Mica Buteler, a researcher from CONISET National Institute for Science and Technology from Argentina, on microplastics and finding plastic in wax. This episode concludes with a Q&A segment. Check out our website ufhoneybee.com for additional resources from today’s episode.

Episode 130: Controlling Varroa Through Genetic Technology Feb 15, 2023

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on February 15, 2023, Dr. Jamie Ellis and Amy Vu speak with Nicky Faber, a PhD candidate from the laboratory of genetics in the department of plant sciences at Wageningen University in the Netherlands, on controlling Varroa through genetic technology. This episode concludes with a Q&A segment. Check out our website ufhoneybee.com for additional resources from today’s episode.

Episode 129: All About the Money, Honey! with Virginia Webb Feb 08, 2023

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on February 8, 2023, Dr. Jamie Ellis and Amy Vu speak with award-winning honey producer Virginia Webb from Clarksville, Georgia on honey shows and making money with honey. This episode concludes with a Q&A segment. Check out our website ufhoneybee.com for additional resources from today’s episode.

Episode 128: Catching up with Two Bees Jan 25, 2023

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on January 25, 2023, Dr. Jamie Ellis and Amy Vu introduce our new season and talk about trends in the industry expected this year. This episode concludes with a Stump the Chump Q&A. Check out our website ufhoneybee.com for additional resources from today’s episode. If you have questions, let us know in the comments or send us an email at honeybee@ifas.ufl.edu

Bonus Episode: Final Stump the Chump 2022 Jan 18, 2023

Happy Wednesday, Beekeepers! This week, we have a Q&A segment from our archive that was never released last year. Jamie and Amy first recorded this episode at the beginning of December and we wanted to make sure you didn’t miss it! As always, if you have beekeeping questions, send them our way by leaving a comment on our social media or sending us an email honeybee@ifas.ufl.edu

Happy New Year, Beekeepers! Jan 11, 2023

Happy New Year! We've been busy bees over at the American Beekeeping Federation Annual Conference in Jacksonville. Thanks to those who participated in our live Stump the Chump recording and sharing your questions. While we don't have a full episode ready for you this week, you can check out any of our previous episodes wherever you listen to podcasts or at ufhoneybee.com.

Episode 127: Varroa Control Methods in Ontario Dec 14, 2022

Episode 127: Varroa Control Methods in Ontario

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on December 14, 2022, Dr. Jamie Ellis and Amy Vu speak with Nuria Morfin, Lead of Technology Research Program and researcher from the Honey Bee Research Center in Ontario, Canda, on surveillance of Varroa using synthetic acaricides. This episode concludes with a Q&A segment. Check out our website ufhoneybee.com for additional resources from today’s episode.

Episode 126: December Monthly Management Dec 01, 2022

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on December 1, 2022, Dr. Jamie Ellis and Amy Vu discuss best practices for managing bees in December. This episode concludes with a Q&A segment. Check out our website ufhoneybee.com for additional resources from today’s episode.

Episode 125: Overwintering Colonies -- Indoor or Outdoor? Nov 23, 2022

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on November 23, 2022, Dr. Jamie Ellis and Amy Vu speak with Rosanna Punko, an Apiculture Inspector for the Bee Health Assurance Team in Alberta, Canada on Nosema management of indoor and outdoor overwintering of colonies. This episode concludes with a Q&A segment. Check out our website ufhoneybee.com for additional resources from today’s episode.

Episode 124: Sub-Arctic Beekeeping Nov 16, 2022

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on November 16, 2022, Dr. Jamie Ellis and Amy Vu speak with Etienne Tardiff, a hobbyist beekeeper in Yukon, Canada on sub-Arctic beekeeping. This episode concludes with a Q&A segment. Check out our website ufhoneybee.com for additional resources from today’s episode.

Episode 123: Climate Effects on Honey Bee Food Source Nov 09, 2022

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on November 9, 2022, Dr. Jamie Ellis and Amy Vu speak with Gabriela Quinlan, an NSF postdoctoral research fellow from the department of entomology at Penn State University, on climate effects of grasslands on honey bees in the US. This episode concludes with a Q&A segment. Check out our website ufhoneybee.com for additional resources from today’s episode.

Episode 122: November Monthly Management Nov 02, 2022

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on November 2, 2022, Dr. Jamie Ellis and Amy Vu speak about preparing hives for winter and cold weather in November. This episode concludes with a Q&A segment. Check out our website ufhoneybee.com for additional resources from today’s episode.

Episode 121: The Origins of Honey Bees Oct 26, 2022

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on October 26, 2022, Dr. Jamie Ellis and Amy Vu speak with Kathleen Dogantzis, a PhD candidate from the Zayed Lab with the Department of Biology at York University in Toronto, Canada, on the origins and evolution of Apis mellifera. This episode concludes with a Q&A segment. Check out our website ufhoneybee.com for additional resources from today’s episode.

Episode 120: Finding Pesticide Residue in Nectar and Pollen Oct 19, 2022

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on October 19, 2022, Amy Vu speaks with Dr. Jamie Ellis, a researcher from the UF Honey Bee Research and Extension Laboratory on finding exposure to pesticides in urban and suburban areas within nectar and pollen. This episode concludes with a Q&A segment. Check out our website ufhoneybee.com for additional resources from today’s episode.

Episode 119: Moving Honey Bees in U.S. and Territories Oct 12, 2022

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on October 12, 2022, Dr. Jamie Ellis and Amy Vu speak with Jose Marcelino, a researcher from the UF Honey Bee Research and Extension Laboratory in Gainesville, Florida, on the ability and legality of moving honey bees. This episode concludes with a Q&A segment. Check out our website ufhoneybee.com for additional resources from today’s episode.

Episode 118: How Honey Bees Respond to Viruses Oct 05, 2022

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on October 5, 2022, Dr. Jamie Ellis and Amy Vu speak with Mike Simone Finstrom, a researcher microbiologist from USDA-ARS Honey Bee breeding and physiology lab in Baton Rouge, Louisiana on viruses in honey bees. This episode concludes with a Q&A segment. Check out our website ufhoneybee.com for additional resources from today’s episode.

Episode 117: October Monthly Management Sep 28, 2022

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on September 28, 2022, Dr. Jamie Ellis and Amy Vu speak all things monthly management. This episode concludes with a Q&A segment. Check out our website ufhoneybee.com for additional resources from today’s episode.

Episode 116: Chemical Testing for Varroa Management Sep 21, 2022

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on September 21, 2022, Dr. Cameron Jack and Amy Vu speak with Rassol Bahreini, a researcher from Department of Biological Science at the University of Alberta in Alberta, Canada, on Varroa management. This episode concludes with a Q&A segment. Check out our website ufhoneybee.com for additional resources from today’s episode.

