On this rainy and unseasonably chilly spring day, Jim Tew heads out to his bee yard with longtime friend and former lab assistant Jason Ferrell. While the original plan was to inspect a package colony, the weather—and some unexpected bee behavior—had other ideas.

What began as a routine day in the yard quickly turned into a puzzling observation. Why were a dozen bees congregating on a white hive cover in 51°F drizzle? Their tongues extended, their abdomens pulsating—Jim and Jason speculate: Are they foraging? Are they confused? Is there something special about that surface? It’s another one of those small but intriguing mysteries that beekeepers often encounter.

The episode also touches on the ebb and flow of spring colony energy, why some hives fly in the rain while others stay dormant, and how Jim experiments with brood transfers to test for queen presence.

Sometimes in beekeeping, the biggest lessons come from days when things don’t go as planned. Join Jim and Jason for this spontaneous, thought-provoking walk through a quiet bee yard, filled with questions and quiet observations.

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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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