Episode 37 - Beekeeping Buddies Finds a Buddy With 628 Dirt Rooster!
Release Date: 10/15/2025
Episode 41 - Winter has arrived and so has our holiday Christmas list for your beekeeping needs!
Beekeeping Buddies
Welcome to episode 41 where we talk a bit about the weather, but because we don't have a lot going on in the yard, we are going to run down our gift buying guide for 2026! We hope everyone has an excellent holiday season. Randy Oliver 2025 Research Roundup: North American Honeybee Expo: Discord Server: Randy Oliver Mite Calculator Calendar: How RRA Makes Fondant: The American Bee Journal: Project Apis m. Bee Survey Video 2025: Project Apis m. Website: Riverview Road Apiary Nucs: Heart of Illinois Beekeeping Club: Dalan Animal Health...
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Episode 40 - We talk to Dr. Jeff Pettis about the Tropilaelaps mite and what to know about this threat
Beekeeping Buddies
I know, two episodes in two weeks? Well, episode 40 is here, and this one is big. We sat down with Dr. Jeff Pettis, former President of Apimondia and one of the world’s leading honey bee researchers, for an in-depth conversation about the Tropilaelaps mite—the parasitic threat looming over global beekeeping. In this episode: • What Tropilaelaps mites are and how they differ from Varroa • Why they spread so rapidly and how countries currently battling them (like South Korea) are coping • What would happen if Tropilaelaps arrived in the United States—the realistic short- and...
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Episode 39 - Fall preparation, late fall cutouts, how to price and install an observation hive
Beekeeping Buddies
This week we dig into some of the most important tasks heading into the colder months. We cover practical fall preparation, what to expect with late-season cutouts, and how to price and install an observation hive for schools, businesses, and homeowners. Whether you’re tightening up your hives for winter or planning new educational opportunities for next year, this episode offers clear, experience-based guidance you can put to work right away. Listen now and stay ahead of the season. North American Honeybee Expo: Discord Server: Randy Oliver Mite Calculator Calendar: ...
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Episode 38 - Fall has crept in, spooky Halloween Beekeeping Stories, Chunk Comb and our Honeybee Hotline!
Beekeeping Buddies
It’s the Beekeeping Buddies Halloween Special! Luke and Steve dive into the spookier side of beekeeping from bees starting WW3, to the mornful swarm, frakenbees and more! We’ll talk about our fall preparations and some interesting chunk comb we were able to sample, and answer some Honeybee Hotline questions. We hope you'll tune in as our buddy this episode! North American Honeybee Expo: Discord Server: Randy Oliver Mite Calculator Calendar: How RRA Makes Fondant: The American Bee Journal: Project Apis m. Bee Survey Video 2025: Project Apis m....
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Episode 37 - Beekeeping Buddies Finds a Buddy With 628 Dirt Rooster!
Beekeeping Buddies
We have broken 4,000 listens and want to thank everyone for taking some time to listen to us talk about our passion, honey bees. For this episode we take a break from the normal format of the show to interview a Beekeeping Buddy of our own, Randy McCaffrey better known as the 628 Dirt Rooster! We talk about beekeeping, how different areas do things, and learn the important lesson of how hobby beekeeping is a way... of... life! We hope you all enjoy this special episode and thanks again for being a buddy! 628 Dirt Rooster Youtube: North American Honeybee Expo: Discord Server: Randy...
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Episode 36 - Feeding for winter, details on fall feeding, measuring hives, nucs 2026, new varroa treatment, managing robbing, fall festivals, and cutouts
Beekeeping Buddies
Around the Yard: Dry Midwest Fall: Fall is here, the hot and dry have not gone away. Details on Fall Feeding: Recipe for Luke's fall feed is: 4.5 lbs sugar, 0.5 lbs pollen sub, 7 oz water mixed together with a mixer of some sort and put into ziplock baggie. How to Know if to Feed: Steve and Luke talk about how we measure hives to know if they need feed. Start Thinking of Nucs: Luke and Steve suggest you start thinking about nucs for 2026. In the News Vandescona Mite Treatment: dsRNA treatment for mites?! Honeybee Hotline: Stick Up Your Hands!: How to manage robbing. Again?: How long to...