Episode 115: The Growth of Urban Beekeeping Sep 07, 2022

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on September 7, 2022, Dr. Jamie Ellis and Amy Vu speak with Joan Casanelles Abella, a researcher from the Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow, and Landscape Research in Switzerland, on the sustainability of urban beekeeping. This episode concludes with a Q&A segment. Check out our website ufhoneybee.com for additional resources from today’s episode.

Episode 114: September Monthly Management Aug 31, 2022

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on August 31st, 2022, Dr. Jamie Ellis and Amy Vu speak on all things monthly management. This episode concludes with a Q&A segment. Check out our website ufhoneybee.com for additional resources from today’s episode.

Episode 113: Temperature Changes and Varroa Infestation Aug 24, 2022

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on August 24, 2022, Dr. Jamie Ellis and Amy Vu speak with Szymon Smolinski, a researcher from the National Marine Fisheries Research Institute in Poland, on the effect of autumn temperature changes on varroa infestation. This episode concludes with a Q&A segment. Check out our website ufhoneybee.com for additional resources from today’s episode.

Episode 112: Effect of Microplastics on Honey Bees Aug 17, 2022

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on August 17, 2022, Dr. Cameron Jack and Amy Vu speak with Mica Buteler, a researcher at CONISET National Institute for Science and Technology from Argentina, on the effect of microplastics on honey bee health and foraging behavior. This episode is ended with a Q&A segment. Check out our website ufhoneybee.com for additional resources from today’s episode.

Episode 111: Honey Bee Nutrition Using Feed Supplements Aug 03, 2022

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on August 3, 2022, Dr. Jamie Ellis and Amy Vu speak with Vincent Ricigliano, a research entomologist with the USDA from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, on the effect of artificial diets on honey bee health. This episode ends with a Q&A segment. Check out our website ufhoneybee.com for additional resources from today’s episode.

Episode 110: August Monthly Management Jul 27, 2022

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on July 27, 2022, Dr. Jamie Ellis and Amy Vu talk all things management for the month of August. This episode is ended with a Q&A segment.

Episode 109: Accessible Beekeeping Jul 20, 2022

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on July 20, 2022, Dr. Cameron Jack and Amy Vu speak with Justin Ruger, an author and beekeeper with Hippie Chick Apiary from Culpeper, Virginia, on beekeeping with disabilities. This episode is ended with a Q&A segment. Check out our website ufhoneybee.com for additional resources and to complete Justin’s survey.

Episode 108: How Insecticides Impact Colonies Jul 13, 2022

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on July 13, 2022, Dr. Jamie Ellis and Amy Vu speak with Dr. William Meikle, a USDA research entomologist at Carl Hayden Bee Research Center in Tucson, Arizona, on stimulation of bees that follows with insecticide usage and experimentation with sensors. This episode is ended with a Q&A segment.

Episode 107: Effects of Insect Growth Disruptors on Honey Bees Jul 06, 2022

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on July 6, 2022, Dr. Jamie Ellis and Amy Vu speak with Dr. Julia Fine, a research entomologist with USDA in Davis, California, about insect growth disruptors effect on Apis mellifera queens. This episode is ended with a Q&A segment.

Episode 106: July Monthly Management Jun 30, 2022

On this week's episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on June 30, 2022, Dr. Jamie Ellis and Amy Vu discuss the best management strategies for July. This episode concludes with a Q&A segment.

Episode 105: Use of Essential Oils Against Varroa destructor Jun 23, 2022

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on June 22, 2022, Dr. Jamie Ellis and Amy Vu speak with Marian Hýbl & Petr Mraz from the Czech Republic, about using essential oils to fight Varroa. This episode is ended with a Q&A segment.

Episode 104: June Management Jun 08, 2022

In this week’s episode of Two Bees in a Podcast released on June 8, 2022, Dr. Jamie Ellis and Amy Vu give tips and best strategies for maintaining your hives in June. This episode concludes with a Q&A segment.

Episode 103: Pesticides in Wax and Queen Health Jun 01, 2022

On this week's episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on June 1st, 2022, Dr. Jamie Ellis and Amy Vu speak with David Tarpy and Allison McAffee, a professor of applied ecology at NC State and post-doctoral research scholar in applied ecology at NC State, about their recent manuscript on the link between queen health and contact exposure to beeswax pesticides. This episode is ended with a Q&A segment.

Episode 102: Cottage Food Laws and Selling Honey May 25, 2022

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on May 25, 2022, Dr. Jamie Ellis and Amy Vu speak with Jennifer Hagen, Family and Consumer Services Agent from Lee County, Florida, about selling honey and cottage food laws. This episode is ended with a Q&A segment.

Episode 101: Pollen Treatment Agrochemicals and the Livelihood of Queens May 20, 2022

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on May 20, 2022, Dr. Jamie Ellis and Amy Vu speak with Reed Johnson, an associate professor and researcher in the department of entomology from The Ohio State University, about pollen agrochemical treatments affecting livelihoods of queens. This episode ends with a Q&A segment.

Episode 100: Special Edition May Management Apr 27, 2022

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on April 27, 2022, Dr. Jamie Ellis and Amy Vu celebrate our 100th episode with monthly management and a blooper reel! Thanks for joining us for our weekly episodes and supporting our show.

Episode 99: Sideline Beekeeping with Kent Pegorsch Apr 20, 2022

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on April 20, 2022, Dr. Jamie Ellis and Amy Vu speak with Kent Pegorsch, a beekeeper with Dancing Bear Honey in Waupaca, Wisconsin, about sideline beekeeping for non-full-time beekeepers. This episode ends with a Q&A segment.

Episode 98: Nursing Larvae Communication Apr 13, 2022

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on April 13, 2022, Dr. Jamie Ellis and Amy Vu speak with Dr. Bradley Metz, a research assistant in the Department of Applied Ecology at North Carolina State University, about pheromones and nursing larvae communicating needs to worker bees. This episode ends with a Q&A segment.

Episode 97: Evaluating European and American Foulbrood Diagnostic Methods Apr 06, 2022

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on April 6, 2022, Dr. Jamie Ellis and Amy Vu speak with Meghan Milbrath, Assistant Professor of Entomology at Michigan State University, about English and American foulbrood diagnostics. This episode ends with a Q&A segment.

Episode 96: April Monthly Management Mar 30, 2022

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on March 30, 2022, Dr. Jamie Ellis and Amy Vu talk all things monthly management and how to take care of your hives in April. This episode is ended with a Q&A segment.

