Beekeeping Today Podcast Podcast By Jeff Ott Becky Masterman cover art

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 Natural History Nature & Ecology Science
Episodes
  • Jerry Hayes on Honey Bee Health, Science, and Industry Change (341)

    Jerry Hayes on Honey Bee Health, Science, and Industry Change (341)
    Jul 7 2025
    In this episode, Jeff and Becky welcome back Jerry Hayes, renowned honey bee advocate, author, and researcher, for a wide-ranging conversation on bee health, industry change, and the future of beekeeping. Drawing from decades of experience—from inspecting colonies in the field to influencing corporate and regulatory policy—Jerry shares what he’s learned about building bridges between science, beekeepers, and the broader agricultural world. The discussion touches on Jerry’s roles across the beekeeping ecosystem—from his early days as Florida’s Chief Apiary Inspector to leadership positions at Monsanto, Vita Bee Health and now, Bee Culture Magazine. He reflects on lessons learned while advocating for honey bees in spaces that didn’t always understand their value, and how science communication and transparency have become central to his mission. Jerry also shares insights into how beekeeping has changed, what’s needed to better support bees in today’s agricultural systems, and the role of products like oxalic acid and other treatment innovations. Whether you’re a hobbyist or a commercial beekeeper, this episode offers valuable perspective from someone who’s seen the industry evolve from every angle. Websites from the episode and others we recommend: Bee Culture Magazine: https://beeculture.com 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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    46 mins
  • Alan Wade, Dannielle Harden: Managing Two-Queen Hives (340)

    Alan Wade, Dannielle Harden: Managing Two-Queen Hives (340)
    Jun 30 2025
    In this episode, Jeff and Becky dive into the fascinating world of two-queen hive systems with guests Alan Wade and Dannielle Harden. Alan, an Australian researcher and longtime contributor to The Australasian Beekeeper, brings deep technical expertise and historical context to the discussion. Dannielle, a beekeeper and educator, adds a hands-on perspective from the field. Together, they explore what it takes to successfully manage colonies with two laying queens—why beekeepers attempt it, how it’s traditionally done, and what innovations are reshaping the approach. Alan shares his work comparing various dual-queen configurations, including divided brood chambers and vertically stacked systems. Dannielle discusses her practical experience implementing and refining these techniques in real-world apiaries. This episode unpacks the potential benefits of two-queen colonies—like increased brood and honey production—as well as the complexities and labor involved in managing them. It’s an engaging conversation that blends research, experimentation, and lived experience. If you’ve ever wondered about pushing your colonies’ productivity or testing advanced management systems, this episode offers insight and inspiration from two thoughtful voices in modern beekeeping. Websites from the episode and others we recommend: Alan's Book on Two Queen Hives: https://www.northernbeebooks.co.uk/products/a-history-of-keeping-and-managing-doubled-and-two-queen-hives-wadeBetterbee's Divided Deep: https://www.betterbee.com/nuc-boxes/dnbody-divided-deep-for-nuc.aspAn Explanation on the Demaree Method of Queen Management:https://thewalrusandthehoneybee.com/demaree/ Bill Hesbach's Mentioned Article in Bee Culture: https://beeculture.com/the-horizontal-two-queen-system/Tom Theobald and 2-Queen Hives on Beekeeping Today: https://www.beekeepingtodaypodcast.com/two-queen-honey-production-with-tom-theobald-s3-e32/ 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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    50 mins
  • Regeneron STS Finalist, Atreya Manaswi - SHB (339)

    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
All stars
Most relevant  
very informative, formic pro and heat seem to be in our bee keeping future.

thank you for a great show

mites are in our future, Sammy has the answers

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good episode. I can't wait to see or listen to what comes next from this podcast

found a new podcast for bees

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I enjoy the humor and teaching of many of these podcast. They have a lot of popular and informative beekeeper guest.

Great Podcast!

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I started listening to Honeybee Obscura, and took up listening to this podcast because it was the next best thing. Different styles, but I am now just as fond of this podcast

Love This Podcast

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