Beekeeping For Newbees®

In this episode, we cover a few important topics to help you avoid major headaches in your beekeeping journey.

• Why the presence of a queen cell doesn't mean “do a split”
• How to avoid disaster when buying used gear (AFB risks)
• Best practices for moving bees out of swarm traps
• When it's safe to relocate, and how long to wait
• What to ask when picking up a nuc or package
• Why queen age, mite treatment, and egg-laying status matter
• Regional timing differences for splits and trapping

🌐 Website: beekeepingfornewbees.com

📘 Articles & reviews: bestbeekeepinggear.com

🎥 YouTube: youtube.com/@beekeepingfornewbees

💬 Join the community: discord.gg/XzkqFKrjMJ

☕ Value in the episode? Buy Me a Coffee

Thinking of doing a walkaway split? Before you divide that colony, hit play. In this episode, we break down why timing is everything — especially as the summer dearth sets in. Inspired by a real listener question, we walk through what a walkaway split is, how it works, and why it might be one of the riskiest moves you can make during a seasonal lull. Learn why your queen might not emerge (or mate), what happens to your workforce while you wait, and why “just because” splits usually backfire.

• What exactly is a walkaway split, and how is it different from other types?
• Why splits are easier (and safer) in the spring
• How long it really takes to go from queenless to new bees
• Why feeding and robbing become serious concerns
• 4 key reasons not to split your colony right now
• How to test drone availability without risking an entire hive
• Why “my mentor said it was a good idea” is not always a green light
• Tips for getting honest, timely advice from experienced beekeepers

🌐 Visit the website: beekeepingfornewbees.com

🔗 Also visit: bestbeekeepinggear.com

📺 YouTube Channel: youtube.com/@beekeepingfornewbees

☕ Support the podcast: buymeacoffee.com/beekeepingfornewbees

🫶 Learn more about the nonprofit: thehealinghiveproject.org

Beekeeping For Newbees is a top 2% podcast with over 500,000 downloads, helping new and experienced beekeepers grow stronger colonies and make smarter decisions through every season. Listen weekly for practical guidance, swarm stories, and honest takes on what works and what doesn’t in real-world beekeeping.

In this episode, we dive into the what, who, when, where, why, and how of honeycomb production. You'll learn how wax gets made, when bees choose to build it, what types of foundation help or hinder that process, and how to manage common comb problems — from burr and brace comb to the dreaded “wonky comb.” We also get into frame spacing habits, foundation color (black vs yellow), and why wax production is all about energy balance, not instinct alone.

Whether you’re dealing with bridge comb between deeps, weird bulging frames, or just want to help your bees draw clean comb, this episode will walk you through every angle.

• Who makes comb, when, and why
• How nectar flow (not honey stores) triggers wax production
• The hidden costs of wax secretion for the colony
• Foundation types: plastic, wax, foundationless, and starter strips
• Burr, brace, and bridge comb — what’s the difference?
• Fixing frames stuck together or warped from weird comb
• My personal hot take on why I do not squish frames together
• Tips on checkerboarding and why it doesn’t always work
• Should you use black or yellow foundation? Here’s the real deal.

🌐 Visit the website: beekeepingfornewbees.com

🔗 Also visit: bestbeekeepinggear.com

📺 YouTube Channel: youtube.com/@beekeepingfornewbees

☕ Support the podcast: buymeacoffee.com/beekeepingfornewbees

Beekeeping For Newbees is a top 2% podcast with over 500,000 downloads, helping new and experienced beekeepers grow stronger colonies and make smarter decisions through every season. Listen weekly for practical guidance, swarm stories, and honest takes on what works and what doesn’t in real-world beekeeping.

Ever wonder how long it takes for a queen to emerge? Or why drones take longer to develop than workers? In this deep-dive episode, we break down the full development cycle of honey bee castes — workers, drones, and queens — from egg to emergence. You’ll learn what happens during each stage, how nutrition influences caste, and why understanding these timelines is essential for swarm control, requeening, and sustainable colony growth.

• Worker, drone, and queen development timelines: 16, 21, and 24 days explained
• What each bee does during its life — from cleaning cells to mating flights
• What royal jelly is and how it differs from worker jelly
• Why bee bread is preferred over fresh pollen for larval nutrition
• How to calculate timing for walkaway splits and swarm prevention
• Tips for spotting queenright vs queenless conditions during a dearth
• Using drone brood to monitor and interrupt Varroa mite reproduction

This is one of the most detailed episodes we’ve ever done — and it’s loaded with knowledge that will help you make better management decisions. Whether you’re requeening, splitting, or just trying to understand what’s happening inside the hive, mastering the timeline of bee development is one of the most powerful tools in a beekeeper’s toolkit.