Episode 95: The Impacts of COVID-19 on Changes in Beekeeping Mar 23, 2022

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on March 23, 2022, Dr. Jamie Ellis and Amy Vu speak with Miriam Bixby, a post-doctoral bee and economic researcher from Vancouver, Canada, about how COVID-19 has changed the beekeeping industry in British Columbia. This episode is ended with a Q&A segment.

Episode 94: The Swiss Beekeeping Concept Mar 16, 2022

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on March 16, 2022, Dr. Jamie Ellis and Amy Vu speak with Dr. Matthieu Guichard, a research scientist with Agroscope Swiss Beekeeping Service and Apiservice extension, talking about beekeeping strategies in Switzerland. This episode is concluded with a Q&A.

Episode 93: The Architectural Abilities of Honey Bees Mar 02, 2022

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on March 2, 2022, Jamie and Amy speak with Dr. Michael Smith, an Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences from Auburn University and affiliate member of the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior in Germany, about imperfect comb construction and the architectural abilities of honey bees. This episode concludes with a Q&A segment.

Episode 92: March Monthly Management Feb 23, 2022

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on February 23, 2022, Dr. Jamie Ellis and Amy Vu take a deep dive into best practices for hive management throughout the month of March! This episode is ended with a Q&A segment.

Episode 91: Nutrition and Viral Resilience Feb 16, 2022

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on February 16, 2022, we are joined by Alex Walton, a post doctoral researcher in the department of ecology, evolution, and organismal biology at Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa. This episode is ended with a Q&A segment.

Episode 90: Tylosin Exposure Impacts on Honey Bees Feb 09, 2022

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on February 9, 2022, Dr. Cameron Jack and Amy Vu are joined by Dr. Eli Powell from the Department of Integrative Biology at the University of Texas to discuss his new publication on tylosin exposure impacts on honey bees and pathogen susceptibility. In the 5 Minute Management segment, Jamie and Amy discuss the future of our management segment. This episode is ended with a Q&A segment.

Episode 89: Testing New Compounds Against Varroa Feb 02, 2022

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on February 2, 2022, we are joined by Kaylin Kleckner, PhD candidate in the University of Florida Entomology and Nematology Department, to discuss testing new compounds against Varroa and safety of honey bees. In the 5 Minute Management segment, Jamie and Amy discuss queen rearing and mating. This episode is ended with a Q&A segment.

Episode 88: Visitation Rates and Colony Stocking Disease Jan 26, 2022

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on January 26, 2022, we are joined by Rachel Mallinger, assistant professor and pollinator ecologist at the University of Florida Entomology and Nematology Department, to discuss hive visitation rates and colony stocking disease. In the 5 Minute Management segment, Jamie and Amy discuss queen rearing and grafting. This episode is ended with a Q&A segment.

Episode 87: Enzyme Microparticles and Reducing Toxicity in Managed Hives Jan 19, 2022

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on January, 19, 2021, we are joined by Scott McArt, assistant professor in the Department of Entomology at Cornell University and James Webb, founder of Beemmunity to discuss enzyme loaded microparticles and reducing toxicity in managed hives. In the 5 Minute Management segment, Jamie and Amy discuss queen rearing and establishing the kind of hives you need. This episode is ended with a Q&A segment.

Episode 86: Evaluating the Extreme Weather Impacts on Wild Bee Populations Jan 12, 2022

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on January 5, 2022, we are joined by Dr. Kelsey Graham, scientist at the USDA Agriculture Resource Service to discuss extreme weather impacts on wild bee populations. In the 5 Minute Management segment, Jamie and Amy discuss queen rearing and selecting your colonies.  This episode concludes with a Q&A segment.

Special Episode: American Beekeeping Federation Conference & Tradeshow Dec 15, 2021

In this special episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on December 15, 2021, we are joined by Kent Pegorsch, American Beekeeping Federation (ABF) board member to discuss the upcoming 2022 ABF Conference & Tradeshow.

Episode 85: Pollen Substitute Patties in Western Honey Bees & How to Collect Propolis Dec 08, 2021

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on December 8th, 2021, we are joined by Emily Noordyke, Online Learning and Content Developer at UF/IFAS Honey Bee Research and Extension Laboratory to discuss pollen substitute patty use. In the 5 Minute Management segment, Jamie and Amy discuss how to collect propolis. This episode is ended with a Q&A segment.

Episode 84: Honey Bees on the Move; From Pollination to Honey Production and back & How to Collect Pollen Dec 01, 2021

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on December 1, 2021, we are joined by Jennifer Bond, Deputy Director of Outlook and Staff at USDA Economic Research Service to discuss honey bee movement around the U.S. In the 5 Minute Management segment, Jamie and Amy discuss how to collect pollen. This episode is ended with a Q&A segment.

Episode 83: Honey Bees Being at Risk from Microplastics & How to Process Wax Nov 17, 2021

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on November 17th, 2021 we are joined by Dr. Yahya Alnaggar, Post doc fellow at the Institute of General Biology at Martin Luther University in Germany to discuss the risks of microplastics to honey bees. In the 5 Minute Management segment, Jamie and Amy discuss how to process wax. This episode is ended with a Q&A segment.

Episode 82: Pristine Impairing Olfactory Associative Learning in Honey Bees and Naturally Florida Podcast & How to Collect Wax   Nov 10, 2021

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on November 3, 2021, we are joined by Nicole DesJardins, Grad Research Assistant at Arizona State University, Lara Milligan, Natural Resource Agent with UF/IFAS Extension in Pinellas Count) and Shannon Carnevale, Natural Resource Agent with UF/IFAS Extension in Polk County to discuss the Pristine Impairing Olfactory Associative Learning in Honey Bees and Naturally Florida Podcast. In the 5 Minute Management segment, Jamie and Amy discuss how to collect wax. This episode is ended with a Q&A segment.

Episode 81: Cannabis Sativa & Bee Health & Management of Honey Bee Pests: Mammals Nov 03, 2021

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on November 3rd, 2021, we are joined by Dr. Heather Grab, Senior Lecturer at the School of Integrative Plant Science at Cornell University to discuss Cannabis Sativa and Bee Health. In the 5 Minute Management segment, Jamie and Amy discuss honey bee pest management, focusing on mammals. This episode is ended with a Q&A segment.

Episode 80: Balanced Diet in Bees & Bottling Honey Oct 27, 2021

In this episode Two bees in a Podcast, released on October 27th, 2021, we are joined by Christian Pirk, a Professor in the Department of Zoology and Entomology at the University of Pretoria to discuss the behavior of Cape/African Honey Bees. In the 5 Minute Management segment, Jamie and Amy discuss bottling honey. This episode is ended with a Q&A segment.

