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Beekeeping Today Podcast

Beekeeping Today Podcast

By: Jeff Ott Becky Masterman
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The podcast for the latest beekeeping news, information and entertainment for today's beekeeper. Hosts Jeff Ott and Becky Masterman bring you conversations with beekeepers, researchers and industry leaders, helping you become a more informed and knowledgeable beekeeper.2025 by Growing Planet Media, LLC Nature & Ecology Science
Episodes
  • Regeneron STS Finalist, Atreya Manaswi - SHB (339)
    Jun 23 2025
    In this episode of Beekeeping Today Podcast, we welcome an inspiring young voice in honey bee research—Atreya Manaswi, a high school senior and top 40 finalist in the 2025 Regeneron Science Talent Search. Atreya shares the fascinating journey that began with a fishing trip and led to a multi-year research project aimed at controlling one of the most damaging pests of honey bees: the small hive beetle. Working under mentorship from the USDA and University of Florida, Atreya developed a new organic bait based on the volatile compounds found in beer. He didn’t stop there—he designed a solar-powered, 3D-printed trap equipped with LED sensors and a Raspberry Pi to count beetles automatically and predict future infestations using artificial intelligence. His bait-and-trap system could offer a cleaner, more sustainable, and reusable alternative to traditional beetle traps. Atreya also talks about his picture book The Bee Story, his outreach work with youth and beekeeping clubs, and his upcoming studies at Yale University. His dedication to pollinator health and science communication offers a hopeful glimpse into the future of bee research. Whether you’re a beekeeper dealing with small hive beetles or just curious about next-gen solutions, you won’t want to miss this conversation. Websites from the episode and others we recommend: Atreya on Regeneron-STS Website: https://www.societyforscience.org/regeneron-sts/2025-student-finalists/atreya-manaswi/Atreya's Website: https://www.atreyamanaswi.com Atreya's Book on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Bee-Story-Atreya-Manaswi/dp/B0BMSZSR2H Honey Bee Health Coalition: https://honeybeehealthcoalition.orgThe National Honey Board: https://honey.com Honey Bee Obscura Podcast: https://honeybeeobscura.com Copyright © 2025 by Growing Planet Media, LLC ______________ Betterbee is the presenting sponsor of Beekeeping Today Podcast. 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 This episode is brought to you by Global Patties! Global offers a variety of standard and custom patties. Visit them today at http://globalpatties.com and let them know you appreciate them sponsoring this episode! Thanks to Bee Smart Designs as a sponsor of this podcast! Bee Smart Designs is the creator of innovative, modular and interchangeable hive systems made in the USA using recycled and American sourced materials. Bee Smart Designs - Simply better beekeeping for the modern beekeeper. Thanks to Dalan who is dedicated to providing transformative animal health solutions to support a more sustainable future. Dalan's vaccination against American Foulbrood (AFB) is a game changer. Vaccinated queens protect newly hatched honeybee larvae against AFB using the new Dalan vaccine. Created for queen producers and other beekeepers wanting to produce AFB free queens. Retailers offering vaccinated queens and packages: https://dalan.com/order-vaccinated-queens/ More information on the vaccine: https://dalan.com/media-publications/ Thanks to Strong Microbials for their support of Beekeeping Today Podcast. Find out more about their line of probiotics in our Season 3, Episode 12 episode and from their website: https://www.strongmicrobials.com Thanks for Northern Bee Books for their support. Northern Bee Books is the publisher of bee books available worldwide from their website or from Amazon and bookstores everywhere. They are also the publishers of The Beekeepers Quarterly and Natural Bee Husbandry. _______________ We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments in the show notes of this episode or: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com Thank you for listening! Podcast music: Be Strong by Young Presidents; Epilogue by Musicalman; Faraday by BeGun; Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus; A Fresh New Start by Pete Morse; Wedding Day by Boomer; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; Red Jack Blues by Daniel Hart; Original guitar background instrumental by Jeff Ott. Beekeeping Today Podcast is an audio production of Growing Planet Media, LLC Copyright © 2025 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
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    41 mins
  • [Bonus] Short - Summer in the Apiary with Dewey
    Jun 17 2025

    In this Beekeeping Today Podcast Short, Dr. Dewey Caron returns with his latest “audio postcard,” diving into summer apiary management. As the season heats up, Dewey asks: are we unknowingly stressing our bees through our supering choices?

    Drawing from a recent Brazilian study led by Dr. David De Jong, Dewey explores the physiological impacts of over-supering on honey bee colonies. The research found that adding too many foundation supers at once can elevate stress markers in forager bees—potentially compromising immune response and productivity. Dewey explains how thoughtful supering—adding boxes as needed—yields more honey and less stress.

    He also discusses mid-season mite management, reminding us that effective control now means healthier colonies heading into fall. Dewey reviews options like formic and oxalic acid treatments, as well as how summer’s heavy populations influence product effectiveness.

