Episode 43 - Is Spring Here? Accident in the Yard! Luke Goes to the Midwest Honeybee Expo!

Episode 47 - Busy as a Bee! Cutouts, City Ordinances, Inordinate Amount of Swarms

Episode 47 of Beekeeping Buddies has us still busier than we have been in years! Early spring translated to early swarms, early honey crops, and earlier cutouts, and earlier stings! Come listen to what we are doing this time of year. Discord Server: https://discord.gg/Jk6hyZAY [https://discord.gg/Jk6hyZAY] Randy Oliver Mite Calculator Calendar: https://scientificbeekeeping.com/randys-varroa-model/ [https://scientificbeekeeping.com/randys-varroa-model/] How RRA Makes Fondant: https://youtu.be/CAiOF3onmBQ [https://youtu.be/CAiOF3onmBQ] The American Bee Journal: https://americanbeejournal.com/ [https://americanbeejournal.com/] Project Apis m. Bee Survey Video 2025: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VOCis4ZPfp8 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VOCis4ZPfp8] Project Apis m. Website: https://www.projectapism.org/events/i8yr94doxarjvh453lchfhr0xf3bvq [https://www.projectapism.org/events/i8yr94doxarjvh453lchfhr0xf3bvq] Riverview Road Apiary Nucs: https://riverviewroadapiary.com/products/spring-2025-nuc [https://riverviewroadapiary.com/products/spring-2025-nuc] Heart of Illinois Beekeeping Club: https://hoibees.org/ [https://hoibees.org/] Dalan Animal Health Queens: https://bluetoad.com/publication/?m=5417&i=830245&p=38&ver=html5 [https://dalan.com/preorder-vaccinated-queens/] Beekeeping Buddies Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/beekeepingbuddies/ [https://www.patreon.com/c/beekeepingbuddies/] Fruit and Vegetable Pollination Handbook: https://www.ars.usda.gov/arsuserfiles/20220500/onlinepollinationhandbook.pdf [https://www.ars.usda.gov/arsuserfiles/20220500/onlinepollinationhandbook.pdf]

Episode 46 - We are Having a Crazy Spring; Chasing Swarms; Preparing for the Honey Flow

Episode 46 of Beekeeping Buddies has us busier than we have been in years! Early spring means early swarms, early honey crops, and earlier cutouts! Come listen to what we are doing this time of year. New thumbs up thumbs down section of beekeeping buddies as well! Discord Server: https://discord.gg/Jk6hyZAY [https://discord.gg/Jk6hyZAY] Randy Oliver Mite Calculator Calendar: https://scientificbeekeeping.com/randys-varroa-model/ [https://scientificbeekeeping.com/randys-varroa-model/] How RRA Makes Fondant: https://youtu.be/CAiOF3onmBQ [https://youtu.be/CAiOF3onmBQ] The American Bee Journal: https://americanbeejournal.com/ [https://americanbeejournal.com/] Project Apis m. Bee Survey Video 2025: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VOCis4ZPfp8 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VOCis4ZPfp8] Project Apis m. Website: https://www.projectapism.org/events/i8yr94doxarjvh453lchfhr0xf3bvq [https://www.projectapism.org/events/i8yr94doxarjvh453lchfhr0xf3bvq] Riverview Road Apiary Nucs: https://riverviewroadapiary.com/products/spring-2025-nuc [https://riverviewroadapiary.com/products/spring-2025-nuc] Heart of Illinois Beekeeping Club: https://hoibees.org/ [https://hoibees.org/] Dalan Animal Health Queens: https://bluetoad.com/publication/?m=5417&i=830245&p=38&ver=html5 [https://dalan.com/preorder-vaccinated-queens/] Beekeeping Buddies Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/beekeepingbuddies/ [https://www.patreon.com/c/beekeepingbuddies/] Fruit and Vegetable Pollination Handbook: https://www.ars.usda.gov/arsuserfiles/20220500/onlinepollinationhandbook.pdf [https://www.ars.usda.gov/arsuserfiles/20220500/onlinepollinationhandbook.pdf]

Episode 45 - Come Hang Out with Our Beekeeping Buddies 628 Dirt Rooster Randy McCaffery and His Brother Tommy McCaffery

Episode 45 of Beekeeping Buddies has us visited by some of our own Beekeeping Buddies! Randy McCaffrey (628 Dirt Rooster) and Tommy McCaffrey come by and explain how Hobby Beekeeping is a Way Of Life... and how that changes in Illinois vs Mississippi. 628 Dirt Rooster Website: https://628dirtrooster.com/collections/all [https://628dirtrooster.com/collections/all] 628 Dirt Rooster Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/628DirtRooster [https://www.facebook.com/628DirtRooster] 628 Dirt Rooster YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@628DirtRooster [https://www.youtube.com/@628DirtRooster] Discord Server: https://discord.gg/Jk6hyZAY [https://discord.gg/Jk6hyZAY] Randy Oliver Mite Calculator Calendar: https://scientificbeekeeping.com/randys-varroa-model/ [https://scientificbeekeeping.com/randys-varroa-model/] How RRA Makes Fondant: https://youtu.be/CAiOF3onmBQ [https://youtu.be/CAiOF3onmBQ] The American Bee Journal: https://americanbeejournal.com/ [https://americanbeejournal.com/] Project Apis m. Bee Survey Video 2025: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VOCis4ZPfp8 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VOCis4ZPfp8] Project Apis m. Website: https://www.projectapism.org/events/i8yr94doxarjvh453lchfhr0xf3bvq [https://www.projectapism.org/events/i8yr94doxarjvh453lchfhr0xf3bvq] Riverview Road Apiary Nucs: https://riverviewroadapiary.com/products/spring-2025-nuc [https://riverviewroadapiary.com/products/spring-2025-nuc] Heart of Illinois Beekeeping Club: https://hoibees.org/ [https://hoibees.org/] Dalan Animal Health Queens: https://bluetoad.com/publication/?m=5417&i=830245&p=38&ver=html5 [https://dalan.com/preorder-vaccinated-queens/] Beekeeping Buddies Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/beekeepingbuddies/ [https://www.patreon.com/c/beekeepingbuddies/] Fruit and Vegetable Pollination Handbook: https://www.ars.usda.gov/arsuserfiles/20220500/onlinepollinationhandbook.pdf [https://www.ars.usda.gov/arsuserfiles/20220500/onlinepollinationhandbook.pdf]

Episode 44 - Beekeeping in Arizona with Honey Hives Farm, Package Queen Swapping, Hive Body Types and more!