Episode 79: Impacts on Introduced Honey Bees on Australian Bee- Flower Network & Processing Honey Oct 20, 2021

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on October 20th, 2021, we are joined by Kit Prendergast, a PhD graduate from Curtin University in Australia to discuss impacts of introduced honey bees on Australian bee- flower network. In the 5 Minute Management segment, Jamie and Amy discuss processing honey. This episode is ended with a Q&A segment.

Episode 78: Evolution of Metarhizium Fungus & Making Honey Oct 13, 2021

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on October 13th, 2021, we are joined by Dr. Jennifer Han, an Assistant Research Professor at Washington State University, Dr. Nick Naeger, Research Assistant Professor at Washington State University, and Dr. Steve Sheppard, Entomology Department Chair and Professor at Washington State University, to discuss the Evolution of Metarhizium Fungus. In the 5 Minute Management segment, Jamie and Amy discuss making honey. This episode is ended with a Q&A segment.

Episode 77: Bee Communication During Collective Defense & Harvesting Honey Oct 06, 2021

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on October 6th, 2021, we are joined by Andrea Lopez-Incera, a Ph.D. student at the institute for theoretical physics, at the University of Innsbruck and Dr. Morgane Nourvian, a Research Fellow at Zukunftskolleg, to discuss bee communication during collective defense. In the 5 Minute Management segment, Jamie and Amy discuss honey harvesting. This episode is ended with a Q&A segment.

Episode 76: Toxic Pesticide Use During Almond Bloom & Management of Honey Bee Pests Sep 29, 2021

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on September 29th, 2021, we are joined by Dr. Jennie Durant, USDA-NIFA Postdoctoral Fellow at UC Davis, to discuss toxic pesticide use during almond bloom. In the 5 Minute Management segment, Jamie and Amy discuss honey bee pest management, focusing on reptiles and amphibians. This episode is ended with a Q&A segment.

Episode 75: Honey Bee Toxicology & Management of Honey Bee Pests Sep 22, 2021

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on September 22nd, 2021, we are joined by Reed Johnson, Assistant Professor at The Ohio State University, to discuss honey bee toxicology. In the 5 Minute Management segment, Jamie and Amy discuss honey bee pest management, focusing on insects. This episode is ended with a Q&A segment.

Episode 74: Creating a Standard of Honey Identity in the U.S & Management of Honey Bee Pest Sep 15, 2021

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on September 15th, 2021, we are joined by Doug McGinnis, Former President of Tropical Blossom Honey Company, to discuss creating a standard of honey identity in the U.S. In the 5 Minute Management segment, Jamie and Amy discuss honey bee pest management, focusing on viruses. This episode is ended with a Q&A segment.

Episode 73: Supporting Bees in Urban Spaces & Management of Honey Bee Pests Sep 08, 2021

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on September 8th, 2021, we are joined by Dr. Daniel Potter, Professor in Urban Landscape Entomology at the University of Kentucky, to discuss how to support bees in urban spaces. In the 5 Minute Management segment, Jamie and Amy discuss honey bee pest management, focusing on fungi. This episode is ended with a Q&A segment.

Episode 72: Guide to Varroa Mite Control & Management of Honey Bees Sep 01, 2021

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on September 1st, 2021, we are joined by George Hansen, a commercial beekeeper based in Oregon and owner of Foothill Honey Company, and Christ Hiatt, a commercial beekeeper based in California, owner of the Hiatt Honey Company, to discuss a new document called Guide to Varroa Mite Control for Commercial Beekeepers. In the 5 Minute Management segment, Jamie and Amy discuss the management of honey bee pests. This episode is ended with a Q&A segment.

Episode 71: Impacts of Management Practices on Bee Health & Management of Honey Bee Pests Aug 25, 2021

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on August 25th, 2021, we are joined by Dr. Margarita Lopez-Uribe, Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist of Entomology in the Department of Entomology at Penn State University, to discuss the impacts of management practices on bee health. In the 5 Minute Management segment, Jamie and Amy discuss the management of honey bee pests, focusing on American foulbrood. This episode is ended with a Q&A segment.

Episode 70: Impacts of Urbanization on Bees & Mitigating Bee Threat Aug 11, 2021

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on August 11th, 2021, we are joined by Dr. Scarlett Howard, Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Deakin University in Australia, to discuss the impacts of urbanization on bees. In the 5 Minute Management segment, Jamie and Amy discuss Mitigating the threat your bees pose to others. This episode is ended with a Q&A segment.

Episode 69: Understanding Pesticide Labels & Knowing Your Beekeeping Goals Aug 04, 2021

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on August 4th, 2021, we are joined by Dr. Brett Bultemeier, Extension Assistant Professor in Agronomy at the University of Florida, to discuss pesticide labels: understanding them and their history. In the 5 Minute Management segment, Jamie and Amy discuss knowing your beekeeping goals. This episode is ended with a Q&A segment.

Episode 68: Repellency of Some Fungicides to Honey Bees & Sting Management Jul 28, 2021

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on July 28st, 2021, we are joined by Dr. Christelle Guédot, Associate Professor and Extension Specialist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison to discuss the repellency of some fungicide to honey bees. In the 5 Minute Management segment, Jamie and Amy discuss sting management and how to protect from them. This episode is ended with a Q&A segment.

Episode 67: Insulating your Hives in Summer & Sting Management Jul 21, 2021

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on July 21st, 2021, we are joined by Derek Mitchell from the Institute of Thermal Fluids in the School of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Leeds, U.K., to discuss why you should insulate your hives in the summer. In the 5 Minute Management segment, Jamie and Amy discuss sting management and body responses to stings. This episode is ended with a Q&A segment.

Episode 66: European Honey Bees & Sting Management Jul 14, 2021

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on July 14, 2021, we are joined by Ralph Buechler, Director of the Bee Research Institute, to discuss European Honey Bees. In the 5 Minute Management segment, Jamie and Amy discuss sting management and how stings work. This episode is ended with a Q&A segment.

Episode 65: Infectious Disease Biology & Startup Cost Jul 07, 2021

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on July 7th, 2021, we are joined by Lewis Bartlett, a postdoctoral scholar at the University of Georgia Honey Bee Program, to discuss infectious disease biology. In the 5 Minute Management segment, Jamie and Amy discuss startup costs. This episode is ended with a Q&A segment.

Episode 64: Heroes to Hives & Basic Swarm Management Techniques Jun 30, 2021

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on June 30th, 2021, we are joined by Adam Ingrao, Veteran's Liaison for Michigan State University Extension and an Agricultural Entomologist, to discuss Heroes to Hives. In the 5 Minute Management segment, Jamie and Amy discuss basic swarm management techniques. This episode is ended with a Q&A segment.