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Episode 35 - Dry Fall, Another Strange Cutout, Luke returns from Spain, Varroa makes it to Spain, HMF correction, Honeybee Hotline Questions, What to do with honey frames
Beekeeping Buddies
Around the Yard: Dry Midwest Fall: Fall is mostly here, but is sure is dry. Details on Another Cutout: Luke and Steve have another fall cutout. Luke Returns From Spain: Luke goes to Spain... and finds few pollinators? Steve and Luke Review Spainish Honey: We review some honey from Spain I brought back. In the News Varroa Mites make it to S. Australia: Varroa mites are now spreading to S. Australia. HMF Correction: Luke has a short correction to HMF. Honeybee Hotline: Bee Identification: Variation inside a honeybee hive. Comb Color: Why is there different comb colors? What to do with a...
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Episode 34 - Cooler Weather Preparation, Honey Harvest for Summer, Open Feeding, Working with the USDA, Another Strange Cutout... and Important Bee News!
Beekeeping Buddies
Around the Yard: Cooler Weather: Fall has started peeking around the corner. What do we do? Honey Harvest for Summer: Luke and Steve take the last of our summer honey. Open Feeding: Is it the time for open feeding yet? Illinois USDA: Luke and Steve are working with the USDA... providing small hive beetles. In the News Newly Engineered Yeast Makes Better Pollen: Honeybee Disease Impacts Flight: It appers that different diseases impact how far our honeybees will fly. Honeybee Hotline: Can You Feed Maple Syrup: We talk about if this is a problem! Taking Honey Leaving Deep and...
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Episode 33 - Pulling Honey, Fall Prep, News from Luke, and Lots of Honeybee Hotline
Beekeeping Buddies
Around the Yard: Pulling Honey: Luke and Steve talk about the struggles of staying cool in the bee yard. Fall Prep: Is it already time to feed our bees for winter? What treatments do we use? In the News Big News From Luke Honeybee Hotline: How Long Does a Field Bee Spend Away: We talk mabout when to treat, what we are treating with, and how useful are the new OA boards? Queen Introduction Problem: Our tips and tricks on introducing a new queen. Laying Worker vs New Queen: How do you tell the difference between a laying worker and a newly mated queen? Doomed to Always...
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Episode 32 - Staying Cool in the Bee Yard, Time to Feed?, Hive Treatment, Queen Introduction, Problems Running a Beekeeping Management Business
Beekeeping Buddies
Around the Yard: Staying Cool: Luke and Steve talk about the struggles of staying cool in the bee yard. Time to Feed?: Is it already time to feed our bees for winter? Honeybee Hotline: Hive Treatments: We talk mabout when to treat, what we are treating with, and how useful are the new OA boards? Queen Introduction: Our tips and tricks on introducing a new queen. Droning On: Extracting Honey: Luke and Steve are busy getting ready to extract honey. Problems Running a Beekeeping Business: Luke shares some of his struggles running a beekeeping business. Tune in to Episode 32 for...
info_outlineWe have broken 4,000 listens and want to thank everyone for taking some time to listen to us talk about our passion, honey bees.
For this episode we take a break from the normal format of the show to interview a Beekeeping Buddy of our own, Randy McCaffrey better known as the 628 Dirt Rooster! We talk about beekeeping, how different areas do things, and learn the important lesson of how hobby beekeeping is a way... of... life! We hope you all enjoy this special episode and thanks again for being a buddy!
628 Dirt Rooster Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@628DirtRooster
North American Honeybee Expo: https://www.nahbexpo.com/
Discord Server: https://discord.gg/Jk6hyZAY
Randy Oliver Mite Calculator Calendar: https://scientificbeekeeping.com/randys-varroa-model/
How RRA Makes Fondant: https://youtu.be/CAiOF3onmBQ
The American Bee Journal: https://americanbeejournal.com/
Project Apis m. Bee Survey Video 2025: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VOCis4ZPfp8
Project Apis m. Website: https://www.projectapism.org/events/i8yr94doxarjvh453lchfhr0xf3bvq
Riverview Road Apiary Nucs: https://riverviewroadapiary.com/products/spring-2025-nuc
Heart of Illinois Beekeeping Club: https://hoibees.org/
Dalan Animal Health Queens: https://bluetoad.com/publication/?m=5417&i=830245&p=38&ver=html5
Beekeeping Buddies Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/beekeepingbuddies/
Fruit and Vegetable Pollination Handbook: https://www.ars.usda.gov/arsuserfiles/20220500/onlinepollinationhandbook.pdf