🌐 Visit the website: beekeepingfornewbees.com

🔗 Also visit: bestbeekeepinggear.com

📺 YouTube Channel: youtube.com/@beekeepingfornewbees

☕ Buy Me a Coffee: buymeacoffee.com/beekeepingfornewbees

🫶 Learn more about the nonprofit: thehealinghiveproject.org

Beekeeping For Newbees is a top 2% podcast with over 500,000 downloads, helping new and experienced beekeepers grow stronger colonies and make smarter decisions through every season. Listen weekly for practical guidance, swarm stories, and honest takes on what works and what doesn’t in real-world beekeeping.

On this Memorial Day, we pause to reflect on the meaning of service, sacrifice, and the families who carry that burden. In this special episode, Jeff shares his own story of military transition, how beekeeping became a source of healing, and why he's launching a new nonprofit: The Healing Hive Project. This initiative will create a retreat and training center for veterans and first responders using the therapeutic power of honey bees.

What’s Inside This Episode:

• A personal message of gratitude to Gold Star families and those who serve
• Reflections on military transition, loss, and reconnecting with purpose
• A behind-the-scenes look at the vision for The Healing Hive Project
• Facilities, programming, and how the beekeeping community can get involved
• Call for volunteers, donors, and partners to support this mission
• A reminder to show grace on Memorial Day — and to educate with kindness
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Why Listen to This Episode:

If you’re a veteran, first responder, or someone who believes in the power of nature to heal, this episode shares the story behind a meaningful new direction. Whether you want to lend a hand, share the mission, or just reflect on the meaning of Memorial Day, this episode lays the foundation for something that matters far beyond beekeeping.

More Info:

🌐 Visit the website: beekeepingfornewbees.com

🔗 Also visit: bestbeekeepinggear.com

💬 Join the Discord community: discord.gg/XzkqFKrjMJ

☕ Buy Me a Coffee: buymeacoffee.com/beekeepingfornewbees

🫶 Learn more about the nonprofit: thehealinghiveproject.org

About the Podcast:

Beekeeping For Newbees is a top 2% podcast with over 500,000 downloads, helping new and experienced beekeepers grow stronger colonies and make smarter decisions through every season. Listen weekly for practical guidance, swarm stories, and honest takes on what works and what doesn’t in real-world beekeeping.

The nectar flow doesn't last forever, and when it ends, things can get tough. In this episode, we talk about how to recognize the start of a summer dearth, how to feed bees without triggering robbing, and how to use this broodless period to crush your mite population. You'll also hear what not to do with syrup feeders (Jeff's mistake was gross), and why hive beetles and robbing go hand in hand this time of year.

What’s Inside This Episode:

• Signs your bees have entered a dearth
• When to feed — and how to do it without attracting robbers
• Entrance reducers: size matters
• Best feeder styles (and how to avoid fermenting syrup disasters)
• Hive beetle traps, pollen patty caution, and SHB vacuums
• Leveraging the brood break for more effective mite treatments
• Why blind treating for mites without testing is hurting your bees (and everyone else)
• How to recognize robbing in action — and how to shut it down fast

Why Listen to This Episode:

If you’re beekeeping anywhere that sees a summer dearth, this episode is essential. You’ll learn how to keep your colonies healthy, productive, and protected through the toughest part of the season and how to time your mite treatments for maximum impact when brood levels drop.

More Info:

🌐 Visit the website: beekeepingfornewbees.com

🔗 Also visit: bestbeekeepinggear.com

💬 Join the Discord community: discord.gg/XzkqFKrjMJ

☕ Buy Me a Coffee: buymeacoffee.com/beekeepingfornewbees

About the Podcast:

Beekeeping For Newbees is a top 2% podcast with over 500,000 downloads, helping new and experienced beekeepers grow stronger colonies and make smarter decisions through every season. Listen weekly for practical guidance, swarm stories, and honest takes on what works and what doesn’t in real-world beekeeping.

We wrap up our three-part Bee Buzz Q&A series with a big one — covering everything from screen bottom boards and queen excluders to robbing behavior, swarm cells, spring mite counts, aggressive bees, and more. Plus, a quick family update from graduation weekend, a pickup mission to Kentucky, and the latest with Howard the cat (who now demands an intro shoutout). This is a packed episode with over 20 questions answered.

• When to do your first mite wash after installing packages
• Queen cells: how to tell the difference (and what to actually do)
• Is a loud hive a sign of danger?
• Should I be worried if one new package is way more active than another?
• Robbing, screen bottom boards, and entrance reducer strategy
• Late spring brood levels, swarm triggers, and inspection timing
• Best mite treatment strategies for early season
• And yes — why the queen excluder can go on anytime

This is the kind of episode you revisit every spring. Whether you're installing new bees, spotting queen cells, worried about brood patterns, or just trying to stay one step ahead of swarming season — this Q&A hits the key questions every new (and not-so-new) beekeeper runs into.