Episode 63: Drone Contributions Impacting Queen Success & Stimuli that Lead to Swarming Jun 23, 2021

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on June 23rd, 2021, we are joined by Elina Niño from the University of California Davis to discuss drone contributions impacting queen success. In the 5 Minute Management segment, Jamie and Amy discuss the stimuli that lead to swarming. This episode is ended with a Q&A segment.

Episode 62: Honey Bee Waggle Dance & Hive Type Perspectives Jun 16, 2021

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on June 16th, 2021, we are joined by Margaret Couvillon from Virginia Tech to discuss waggle dances and honey bees. In the 5 Minute Management segment, Jamie and Amy discuss hive types from historical and practical perspectives. This episode is ended with a Q&A segment.

Episode 61: Beekeeper-Landowner Relations & Installing Packages Jun 09, 2021

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on June 9th, 2021, we are joined by J.K. Yarborough, livestock and natural resources extension agent from Seminole County, to discuss the relationship between beekeepers and landowners. In the 5 Minute Management segment, Jamie and Amy discuss package installation. This episode is ended with a Q&A segment.

Episode 60: Varroa IPM & Acquiring Bees Jun 02, 2021

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on June 2, 2021, we are joined by Kim Skyrm, Massachusetts Chief Apiary Inspector, and Jen Lund, Maine Bee Inspector, to discuss Varroa IPM. In the 5 Minute Management segment, Jamie and Amy discuss how to acquire bees and queens. This episode is ended with a Q&A segment.

Episode 59: Israeli Acute Paralysis Virus & How to Requeen May 26, 2021

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on May 27, 2021, we are joined by Adam Dolezal, Assistant Professor of Entomology from the University of Illinois, to discuss Israeli Acute Paralysis Virus. In the 5 Minute Management segment, Jamie and Amy discuss how to requeen a colony. This episode is ended with a Q&A segment.

Episode 58: Best Management Practices for Backyard Beekeepers & Why to Requeen Colonies May 19, 2021

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on May 20, 2021, we are joined by Kelly Kulhanek, Postdoctoral Associate in the Department of Entomology at Washington State University, to discuss best management practices for backyard beekeepers. In the 5 Minute Management segment, Jamie and Amy discuss why you should requeen colonies. This episode is ended with a Q&A segment.

Episode 57: Carpenter Bees as Pests & Requeening Using a Nuc May 13, 2021

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on May 13, 2021, we are joined by Dr. Bill Kern, Associate Professor in the Department of Entomology & Nematology at the Ft. Lauderdale Research and Education Center of the University of Florida, to discuss carpenter bees being a pest to honey bees. In the 5 Minute Management segment, Jamie and Amy discuss how to requeen colonies using a nuc. This episode is ended with a Q&A segment.

Episode 56: Buckfast Bees, YouTube, & Hiving a Nuc May 06, 2021

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on May 6, 2021, we are joined by Paul Kelley, Staff Apiarist at the University of Guelph in Canada, to discuss Buckfast Bees and educational YouTube content. In the 5 Minute Management segment, Jamie and Amy discuss how to hive a nuc. This episode is ended with a Q&A segment.

Episode 55: New Ruling on Oxalic Acid and Marking Queens Apr 22, 2021

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on April 22, 2021, we are joined by our very own Dr. Cameron Jack, assistant professor in the UF Entomology and Nematology Department, to discuss the new ruling on oxalic acid in honey and how this impacts its use in hives. In the 5 Minute Management segment, Jamie and Amy discuss the why’s and how’s of marking queens. This episode is ended with a Q&A segment.

Episode 54: The Benefits of Pollen to Bees & Using a Smoker Apr 15, 2021

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on April 15th, 2021, we are joined by Gloria Degrandi-Hoffman, Research Leader at the Carl Hayden Bee Research Center in Tucson, Arizona, to discuss the benefits of pollen to honey bees. In the 5 Minute Management segment, Jamie and Amy discuss how to use a smoker when working colonies. This episode is ended with a Q&A segment.

Episode 53: Tropilaelaps Mites & Characteristics of Healthy Honey Bee Colonies Apr 08, 2021

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on April 8th, 2021, we are joined by Dr. Sammy Ramsey to discuss the Tropilaelaps mite. In the 5 Minute Management segment, Jamie and Amy discuss the characteristics of healthy honey bee colonies. This episode is ended with a Q&A segment.

Episode 52: Impact of Land Use on Pollinators & Colony Inspection Techniques Apr 01, 2021

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on April 1st, 2021, we are joined by Dr. Clint Otto from the USGS Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center to discuss the impact of land-use changes on honey bees and other pollinators. In the 5 Minute Management segment, Jamie and Amy discuss proper colony inspection techniques. This episode is ended with a Q&A segment.

Episode 51: Beekeeping in Denmark & Picking Apiary Locations Mar 25, 2021

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on March 15th, 2021, we are joined by Flemming Vejsnæs to discuss beekeeping in Denmark and his role in the Danish Beekeeper’s Association. In the 5 Minute Management segment, Jamie and Amy discuss how to pick a location for your apiaries. This episode is ended with a Q&A segment.

Episode 50: Insulating Honey Bee Colonies & Good Neighbor Guidelines Mar 18, 2021

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, released on March 18th, 2021, we are joined by Bill Hesbach, who will be discussing over-wintering and insulating honey bee colonies. In the 5 Minute Management segment, Jamie and Amy discuss how to be a good neighbor when it comes to beekeeping. This episode is ended with a Q&A segment.

Episode 49: Social Media & Rules and Regulations Mar 11, 2021

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, we are joined by Ian Steppler, who discusses his commercial beekeeping and his large social media platform. In the 5 Minute Management segment, Jamie and Amy discuss the rules and regulations of beekeeping. This episode is ended with a Q&A segment.

Episode 48: Extension & Time Dedication to Beekeeping Mar 04, 2021

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, we are joined by Randall Cass from Iowa State University, who will be discussing his role in extension and outreach, including providing beekeeping information to predominately Spanish speaking communities. In the 5 Minute Management segment, Jamie and Amy discuss the time dedication required for beekeeping depending on the number hives and season. This episode is concluded with a Q&A segment.

Episode 47: Cape Honey Bees & Benefits of Starting Colonies with a Nuc Feb 25, 2021

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, we are joined by Dr. Madeleine Beekman from the University of Sydney, who will be discussing Cape honey bees and worker policing. In the 5 Minute Management segment, we will be discussing the benefits of starting a colony with a nuc. This episode will be ended with a Q&A segment.

Episode 46: Kim Flottum & Starting Colonies with Packages of Bees Feb 18, 2021

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, we are joined by Kim Flottum, the former Editor of Bee Culture magazine, who continuously gets information out about bees through numerous podcasts and books. In our 5 Minute Management segment, Jamie and Amy will focus on starting colonies with packages of bees. We end today’s episode with a Q&A segment.

