Beekeeping Today Podcast

Why do we smoke honey bees—and how much smoke do they really need? In this installment of his Bee Science mini-series on Beekeeping Today, Dr. Dewey Caron sends an audio postcard from Portland, Oregon, during a wildfire smoke advisory. He uses the smoky skies as a starting point for a discussion of the beekeeper's smoker, the behavior of honey bees, and the challenges wildfire brings to the bee yard.
Dewey's central message about smoker use is simple: use it sparingly. He walks through lighting a smoker, choosing fuel that produces cool, white smoke, keeping it working throughout an inspection, and directing smoke where it helps move bees away from fingers and hive equipment. He also describes ways to reduce unnecessary disturbance as frames are removed and the colony is closed.
The conversation then turns to what smoke actually does. Dewey explains why he describes smoke as changing bee behavior rather than simply calming bees. He discusses alarm odor, bees retreating from smoke, and honey-stomach filling, while identifying the proposed wildfire escape response as a theory. Liquid smoke, water, sugar water, and inspections without a smoker each get a look, along with their limitations.
Wildfire smoke raises a different set of questions. Dewey reflects on Oregon's 2020 fires, threats to apiaries, and the difficulties of caring for surviving colonies. He discusses native bee nesting habitat, changes in post-fire forage, and how smoky skies can interfere with the polarized-light patterns honey bees use to navigate. He also considers research on ash exposure and emphasizes how much remains unknown about its effects on flower visitors.
To close, Dewey offers ten points covering smoker safety, inspection decisions, evacuation preparedness, defensible space, supplemental feeding, clean water, documentation, and habitat recovery. Throughout, the emphasis is on thoughtful smoker use and avoiding additional stress on colonies during smoke events.
Notes and references:
Reynolds, Kamon. What is best bee smoker fuel? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_vqphnp04w

Garvey, K.K. 2020. The Bee People, The Bees, and The Fires. UCANR Bug Squad. https://ucanr.edu/blog/bug-squad/article/bee-people-bees-and-fires

Andony Melathopoulos, Brooke Edmunds and Jim Rivers. Reviewed 2024. How do Wildfires affect bees?  https://extension.oregonstate.edu/forests/fire/how-do-wildfires-affect-bee

Tan, Y.Q., Dion, E. and Monteiro, A., 2018. Haze smoke impacts survival and development of butterflies. Scientific Reports, 8(1), pp.1-10.

Detweiler, A.J. and Fitzgerald, S.A., 2006. Fire-resistant plants for home landscapes: Selecting plants that may reduce your risk from wildfire. OSU Extension Catalog PNW 590

Evangelista, C., Kraft, P., Dacke, M., Labhart, T. and Srinivasan, M.V., 2014. Honeybee navigation: critically examining the role of the polarization compass. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 369(1636), p.20130037.

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Brought to you by Betterbee – your partners in better beekeeping.
 

Betterbee is the presenting sponsor of Beekeeping Today Podcast. 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
_______________
We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments in the show notes of this episode or: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com
Thank you for listening! 
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; Bolero de la Fontero  by Rimsky Music; Perfect Sky by Graceful Movement; Original guitar background instrumental by Jeff Ott.
Beekeeping Today Podcast is an audio production of Growing Planet Media, LLC
** As an Amazon Associate, we may earn a commission from qualifying purchases
Copyright © 2026 by Growing Planet Media, LLC

What happens when a spacecraft engineer becomes fascinated with honey bees? In this episode, Jeff and Becky welcome Dan Seitz, an engineer from Los Alamos, New Mexico, whose career designing instruments for spacecraft eventually led him to tackle a very different remote-sensing challenge: understanding what is happening inside a honey bee colony.
Dan began experimenting with commercially available temperature sensors but quickly wanted more precise and frequent measurements. That curiosity evolved into ApisNode, a compact sensor system designed to sit between frames and continuously measure multiple aspects of the colony environment—including temperature, humidity, sound, vibration, and volatile compounds. The system can collect dozens of individual data metrics and transmit them from the apiary for analysis.
But collecting data is only part of Dan's idea. He is also using artificial intelligence trained with honey bee research literature to look for patterns and correlations in colony behavior. Importantly, the beekeeper remains part of the system: voice-recorded inspections provide observations that can be combined with sensor data to give the AI essential real-world context.
Dan shares a fascinating example from his own apiary, where sensors detected changes in brood temperature and colony vibration during smoke from a wildfire roughly ten miles away.
The conversation then turns to Dan's Open Apiary Project, an effort to build an anonymized, openly available database of consistently collected honey bee colony data. Could thousands of instrumented colonies eventually reveal patterns that individual inspections—and individual beekeepers—cannot see?
Also in this episode, Becky answers a HiveIQ listener question about allowing bees to build foundationless comb in Langstroth frames.
Websites from the episode and others we recommend:
ApisNode: https://www.apisnode.com


Honey Bee Health Coalition: https://honeybeehealthcoalition.org
Project Apis m. (PAm): https://www.projectapism.org
The National Honey Board: https://honey.com
Honey Bee Obscura Podcast: https://honeybeeobscura.com
 
Copyright © 2026 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
 
 
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Betterbee is the presenting sponsor of Beekeeping Today Podcast. 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

This episode is brought to you by Global Patties! Global offers a variety of standard and custom patties. Visit them today at http://globalpatties.com and let them know you appreciate them sponsoring this episode! 

