Plain Talk: A Fall Hive Check (257)
Honey Bee Obscura Podcast
In this Plain Talk episode of Honey Bee Obscura, Jim Tew heads out to the bee yard for a quiet, reflective fall inspection. As the days shorten and the goldenrod fades, Jim shares what he looks for when evaluating his colonies’ readiness for winter. He discusses the telltale signs of healthy late-season activity, how to spot the early warning flags of robbing, and when it’s best to step back and simply observe. Jim talks through practical steps such as checking hive weight, watching for moisture issues, and balancing the fine line between helpful intervention and unnecessary disruption....
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Spring Prep Now with Anne Frey (256)
Honey Bee Obscura Podcast
Winter may have a firm grip on the landscape, but beekeepers can still get ready for the season ahead. In this Honey Bee Obscura episode, Jim Tew sits down with Anne Frey of Betterbee to talk about how to make the most of cold months by planning for spring. Anne and Jim share practical ideas to ensure you’re not scrambling once the weather breaks — from repairing and assembling hive equipment to mapping out management tasks on your beekeeping calendar. Anne suggests using past notes or calendars to anticipate bloom times and colony milestones, helping beekeepers predict when to add supers...
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Beekeeping Efficiency with Anne Frey (255)
Honey Bee Obscura Podcast
What does “efficiency” really mean in beekeeping—and can it go too far? In this Honey Bee Obscura episode, Jim Tew welcomes back Anne Frey of Betterbee for a lively, down-to-earth talk about working smarter in the bee yard without losing the joy of beekeeping. Anne shares her insights from running a small commercial operation in upstate New York, where rainy days and heavy supers are a constant challenge. Together, she and Jim discuss practical ways to save time, reduce lifting, and improve workflow—whether through simple tools like dollies, trailers, and brad nailers or better...
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Plain Talk: The Smoked Beekeeper (254)
Honey Bee Obscura Podcast
Jim Tew is back from a long drive through Michigan’s autumn beauty—and while the leaves have changed, his thoughts haven’t strayed far from bees or smoke. In this week’s Honey Bee Obscura, Jim explores one of beekeeping’s oldest tools—the smoker—and how this essential companion has become both a help and a health concern. From his makeshift recording spot at his daughter’s home to a chat with a firefighter friend, Jim dives into the effects of smoke on both beekeepers and bees. He reflects on his own lifelong asthma and how smoke exposure impacts his breathing, raising...
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Plain Talk: The Traveling Beekeeper (253)
Honey Bee Obscura Podcast
In this reflective episode, Jim Tew takes listeners on a journey through his years as a traveling beekeeper, visiting apiaries and researchers around the world. From the early days of Africanized “killer” bees in Venezuela to disciplined Burmese military trainees in Myanmar, Jim recounts how these experiences shaped his understanding of honey bees and the people who care for them. Jim describes the sobering reality of working with hyper-defensive bees in Venezuela and the evolution of those colonies over time, before shifting to stories of beekeepers in China, Mexico, Australia, and New...
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Plain Talk: Trusting Your Gut (252)
Honey Bee Obscura Podcast
In this Plain Talk episode, Jim Tew reflects on one of beekeeping’s most underrated tools—instinct. Beekeepers make hundreds of small decisions in the apiary, many of them guided by experience and that unspoken “gut feeling.” But how do you know when to trust it? Jim shares a story from helping his grandson’s neglected hive in Michigan that appeared doomed by American foulbrood. Everything looked and smelled like the dreaded disease, and his first instinct was to destroy the colony. But something didn’t feel quite right. After careful thought—and some hesitation—Jim trusted his...
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Archive Special: Preparing for Winter (251)
Honey Bee Obscura Podcast
In this Archive Special from October 2021, we revisit a conversation with the late Kim Flottum and Jim Tew as they discuss the many ways beekeepers prepare colonies for the cold months ahead. From simple windbreaks to traditional tar paper wraps, insulated hive covers, and quilt boxes filled with wood shavings, Jim and Kim explore techniques both old and new. The discussion highlights how winter prep has evolved, offering options for hobbyists with just a few colonies, sideliners with dozens, and commercial beekeepers managing thousands. They share practical advice on keeping colonies warm,...
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Plain Talk: Last Chance Winter Prep (250)
Honey Bee Obscura Podcast
This milestone episode marks 250 installments of Honey Bee Obscura. Jim reflects on more than 5,000 minutes of plain talk beekeeping, the early days recording with the late Kim Flottum, and the ongoing joy of talking bees every Thursday morning. With autumn closing in, Jim turns to a practical and urgent subject: your last chance winter prep for bees. He discusses how to evaluate queens in late September, when to combine weak colonies, and whether requeening makes sense this late in the year. Feeding thick syrup, ventilation debates, and insulation strategies also come into focus. Jim...
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Plain Talk: The Sting of Fall Honey (249)
Honey Bee Obscura Podcast
In this episode of Honey Bee Obscura, Jim Tew explores the challenges of fall honey and testy bees during the autumn flow. What begins as a calm reflection on goldenrod and fall asters quickly turns into an unexpectedly lively encounter with defensive bees. Jim describes multiple stings, determined pursuit by guard bees, and how hive temperament can shift overnight—even in colonies that had been calm the day before. Moving beyond the sting drama, Jim turns his attention to the autumn landscape: 40 acres of goldenrod and asters, monarch butterflies drifting past, and the distinctive smell of...
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Plain Talk: Old Beekeeping Books (248)
Honey Bee Obscura Podcast
In this episode of Honey Bee Obscura, Jim Tew shares his fascination with old beekeeping books, particularly a rare two-volume set titled Beekeeping, New and Old: Described with Pen and Camera by W. Herrod-Hempsall. Jim first found Volume 1 nearly 40 years ago in poor condition, but recently added the elusive Volume 2 to his collection. With nearly 2,600 pages combined, the books are a window into the forgotten history of beekeeping—covering skeps, hive designs, drumming, collateral hives, and hundreds of hive types now lost to time. Jim explains why these texts matter: they remind us that...
info_outlineIn this Plain Talk episode of Honey Bee Obscura, Jim Tew heads out to the bee yard for a quiet, reflective fall inspection. As the days shorten and the goldenrod fades, Jim shares what he looks for when evaluating his colonies’ readiness for winter.
He discusses the telltale signs of healthy late-season activity, how to spot the early warning flags of robbing, and when it’s best to step back and simply observe. Jim talks through practical steps such as checking hive weight, watching for moisture issues, and balancing the fine line between helpful intervention and unnecessary disruption.
Through his plain-spoken observations, Jim reminds listeners that sometimes the best management choice this time of year is to do nothing at all — letting strong colonies finish their own preparations while keeping an eye on the ones that may still need support.
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Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
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Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Cartoons by: John Martin (Beezwax Comics)
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