Episode 44 of Beekeeping Buddies takes us out west as we talk about beekeeping in Arizona and how conditions there compare to what many of us see in the Midwest. We also dig into swapping queens in package bees, including why a beekeeper might choose to do it. In this episode's Honeybee Hotline, we answer listener questions and work through practical beekeeping issues from the field. Lastly on our droning on, we talk about what we will be doing as we reach warmer temperatures and longer days! Honey Hives Farm: https://honeyhivefarms.com/ [https://honeyhivefarms.com/] Discord Server: https://discord.gg/Jk6hyZAY [https://discord.gg/Jk6hyZAY] Randy Oliver Mite Calculator Calendar: https://scientificbeekeeping.com/randys-varroa-model/ [https://scientificbeekeeping.com/randys-varroa-model/] How RRA Makes Fondant: https://youtu.be/CAiOF3onmBQ [https://youtu.be/CAiOF3onmBQ] The American Bee Journal: https://americanbeejournal.com/ [https://americanbeejournal.com/] Project Apis m. Bee Survey Video 2025: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VOCis4ZPfp8 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VOCis4ZPfp8] Project Apis m. Website: https://www.projectapism.org/events/i8yr94doxarjvh453lchfhr0xf3bvq [https://www.projectapism.org/events/i8yr94doxarjvh453lchfhr0xf3bvq] Riverview Road Apiary Nucs: https://riverviewroadapiary.com/products/spring-2025-nuc [https://riverviewroadapiary.com/products/spring-2025-nuc] Heart of Illinois Beekeeping Club: https://hoibees.org/ [https://hoibees.org/] Dalan Animal Health Queens: https://bluetoad.com/publication/?m=5417&i=830245&p=38&ver=html5 [https://dalan.com/preorder-vaccinated-queens/] Beekeeping Buddies Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/beekeepingbuddies/ [https://www.patreon.com/c/beekeepingbuddies/] Fruit and Vegetable Pollination Handbook: https://www.ars.usda.gov/arsuserfiles/20220500/onlinepollinationhandbook.pdf [https://www.ars.usda.gov/arsuserfiles/20220500/onlinepollinationhandbook.pdf]

Episode 43 - Is Spring Here? Accident in the Yard! Luke Goes to the Midwest Honeybee Expo!

We're enjoying a stretch of beautiful weather here in the Peoria area, and that can only mean one thing for beekeepers: false spring temptation. This week, Steve and Luke talk through what you should (and shouldn't) be doing during these warm February days. When is it smart to crack a lid? When should you leave well enough alone? And how do you avoid setting your colonies back before maples even think about blooming? Luke also shares a hard lesson from the yard an accident that resulted in a grass fire. What happened, what caused it, and what you can do to avoid the same mistake around your apiary. Finally, Luke breaks down some of the standout speakers and takeaways from the Midwest Honeybee Expo in Wisconsin. From practical management tips to bigger industry conversations, there was plenty worth bringing back home to Illinois. If you're staring at your hives in 50-degree weather wondering whether to "just take a quick peek," this episode is for you. Midwest Honeybee Expo: https://www.midwesthoneybeeexpo.com/ [https://www.midwesthoneybeeexpo.com/] North American Honeybee Expo: https://www.nahbexpo.com/ [https://www.nahbexpo.com/] Discord Server: https://discord.gg/Jk6hyZAY [https://discord.gg/Jk6hyZAY] Randy Oliver Mite Calculator Calendar: https://scientificbeekeeping.com/randys-varroa-model/ [https://scientificbeekeeping.com/randys-varroa-model/] How RRA Makes Fondant: https://youtu.be/CAiOF3onmBQ [https://youtu.be/CAiOF3onmBQ] The American Bee Journal: https://americanbeejournal.com/ [https://americanbeejournal.com/] Project Apis m. Bee Survey Video 2025: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VOCis4ZPfp8 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VOCis4ZPfp8] Project Apis m. Website: https://www.projectapism.org/events/i8yr94doxarjvh453lchfhr0xf3bvq [https://www.projectapism.org/events/i8yr94doxarjvh453lchfhr0xf3bvq] Riverview Road Apiary Nucs: https://riverviewroadapiary.com/products/spring-2025-nuc [https://riverviewroadapiary.com/products/spring-2025-nuc] Heart of Illinois Beekeeping Club: https://hoibees.org/ [https://hoibees.org/] Dalan Animal Health Queens: https://bluetoad.com/publication/?m=5417&i=830245&p=38&ver=html5 [https://dalan.com/preorder-vaccinated-queens/] Beekeeping Buddies Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/beekeepingbuddies/ [https://www.patreon.com/c/beekeepingbuddies/] Fruit and Vegetable Pollination Handbook: https://www.ars.usda.gov/arsuserfiles/20220500/onlinepollinationhandbook.pdf [https://www.ars.usda.gov/arsuserfiles/20220500/onlinepollinationhandbook.pdf]