As a beekeeper, you want products that benefit you and your bees. When you choose Premier Bee Products, you choose hive components that are healthier for bees and more productive for you. Because we believe that in beekeeping, details make all the difference. Premier Bee Products: Better for bees. Better for beekeepers. Use promo code PODCAST for 10% off your next online order.

Thanks to Strong Microbials for their support of Beekeeping Today Podcast. Find out more about their line of probiotics in our Season 3, Episode 12 episode and from their website: https://www.strongmicrobials.com

HiveIQ is revolutionizing the way beekeepers manage their colonies with innovative, insulated hive systems designed for maximum colony health and efficiency. Their hives maintain stable temperatures year-round, reduce stress on the bees, and are built to last using durable, lightweight materials. Whether you're managing two hives or two hundred, HiveIQ's smart design helps your bees thrive while saving you time and effort. Learn more at HiveIQ.com.

We'd like to thank Vita Bee Health for supporting the podcast. Vita provides proven tools for controlling Varroa—from Apistan and Apiguard to the new VarroxSan extended-release oxalic acid strips—helping beekeepers keep stronger, healthier colonies.

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.
 

Thanks to Bee Culture, the Magazine of American Beekeeping, for their support of Honey Bee Obscura. Available in print and digital at www.beeculture.com
 
_______________
We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments in the show notes of this episode or: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com
Thank you for listening! 
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; Bolero de la Fontero  by Rimsky Music; Perfect Sky by Graceful Movement; I'm Not Running Away This Time by Max Brodie; Original guitar background instrumental by Jeff Ott.
Beekeeping Today Podcast is an audio production of Growing Planet Media, LLC
** As an Amazon Associate, we may earn a commission from qualifying purchases
Copyright © 2026 by Growing Planet Media, LLC

The Varroa Treatment Series continues with another oxalic acid option: Api-Bioxal RTU, a ready-to-use liquid formulation designed for dribble application.
Dr. David Peck of Betterbee joins Jeff and Becky to explain what makes RTU different from the traditional oxalic acid and sugar-syrup dribble beekeepers may already know. Instead of weighing, measuring, and mixing oxalic acid, RTU arrives premixed and ready for application at 5 milliliters per occupied seam of bees.
David discusses why the glycerin-based formulation may remain active in the hive longer than a sugar-based dribble and how brood status affects its performance. In a broodless colony, RTU can serve as a powerful Varroa knockdown treatment. When capped brood is present, repeated applications can instead help bring mite populations down and hold them under control.
The conversation covers the label's repeat-treatment schedule, application with honey supers present, shelf life and storage, temperature considerations, safety advantages compared with oxalic acid vaporization, and an important difference from homemade dribbles: RTU does not have the same 50-milliliter-per-colony maximum.
As David emphasizes, Api-Bioxal RTU is another tool—not a universal solution—for building an effective Varroa management program.
Websites from the episode and others we recommend:
Betterbee's Video on using Api-Bioxal RTU: https://youtu.be/AihTk85OzN4?si=_Wi5STOGLLPKH5Kh


Honey Bee Health Coalition: https://honeybeehealthcoalition.org
Project Apis m. (PAm): https://www.projectapism.org
The National Honey Board: https://honey.com
Honey Bee Obscura Podcast: https://honeybeeobscura.com
 
Copyright © 2026 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
 
 
______________

Betterbee is the presenting sponsor of Beekeeping Today Podcast. 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
_______________
We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments in the show notes of this episode or: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com
Thank you for listening! 
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; Bolero de la Fontero  by Rimsky Music; Perfect Sky by Graceful Movement; I'm Not Running Away This Time by Max Brodie; Original guitar background instrumental by Jeff Ott.
Beekeeping Today Podcast is an audio production of Growing Planet Media, LLC
** As an Amazon Associate, we may earn a commission from qualifying purchases
Copyright © 2026 by Growing Planet Media, LLC

