This week on Honey Bee Obscura, Jim and Anne take listeners south — to Georgia — for a mid-winter comparison of beekeeping realities.

Anne recently visited beekeeping friends near the Atlanta latitude and found that while Georgia winters are milder than New York or Ohio, they come with their own management challenges. Unlike northern operations that rely heavily on solid winter feed, Georgia beekeepers depend on syrup feeding much of the year due to extended nectar dearths following an early June harvest.

Jim and Anne discuss the practical art of "hefting" colonies to estimate food stores, why winter management differs dramatically between regions, and how a long nectar gap — whether in the South after June or in the North after goldenrod — requires careful planning.

They also compare small hive beetle pressure and varroa control strategies. In central Georgia, small hive beetles are a more visible and persistent concern due to milder soil temperatures, and oxalic acid treatments are more common than formic products due to higher seasonal temperatures.

From single deep brood chambers to syrup-based feeding strategies, this episode highlights how geography shapes beekeeping decisions.

______________________

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

______________________

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)

Copyright © 2026 by Growing Planet Media, LLC