Episode 45: Suppressed in Ovo Virus Infection & Necessary Beekeeping Equipment for Beginners Feb 11, 2021

In this week’s episode, we are joined by Professor Dirk de Graaf from Ghent University, who discusses suppressed in ovo virus infection (SOV). In our 5 Minute Management segment, Jamie and Amy will discuss the beekeeping equipment that is necessary for getting started in beekeeping. This episode is ended with a Q&A segment.

Episode 44: Local Honey Bees in the UK & Foundation Type Pros & Cons Feb 04, 2021

In today’s episode, we are joined by Norman Carreck, a beekeeper from the UK and Carreck Consultancy, who discusses local honey bees and adaptation. This is followed by our 5 Minute Management section, where Jamie and Amy discuss the pros and cons of the different types of foundation. We end this episode with Q&A.

Episode 43: Temperature Stress on Queen Quality and Types of Foundation Jan 28, 2021

In today’s episode, we are joined by Dr. Alison McAfee from NC State University, who discusses the impact of temperature stress on queen honey bee quality. This is followed by our 5 Minute Management section, where Jamie and Amy discuss the different types of foundation. We end this episode with Q&A.

Episode 42: Introducing a New Format & Discussing Pesticides Jan 21, 2021

Join us for another season of Two Bees in a Podcast! We are excited to announce our slightly revised format, featuring a new segment called “5 Minute Management.” Each week, Amy will set a timer for Jamie, who has exactly 5 minutes or less to break down and explain a different topic in beekeeping management.

In today’s episode, we are joined by Ben Powell, apiculture and pollinator protection specialist from Clemson University, who will be discussing pesticides and their impacts on honey bees. Next, Jamie has 5 minutes to break down today’s management topic: properly storing unused equipment. We will end today’s episode with everybody’s favorite question and answer segment, Stump the Chump.

Episode 41: Honey Bee Pheromones and How to Provide Extension Program Feedback Nov 20, 2020

In this episode, Amy and Jamie will dedicate an entire segment to how you, our listeners, can help us improve this podcast; but first, we will be joined by Dr. Victoria Soroker who will be discussing pheromonal communication in honey bees. Finally, we end with everyone’s favorite game show, Stump the Chump.

Episode 40: Pesticide Applicator Training & Viruses, Bacteria, and Fungal Pathogens Nov 12, 2020

In today’s episode we will be interviewing Dr. Andony Melathopoulos from Oregon State University who will discuss pesticide applicator training. We will follow that with a segment where Amy and Jamie discuss honey bee viruses, bacteria and fungal pathogens. We end with Q&A.

Episode 39: USDA Honey Bee Lab in Baton Rouge & World Honey Bee Health Nov 05, 2020

In this episode we will be interviewing Dr. Mike Simone-Finstrom, acting research leader at the USDA honey bee breeding, genetics, and physiology lab in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. We will follow that by interviewing our very own, Dr. Humberto Boncristiani, from the HBREL on the World Honey Bee Health project. We end this episode with Q&A.

Episode 38: Hives on Public Land and How Honey Bees Choose New Sites Oct 29, 2020

In this episode, we are joined by Eric Silva, a consultant for the American Honey Producers Association who will be talking about keeping honey bee colonies on public land. Then, we will interview Dr. Tom Seeley, a professor at Cornell University and world expert on honey bee swarm biology, who will be discussing how honey bees choose nest sites. We end this episode with Q&A.

Episode 37: History of the Honey Industry & Arthropod Invaders Oct 22, 2020

In this episode, we are joined by Doug McGinnis, former owner of Tropical Blossom Honey, who is an expert on the history of the honey industry and importing and exporting honey. Then, Amy will interview Jamie on arthropod invaders in honey bee colonies. We end this episode with Q&A.

Episode 36: Drone Congregation Areas & Queen Bee Production in Europe Oct 15, 2020

In this episode, we are joined by Dr. Ashley Mortenson from Plant and Food Research in New Zealand, who will be talking about drone congregation areas. Then we will interview Dr. Raffaele Dall’Olio, an independent honey bee research and extension specialist in Italy, who will be discussing queen bee production in Europe. We end this episode with Q&A.

Episode 35: Natural Varroa-Resistant Honey Bees and Small Hive Beetles Oct 08, 2020

In this episode, we are joined by Dr. Steve Martin, a professor from the University of Salford in the United Kingdom, who will be discussing his research on natural varroa-resistant honey bees. This will be followed by a segment where Cameron interviews Jamie on small hive beetles. We end this episode with Q&A.

Episode 34: Drone Congregation Areas & Nosema Oct 01, 2020

In this episode, we are joined by Dr. Ben Oldroyd, a professor from the University of Sydney in Australia, who will be discussing his new research on the use of drones at drone congregation areas to estimate the density of wild honey bee colonies. This will be followed by an interview with Dr. Cameron Jack from the University of Florida, who is an expert on Nosema. We end this episode with Q&A.

Episode 33: Varroa Sensitive Hygiene & Various Beekeeping Climates Sep 10, 2020

In this episode, we are joined by Dr. Jeff Harris from Mississippi State University, an expert on Varroa Sensitive Hygiene traits. This is followed by a segment where Dr. Ellis and Amy discuss overwintering colonies in different climates. We end this episode with Q&A.

Q&A

Has there been any research on combining two or more different chemical treatments at the same time to treat Varroa?
If the daughter of a non-local queen has survived a season, does that mean she been adapted to the colony?
Are there more than one type of Varroa? Do they look the same?

Episode 32: Generational & Commercial Beekeeping Sep 03, 2020

In this episode, we are joined by Logan Cutts to talk about his experience as a fifth-generation beekeeper. This is followed by a segment where Dr. Ellis and Amy discuss the commercial beekeeping industry. We end this episode with Q&A.

Questions

What’s the deal with Manuka honey? Why is it so fancy, and why do people want it?
Should we keep bees in the sun or the shade? Where is the best placement, and should the entrances be faced in a certain direction?
Can bees survive in observation hives ~~survive in a home~~? Does the placement of these hives matter?

Episode 31: Scout Bees & Bee Stings Aug 27, 2020

In this episode, we are joined by Dr. Juliana Rangel to talk about scout bees. This is followed by a segment where Dr. Ellis and Amy discuss bee stings. Q&A includes: can sugar water go bad? Do we remove supers to prevent amitraz contamination? When a commercial beekeeper is loading a pallet of hives onto a flatbed trailer, what are the bees doing?