🌐 Visit the website: beekeepingfornewbees.com

🔗 Also visit: bestbeekeepinggear.com

💬 Join the Discord community: discord.gg/XzkqFKrjMJ

☕ Support the podcast: buymeacoffee.com/beekeepingfornewbees

Beekeeping For Newbees is a top 2% podcast with over 500,000 downloads, helping new and experienced beekeepers grow stronger colonies and make smarter decisions through every season. Listen weekly for practical guidance, swarm stories, and honest takes on what works and what doesn’t in real-world beekeeping.

We’re back with The Bee Buzz! In this episode, I recap a wild cross-country trip that ended in a busted transmission, a used car purchase, and the world's best Applebee’s salmon. Then we jump into your beekeeping questions.

• Weekly inspections vs bi-weekly: what you risk by skipping
• Reversing boxes vs adding space — what actually matters
• When and how to rotate or replace frames
• Signs your bees are running out of room
• Queen cells: when to panic, when to leave them alone
• How to time spring feeding, splits, and adding supers
• Swarm traps, package installs, brood patterns, and more

This Bee Buzz is packed with practical advice for spring management, swarm prevention, and making better colony decisions — especially if you're still figuring out when to step in and when to let bees do their thing. Whether you're managing two hives or twenty, there’s something in here for you.

🌐 Visit the website: beekeepingfornewbees.com

🔗 Also visit: bestbeekeepinggear.com

💬 Join the Discord community: discord.gg/XzkqFKrjMJ

☕ Support the podcast: buymeacoffee.com/beekeepingfornewbees

Beekeeping For Newbees is a top 2% podcast with over 500,000 downloads, helping new and experienced beekeepers grow stronger colonies and make smarter decisions through every season. Listen weekly for practical guidance, swarm stories, and honest takes on what works and what doesn’t in real-world beekeeping.

The Bee Buzz is back! After a long break, we’re reviving this listener-favorite format where we answer your questions directly. From feeding bees in spring, to how much honey is enough to get through winter, to deciding when to add a second brood box—we’re covering a huge range of practical Q&A topics in this special milestone episode.

• How to decide if your bees need feeding—or if you’re wasting sugar
• Why beekeeping advice is often contradictory (and what to trust)
• The best ways to assess colony strength after winter
• When and how to add a second box
• Cleaning deadouts safely and identifying disease risk
• Hive inspection timing and what to look for in early spring

This isn’t theory—it’s real-world beekeeping based on questions from our community. Whether you're confused by syrup ratios, struggling to tell if your bees are strong enough, or wondering if your queen made it through the winter, we’ve got answers. If you’ve ever said, “I’ve read 5 articles and they all say something different,” this episode is for you.

🌐 Visit the website: beekeepingfornewbees.com

🔗 Also visit: bestbeekeepinggear.com

💬 Join the Discord community: discord.gg/XzkqFKrjMJ

☕ Support the podcast: buymeacoffee.com/beekeepingfornewbees

Beekeeping For Newbees is a top 2% podcast with over 500,000 downloads, helping new and experienced beekeepers grow stronger colonies and make smarter decisions through every season. Listen weekly for practical guidance, swarm stories, and honest takes on what works and what doesn’t in real-world beekeeping.

Feeding bees is one of the most misunderstood topics in beekeeping. In this episode, we talk about when you should feed, what you should feed (syrup, patties, honey frames, and more), and how much is enough. Whether you're managing packages, nucs, or full colonies, this episode will help you feed with purpose, not just habit.

What’s Inside This Episode:

• Feeding strategies for packages, nucs, and overwintered colonies
• Syrup ratios and why 2:1 might be your new go-to
• When pollen patties help — and when they don’t
• Common mistakes and how to avoid robbing, spoilage, or overfeeding
• Practical feeder options (frame, top, jar, and more)

Why Listen to This Episode:

If you’re new to beekeeping or even a few seasons in, this episode cuts through the confusion and gives you real-world context on feeding decisions. Learn when it’s essential, when it’s optional, and how to do it without attracting problems like hive beetles or yellow jackets. 🐝

Support the Show:

🌐 Visit the website: beekeepingfornewbees.com

🌐 Visit the website: bestbeekeepinggear.com

💬 Join the Discord community: discord.gg/XzkqFKrjMJ

☕ Support the podcast: buymeacoffee.com/beekeepingfornewbees

About the Podcast:

Beekeeping For Newbees is a top 2% podcast with over 500,000 downloads, helping new and experienced beekeepers grow stronger colonies and make smarter decisions through every season. Listen weekly for practical guidance, swarm stories, and honest takes on what works and what doesn’t in real-world beekeeping.