    Through it all, Dewey emphasizes the unique, personal nature of beekeeping, encouraging beekeepers to communicate intentionally with their bees—whether by managing mites, supering wisely, or preparing for harvest.

    Links & Resources:

    • Ross Conrad April 2025. Supering. Bee Culture: https://beeculture.com/supering/
    • David de Jong's Research: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/357485479_Supering_Apis_mellifera_Hymenoptera_Apidae_beehives_impairs_honey_production_and_biomarker_genes

    • HBHC Tools for Varroa Management: https://honeybeehealthcoalition.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/HBHC-Guide_Varroa-Mgmt_8thEd-082422.pdf

    • Communication in a Colony: https://www.beelistener.co.uk/biology-for-beekeepers/communication-in-a-colony-cues-and-signals/

    • Tom Seeley: HoneyBee Democracy 2010 and Piping Hot Bees and Boisterous Buzz Runners. 2024 Princeton University Press

    Brought to you by Betterbee – your partners in better beekeeping.

    ______________

    Betterbee is the presenting sponsor of Beekeeping Today Podcast. 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

    Copyright © 2025 by Growing Planet Media, LLC

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    18 mins
  • Pollinator Week 2025 with Pollinator Partnership (338)
    Jun 16 2025
    In this special episode of Beekeeping Today Podcast, we launch our eighth season with a celebration of Pollinator Week and a conversation with Kelly Bills, Executive Director of Pollinator Partnership. Kelly returns to share exciting updates on their growing programs, from the BeeMD diagnostic tool relaunch to the expansion of Bee Friendly Farming and Gardening certifications. She also discusses the Pollinator Steward Certification, a program educating people across professions to become effective stewards of pollinators in their communities. We explore the importance of native plants, new educational tools like Find Your Roots, and proactive efforts to prepare for the potential arrival of Tropilaelaps mites through the Tropi STOP initiative. Plus, Kelly highlights the landmark lighting of Niagara Falls in honor of Pollinator Week and the evolving Pollinator Power Party. This episode is packed with practical ways beekeepers and land managers can get involved in pollinator conservation—from habitat planning and research grants to farmer certifications and community engagement. It’s a great start to the season and a meaningful way to mark Pollinator Week 2025. Websites from the episode and others we recommend: Pollinator Partnership: https://pollinator.orgThe BeeMD: https://idtools.org/thebeemd/North American Pollinator Protection Campaign (NAPPC): https://www.pollinator.org/nappcBee Friendly Farming: https://www.pollinator.org/bffPollinator Steward Certification: https://www.pollinator.org/pscTropiSTOP: https://www.pollinator.org/tropistopFind Your Roots: https://www.pollinator.org/find-your-roots-tool Honey Bee Health Coalition: https://honeybeehealthcoalition.orgThe National Honey Board: https://honey.com Honey Bee Obscura Podcast: https://honeybeeobscura.com Copyright © 2025 by Growing Planet Media, LLC ______________ Betterbee is the presenting sponsor of Beekeeping Today Podcast. 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 This episode is brought to you by Global Patties! Global offers a variety of standard and custom patties. Visit them today at http://globalpatties.com and let them know you appreciate them sponsoring this episode! Thanks to Bee Smart Designs as a sponsor of this podcast! Bee Smart Designs is the creator of innovative, modular and interchangeable hive systems made in the USA using recycled and American sourced materials. Bee Smart Designs - Simply better beekeeping for the modern beekeeper. Thanks to Dalan who is dedicated to providing transformative animal health solutions to support a more sustainable future. Dalan's vaccination against American Foulbrood (AFB) is a game changer. Vaccinated queens protect newly hatched honeybee larvae against AFB using the new Dalan vaccine. Created for queen producers and other beekeepers wanting to produce AFB free queens. Retailers offering vaccinated queens and packages: https://dalan.com/order-vaccinated-queens/ More information on the vaccine: https://dalan.com/media-publications/ Thanks to Strong Microbials for their support of Beekeeping Today Podcast. Find out more about their line of probiotics in our Season 3, Episode 12 episode and from their website: https://www.strongmicrobials.com Thanks for Northern Bee Books for their support. Northern Bee Books is the publisher of bee books available worldwide from their website or from Amazon and bookstores everywhere. They are also the publishers of The Beekeepers Quarterly and Natural Bee Husbandry. _______________ We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments in the show notes of this episode or: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com Thank you for listening! Podcast music: Be Strong by Young Presidents; Epilogue by Musicalman; Faraday by BeGun; Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus; A Fresh New Start by Pete Morse; Wedding Day by Boomer; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; Red Jack Blues by Daniel Hart; Original guitar background instrumental by Jeff Ott. Beekeeping Today Podcast is an audio production of Growing Planet Media, LLC Copyright © 2025 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
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    45 mins
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such a good podcast to listen too. As a beekeeper you hear the stories of fellow beekeepers, the latest news on techniques and other fascinating information in the world of bees

all about the latest buzz!

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