2019-2020 BIP Colony Loss Survey and Queen Bees Aug 20, 2020

In this episode, we are joined by Dr. Geoff Williams to discuss the 2020 Bee Informed Partnership (BIP) preliminary survey. Then Amy and Jamie talk about queen bees. Q&A includes: when removing supers, should burr comb be melted and applied to frames to encourage honey bees to building in that super? What are “zom-bees”? I heard foundationless frames made smaller worker bees, which led to less Varroa. Is this true?

Episode 29: Quality Queens and the Top Honey Bee Stressors Aug 13, 2020

In this episode, we are joined by Dr. David Tarpy to learn what it means to have quality queen bees and about his Queen and Disease Clinic at North Carolina State University. Then Amy and Jamie discuss the biggest stressors that honey bee colonies face according to the Bee Informed Partnership. Q&A includes: I had harvested my honey and there are a lot of air bubbles. Is this ok or should I wait before putting a lid on? What kind of hive stand is the best? Would it be okay if I got rid of deeps and used a different size hive box?

Episode 28: Queen Polyandry and the Label is the Law Aug 06, 2020

In this episode we speak with Dr. Keith Delaplane about queen mating behavior. For the second segment, Dr. Ellis and Amy discuss the role of labels and how to interpret them. Q&A includes: is there a way to control mold in a hive? How can you tell the difference between wax moths and small hive beetle larva? How do you deal with high moisture content in your honey?

Episode 27: Black Bee Honey Jul 30, 2020

In this episode we speak to Black Bee Honey, a non-profit organization aiming to turn ‘food deserts to food oases,’ and encourage young entrepreneurs. The first segment describes how they provide youth the opportunity to learn about entrepreneurship. In the second segment, we go more in depth into how this program was developed and how you can begin one in your area. Q&A includes: is honey safe to eat when pregnant? Can bacteria in honey cause botulism? Does the bacteria affect the bees? Why do queens have different colored abdomens? Why do bees sometimes exhibit behavior of wash boarding?

Episode 26: Women in Beekeeping Jul 23, 2020

In this episode we are joined by Dr. Tammy Potter to discuss the role of women in beekeeping. Then we speak with Dr. Jennifer Tsuruda about what it means to be an Extension Specialist, her programs in Tennessee, and some emerging topics in the honey bee world. Q&A includes: when moving a hive, is it true that you need to move them ‘two feet a day or two miles away’? How can we incorporate integrated pest management when using a top bar hive? Are there any essential oils we should not be using in the hive that attract small hive beetles?

Episode 25: Queen 'Duets' and the Story of Honey Bee History Jul 16, 2020

In this episode we discuss recent research conducted by lead scientist, Dr. Martin Bencsik, who studied honey bee queen ’duets’. Then we hear from Dr. Malcolm Sanford, professor emeritus from the University of Florida, about his research and career experiences. Q&A includes: what does it mean when beekeepers are ‘treatment free’? Is Amdro safe to use around hives? How many dead bees is enough to be cause for concern?

Episode 24: BeeMD and Honey Labeling Guidelines Jul 09, 2020

In this episode we discuss BeeMD with Dr. Dewey Caron and Dr. Debbie Delaney. Then we hear from Chris Hiatt, the vice president of the American Honey Producers Association (AHPA) to discuss AHPA, some of their initiatives, including a hot topic in the commercial beekeeping industry: honey labeling guidelines. Q&A includes: is there a resistance to amitraz? What does it mean when beekeepers talk about mite resistance or varroa sensitivity? Where would someone find queens who are resistant to certain problems?

Episode 23: Best Management Practices and Factors That Determine a Worker vs a Queen Jul 02, 2020

In this episode we discuss the five best and worst commercial beekeeping management practices with Dan Aruell and Matt Hoepfinger from the Bee Informed Partnership (BIP). Then we hear from Dr. Julia Bowsher, to learn about her research on the factors that determine whether a female larvae will become a worker or queen bee. Q&A includes: I have a hive with screen bottom boards. I coat the removable, plastic bottom boards with canola oil or vegetable oil to collect ‘all the good stuff’ that falls to the bottom: varroa, small hive beetle, etc. I’ve heard of others who use diatomaceous earth or small hive beetle traps instead. What are the pros and cons of diatomaceous earth versus oil? How does someone recognize the forage sources around them and are there resources for determining what kind of forage is around you? Are there quantitative measures?

Episode 22: Blue Calamintha and ‘Found in Translation’ Jun 25, 2020

In this episode we discuss the re-discovery of the blue calamintha bee with Dr. Chase Kimmel. Then we hear from Dr. Jay Evans, to learn about his book, ‘Found in Translation’. Q&A includes: how do you deal with bull ants?I just installed a package of bees into a new hive, the queen is in her cage with a sugar cork. The bees are on outside clustering on the nest entrance and cluster is getting bigger, what should I do? What qualifies someone as a beginner, intermediate, or advanced beekeeper?

Episode 21: USDA Research Labs and State Beekeeping Associations Jun 18, 2020

In this episode we hear from Dr. Jay Evans, and learn about the role of USDA Bee Research Laboratories and what they do for beekeepers. This is followed by a discussion with Jennifer Holmes, the Florida State Beekeepers Association president, on state beekeeper associations. Q&A includes: after I work my bees, I smell like smoke the rest of the day, is there a trick to removing smoke? When you first receive a package, I’ve been told that I should seal the entrance for the first day or two, is this true? Several time within a few weeks I’ve seen small swarms head out over water and then return. When we captured the swarm, there was no queen, but the bees began to return to their hive. Have you seen this behavior before?

Episode 20: The Role of Florida Farm Bureau Federation and Mosquito Control Jun 11, 2020

In this episode we discuss the role of Florida Farm Bureau Federation and their relationship with apiculture. In the second segment of this podcast episode, we speak with Caitlin Gill from the Florida Department of Agriculture, about mosquito control for beekeepers. Q&A includes: what are things that beekeepers can do to prevent mosquitos? What ratio do you recommend for sugar water, and why? I have a split that didn’t re-queen, I added a new frame of eggs, there is an empty queen cell, but there is no sign of her. It is poorly populated, is it a loss?

Episode 19: Social Immunity and Swarms Jun 04, 2020

In this episode we are joined by Distinguished McKnight Professor, Dr. Marla Spivak, to learn about social immunity. Amy and Jamie have a discussion on swarms, and we wrap up with Q&A. Q&A includes: How soon should I put a honey super on a newly split ten frame hive? Can you tell us about treating for mites prophylactically? Are supers safe to reuse if they had European foulbrood in the past?

Episode 18: Honey Bee Friendly Landscaping and Equipment Tips and Tricks May 28, 2020

In this episode we are joined by UF/IFAS Extension Lake County Agent, Brooke Moffis, to learn about landscaping for bees. We wrap up this episode with a discussion on commonly asked question about specific beekeeping equipment such as woodenware and bottom boards. Q&A includes: why did beetles find my hive only hours after placing them? What are small cell foundations? What is the best way to move frames in a hive without crushing the queen?

