This week, Becky Masterman and guest co-host Dr. Meghan Milbrath of Michigan State University welcome Melanie Kirby, queen breeder, educator, and pollinator specialist at the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Melanie shares her incredible beekeeping journey — from learning in the jungles of Paraguay as a Peace Corps volunteer, to queen rearing in Hawaii's Kona Queen and Hawaiian Queen Apiaries, to managing migratory operations across the U.S., and now mentoring new beekeepers through her 20-year-old operation, Zia Queenbees.

She discusses the creation of the Adaptive Bee Breeders Alliance (adaptivebeebreedersalliance.org), a national network of researchers and queen breeders working to strengthen honey bee genetics through collaborative breeding, genomics, and germplasm conservation. The conversation touches on her Fulbright-National Geographic research, her role supporting Indigenous agricultural education at IAIA, and how art, science, and community intersect in pollinator stewardship.

Melanie also offers insights into current projects on wild bee populations in New Mexico, new approaches to field research, and her ongoing efforts to translate between practical beekeeping and academic research. Her story is one of curiosity, collaboration, and a lifelong love of learning from the bees — and the people who care for them.

Websites from the episode and others we recommend:

• Adaptive Bee Breeders Alliance: https://adaptivebeepreedersalliance.org

• Zia Queen Bees Farm & Field Institute: https://ziaqueenbees.com

• BTP Episode on Map My DCA Episode with Julia Mahood: https://www.beekeepingtodaypodcast.com/drones-and-mapping-drone-congregation-areas-with-julia-mahood-s5-e42/

• Honey Bee Obscura Podcast: https://honeybeeobscura.com
• Project Apis m. (PAm): https://www.projectapism.org
• Honey Bee Health Coalition: https://honeybeehealthcoalition.org
• The National Honey Board: https://honey.com
• Honey Bee Obscura Podcast: https://honeybeeobscura.com

Copyright © 2025 by Growing Planet Media, LLC

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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.

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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.

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Copyright © 2025 by Growing Planet Media, LLC