Beekeeping challenges rarely stop at national borders. This week, Jeff and Becky cross the Atlantic for a conversation with Dr. Andrea Quigley and Norman Carreck, co-editors of the UK-based Beekeepers Quarterly.
Norman, a longtime beekeeper and bee scientist, introduces listeners to the UK's extensive beekeeping education system and his work conserving the native dark European honey bee, Apis mellifera mellifera. The conversation explores what locally adapted honey bees can teach beekeepers about genetics, winter survival, colony size, temperament, and management.  
Andrea then takes us inside Beekeepers Quarterly, an independent, internationally focused magazine published by Northern Bee Books. She explains how the quarterly combines practical beekeeping, science, conservation, and perspectives from contributors around the world. 
The discussion also turns to two emerging threats with international implications: Tropilaelaps mites and the yellow-legged hornet. Norman and Andrea explain why early detection, understanding pest biology, and cooperation among researchers, government agencies, beekeepers, and the public matter—and what North American beekeepers might learn from the European experience.  
It's a wide-ranging conversation offering a decidedly international perspective on honey bees, beekeeping, research, and the challenges ahead.
Websites from the episode and others we recommend:
Beekeepers Quarterly: https://www.northernbeebooks.co.uk/blogs/bkq


Honey Bee Health Coalition: https://honeybeehealthcoalition.org
Project Apis m. (PAm): https://www.projectapism.org
The National Honey Board: https://honey.com
Honey Bee Obscura Podcast: https://honeybeeobscura.com
 
Copyright © 2026 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
 
 
______________

Betterbee is the presenting sponsor of Beekeeping Today Podcast. 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

This episode is brought to you by Global Patties! Global offers a variety of standard and custom patties. Visit them today at http://globalpatties.com and let them know you appreciate them sponsoring this episode! 

As a beekeeper, you want products that benefit you and your bees. When you choose Premier Bee Products, you choose hive components that are healthier for bees and more productive for you. Because we believe that in beekeeping, details make all the difference. Premier Bee Products: Better for bees. Better for beekeepers. Use promo code PODCAST for 10% off your next online order.

Thanks to Strong Microbials for their support of Beekeeping Today Podcast. Find out more about their line of probiotics in our Season 3, Episode 12 episode and from their website: https://www.strongmicrobials.com

HiveIQ is revolutionizing the way beekeepers manage their colonies with innovative, insulated hive systems designed for maximum colony health and efficiency. Their hives maintain stable temperatures year-round, reduce stress on the bees, and are built to last using durable, lightweight materials. Whether you're managing two hives or two hundred, HiveIQ's smart design helps your bees thrive while saving you time and effort. Learn more at HiveIQ.com.

We'd like to thank Vita Bee Health for supporting the podcast. Vita provides proven tools for controlling Varroa—from Apistan and Apiguard to the new VarroxSan extended-release oxalic acid strips—helping beekeepers keep stronger, healthier colonies.

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.
 

Thanks to Bee Culture, the Magazine of American Beekeeping, for their support of Honey Bee Obscura. Available in print and digital at www.beeculture.com
 
_______________
We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments in the show notes of this episode or: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com
Thank you for listening! 
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; Bolero de la Fontero  by Rimsky Music; Perfect Sky by Graceful Movement; I'm Not Running Away This Time by Max Brodie; Original guitar background instrumental by Jeff Ott.
Beekeeping Today Podcast is an audio production of Growing Planet Media, LLC
** As an Amazon Associate, we may earn a commission from qualifying purchases
Copyright © 2026 by Growing Planet Media, LLC

What does it look like when beekeeping equipment moves from an idea in the bee yard to full-scale manufacturing?
In this Beekeeping Today Podcast Short, Jeff Ott takes listeners onto the production floor at Premier Bee Products in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Premier founder Jeff Johnson explains how the company approached woodenware manufacturing with a clean slate, borrowing technology and techniques from industries such as cabinetmaking to produce frames and hive bodies with speed, precision, and consistency.
The conversation also traces Premier's beginnings in plastic foundation and Johnson's philosophy of allowing honey bees—not manufacturing convenience—to help determine product design. That same approach eventually led Premier to explore research on the honey bee propolis envelope and develop its Propolis Hive.
Jeff and Jeff also discuss Premier's use of half-blind dovetail joints in hive bodies and the story behind the Legacy Lid, developed by Missouri beekeeper and woodworker Bill George.
It's a field report about much more than manufacturing. It's a look at what can happen when beekeepers, researchers, engineers, and manufacturers approach familiar problems from a different direction.
______________
Brought to you by Betterbee – your partners in better beekeeping.
 

Betterbee is the presenting sponsor of Beekeeping Today Podcast. 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
_______________
We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments in the show notes of this episode or: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com
Thank you for listening! 
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; Bolero de la Fontero  by Rimsky Music; Perfect Sky by Graceful Movement; Original guitar background instrumental by Jeff Ott.
Beekeeping Today Podcast is an audio production of Growing Planet Media, LLC
** As an Amazon Associate, we may earn a commission from qualifying purchases
Copyright © 2026 by Growing Planet Media, LLC