Asian Giant Hornet Special: Truths and Myths about Vespa mandarinia May 21, 2020

In this episode we are joined by Chris Looney, Entomologist for the Washington State Department of Agriculture, who discusses the current situation surrounding the Asian giant hornet. Q&A includes: where does the Asian giant hornet occur? How do I know if the stinging insect I have found is an Asian giant hornet and what should I do? What kinds of trap/screens do you suggest beekeepers use to protect against predation?

Episode 17: Beekeeping in Barbados and a Look into the Use of Oxalic Acid May 14, 2020

In this episode we are joined by David Smalls, who discusses his experiences and knowledge of beekeeping in the Caribbean and how Varroa have affected the industry. We wrap up this episode with Dr. Cameron Jack, who’s segment focuses on the use of oxalic acid as a pest management tool. Q&A includes: Should you select and remove drones? Do drones take resources away from the larvae? Can you get different sizes of drone within your colony?

Special Episode: COVID-19 & Updates on the Beekeeping Industry May 07, 2020

In this very special episode, we discuss the effects of COVID-19 on beekeepers and how it connects with our food system. We are joined by Jason Mathis from Florida Farm Bureau, and Tony Hogg who is a beekeeper and the chair of the Apiary Advisory committee for the Florida Farm Bureau.

Episode 16: When You Have Competition It Raises the Quality of a Product Apr 30, 2020

In this episode we are joined by Michael Young, who discusses Honey Judge Training programs, we wrap up Bill Kerns pest series with a conversation about miscellaneous pests, and we end the episode with Q&A. Q&A includes: What are books and resources for beekeepers? Can you combine frames from two hives to make one walkaway split?

Episode 15: Popular Beekeeping Journals Apr 23, 2020

In this episode we discuss available resources and beekeeping journals by editors around the country: Eugene Makovec, the editor of American Bee Journal, and Jerry Hayes, the editor of Bee Culture (who has a little surprise for our podcast listeners!). We end the episode with these Q&A questions: Why doesn’t the Africanized honey bee gene pool get watered down? Is checking a hive once a week (or more) bad for the colony? What to do about swarms?

Episode 14: Once a Bear Finds an Apiary, It Will Keep Going Back Apr 16, 2020

We are accompanied by Sarah Red-Laird, the founder and executive director of The Bee Girl Organization, to talk about bee nutrition, forage, and regenerative agriculture, we will be continuing our Apiary Pest discussion with Bill Kern talking about bears, and Q&A.

Q&A Includes: Should you bottom super or top super? If you bottom super, what’s the order to do that? Is there any information on Azaleas and honey bees? I have honey bees in my tree. What can I do to remove them?

Episode 13: Top 10 Tips for Beekeepers Apr 09, 2020

In this episode, Dave Westervelt discusses the history of beekeeping, we continue our pest series with Dr. Kern discussing wasps, and Dr. Ellis lists his top ten tips for beekeepers.

Q&A includes: Can you smoke bees too much? How does the hive keep a balance between drones and workers? Can the queen lay different types of eggs?

Episode 12: Scientifically Rigorous Information Apr 02, 2020

Interviews with key members of the International Bee Research Association, including Professor Dr. William Kirk, discussing the history of IBRA, Dr. Robert Brodschneider, the editor of the journal Bee World, and Dr. Maria Bouga, the editor of the Journal of Apicultural Research. Jamie and Cameron include a synopsis of what it means to publish academic research.

Q&A with Jamie and Amy include: Why should we care about the honey bee gut? What are super sisters? What is the difference between orientation flights, swarming, and robbing?

Episode 11: Even Though I'm an Entomologist, I'm Not an “Ant”omologist Mar 26, 2020

An interview with 2020 American Honey Princess, Sydnie Paulsrud, about the American Beekeeping Federation and the Honey Queen Program, followed by Bill Kern beginning our “Pests in the Apiary” series with a discussion about ants, and Q&A.

Q&A with Jamie and Cameron includes: How many hives are needed per acre in almond pollination? Are top bar hives a better choice for bee health? When should a beekeeper be worried about hive beetles?

Episode 10: Honey Bees Are Animals and They Deserve to Be in Good Health Mar 12, 2020

An interview with Dr. Meghan Milbrath about European foulbrood, followed by a discussion with Dr. Milbrath about Honey Bee Treatments, Dr. Bill Kern talks about Africanized Honey Bees, and we finish with Q&A.

Episode 9: The First Responders in Bee Health Issues Mar 05, 2020

A discussion with the Florida Assistant Bureau Chief of Apiary Inspection, Brandi Stanford, an interview with pollination ecology expert, Dr. Rachel Mallinger, and Q&A.

Episode 8: Commercial Beekeeping… One Day at a Time, One Issue at a Time Feb 27, 2020

An interview with Dr. Josette Lewis with the Almond Board of California, a discussion with Sarah Stern, a commercial beekeeper/co-owner of Concord Farms about her life as a commercial beekeeper, and Q & A.

Episode 7: Risk Is Simply the Product of Multiplying Toxicity and Exposure Feb 20, 2020

An interview with Dr. Judy Wu-Smart, Extension & Research Entomologist University of Nebraska-Lincoln, on her pesticide research, Jamie and Amy discuss pesticide risk and what that really means, and Q&A.

Episode 6: If Your Goal Is to Keep Your Bees Alive... Feb 13, 2020

An interview with Randy Oliver about monitoring Varroa, a discussion about the Bee Informed Partnership with Anne Marie Fauvel and Nathalie Steinhauer, and Q&A.

Episode 5: Species Without Natural Enemies Feb 06, 2020

What to do about honey bee dead-outs with Dr. Humberto Boncristiani, a discussion on invasive species with Dr. Jim Cuda, and Q&A.

Episode 4: What It Takes to Provide Purposeful Education Jan 30, 2020

A summary of Extension and Research, and an interview with Dr. Meghan Milbrath from Michigan State University discussing her 50/50 Research/Extension appointment.

Episode 3: The Mite Is Free to Move About the Cabin Jan 23, 2020

A general overview of Varroa, honey bee pollen and nutrition, Master Beekeepers Programs, and Q&As.

Episode 2: The UF/IFAS Honey Bee Research and Extension Laboratory Jan 15, 2020

Learn about the HBREL, UF Instructional Programs, and what it means to have a Healthy Colony.

Episode 1: Introduction to “Two Bees in a Podcast" Jan 07, 2020

Meet your “Two Bees in a Podcast” hosts, learn about their positions and experiences, find out more about what to expect from this podcast, and how you can be more involved!

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