Beekeeping - Short and Sweet

Episode 296: Drones, Drones, Drones

21 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast: We've spotted drones in a few colonies, food stores are being replenished in most and it looks like the weather is w...

Episode 295: A Spring Chill

14 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast: With Spring progressing there's a temptation to stack supers on your hives for an early Spring crop but that might n...

Episode 294: Busy Bees Cosmetics

07 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast: Want to sell lip balms, hand creams and other cosmetic products but don't have the time or finances to go through th...

Episode 293: Asian Hornet Spring Update

31 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast: Asian Hornet is a real and present danger here in the UK, today I'm joined once again by Jackie Thomas to discuss th...

Episode 292: March Beekeeping Update

24 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast: I'm Back, Still struggling with the healthissues but glad to be talking beekeeping once more, and it's March al...

Episode 291: The Beekeeping Show 2024

22 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast: I'm joined in conversation by Rob Nickless, Co-Organiser of The Beekeeping Show here in the UK to discuss some of th...

Episode 290: Modern Beekeeping

18 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast: I'm joined in conversation by Paul Beardmore from Modern Beekeeping and Happy Valley Honey to discuss his beekeeping...

Episode 289 Northumberland Honey

11 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast: I'm joined in conversation by Luke Hutchinson from Northumberland Honey to talk about Mead, Honey and Queen RearingH...

Episode 288: Healthy Bees, Heavy Hives

04 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast: Happy New Year, It's interview time! I'm joined by Steve Donohoe and Paul Horton to discuss their new book, Hea...

Episode 287: Merry Christmas 2023

07 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast: Planning for the new season, it's a big part of my winter, it helps me focus, it gets everything in it's place ...

Episode 286: Asian Hornet Chat

31 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast: Something slightly different, Today I'm chatting with Jackie Thomas, Master Beekeeper, Training Officer for the Dove...

Episode 285: Freezing Bees and Spring Plans

24 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast: What a very cold week we've just had, minus 5 degrees celsius overnight and it's left me shivering. No movement...

Episode 284: The Winter Chill Arrives

17 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast: It's getting colder and our colonies are all set  for the long winter ahead, actually, not really, listen in for ye...

Episode 283: Emergency Hive Interventions

10 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast: Most beekeepers will have packed away their hive tools and smoker for the Winter by now, but what if  you've been ...

Episode 282: Scraping Frames and Muderous Swans!

03 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast: It's been an interesting week to say the least! I've been unboxing new equipment, scraping and pressing heather...

Episode 281: November Floods

26 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast: November begins and the rain is unrelenting. The fishing lakes apiaries are surrounded by water, it is a fishing lake aft...

Episode 280: In Conversation with Bees Abroad

19 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast: A Change to my normal podcast, as I sit down with Niki Backes and Kristina Prokopiou from the charity Bees Abroad to hear...

Episode 279: CBPV Once Again

12 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast: The very heavy rain we've had this week has rather forced me into the honey room to start the Big Autumn Clean Up. M...

Episode 278: The Pumpkin Patch

05 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast: I'm just back from picking a giant pumpkin with my grandchildren, it's nice to know that somewhere in Essex oth...

Episode 277: Hampshire BKA Convention

22 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast: It's October and the unseasonably warm weather persists. Our bees continue to forage the remaining Ivy flowers, and ...

Episode 276: Honey Press Ups and Downs!

15 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast: Warm weather continues here in Norfolk and our colonies are working hard on the Ivy that's now in full flower. It is...

Episode 275: Honey Room Havoc

08 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast: This last week has been one of trying to regain control of the honey room once more. The weather remains warm, the Ivy i...

Episode 274: First Heather Honey Crop

01 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast: It's been an interesting week to say the least. We're in the middle of an Autumn Heatwave and I've had my ...

Episode 273: Early Autumn Sunshine

30 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast: September arrives with a pleasant calming of the weather for us here. Warmer, drier days but the inevitably cooler nights...

Episode 272: Moving Bees and Truck Troubles

24 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast: It's been something of a frustrating week, we did manage to get bees moved but ran into truck mechanical issues tha...

Episode 271: Borage Bonus and More Wasps!

17 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast: Although the main honey crops of the Summer are finished for us now I did find a little bonus nectar coming in this week....

Episode 270: Road Trip to the Heather

10 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast: The trip to the heather moors has finally happened and not without some struggles. Having had a chance to recover for a ...

Episode 269: Our Honey Room Set Up

03 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast: Now that the Summer honey crop has been taken off my time has been spent extracting frame after frame of honey. This week...

Episode 268: The Summer Honey Crop

27 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast: The Summer nectar flow dries up and we switch our focus to getting honey supers off the hives and back to base for extrac...

Episode 267: Wasps, Wasps, Wasps!

20 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast: As we draw towards the end of the Summer flow it's obvious that the wasps have had a good Summer too. They seem to h...

Episode 266: Summer Forage Shutdown

13 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast: It's been an interesting week, more sunshine and Showers, the nectar on the borage keeps flowing in but locally we&a...

Episode 265: Formic Pro Urgent Treatment

06 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast: During our last series of inspections I discovered a couple of colonies with higher varroa levels than I would have wishe...

Episode 264: Long Hours of Work

30 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast: It's been a long, hard, working week. Some overnight sessions preparing colonies for the move to the borage and get...

Episode 263: Uniting Colonies

16 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast: As we prepare to move colonies to the Summer Borage pollination some final checks reveal a couple of hopelessly queenless...

Episode 262: Introducing New Queens

02 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast: With the preparatory work completed and the arrival of our new queens, timing is everything, and wouldn't you just ...

Episode 261: Heatwave and Splits

25 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast: At long last it appears Summer has begun. Temperatures heading up and a drier outlook makes for some urgent beekeeping w...

Episode 260: Killing Queens

18 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast:  I had a really interesting but brief conversation with a beginner beekeeper this week about the morality of knocking do...

Episode 259 - Sunny Spring Inspections

11 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast:  Finally, it's warm and sunny, The bees are getting busy, we're queen-rearing, attempting to prevent swarms a...

Episode 258: More Lucky Beekeeping

04 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast:  Sometimes, just sometimes, you walk into an apiary, start inspecting, and as the inspections go from one hive to the ne...

Episode 257: Opportunistic Splits

28 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast:  Suddenly, we find ourselves moving from chilly wet days to warm Spring conditions and for some colonies it's a sur...

Episode 256: Lighting a Smoker

21 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast:  I spent a very pleasant day inspecting some of our honeybee colonies this week, maybe our season is about to begin, It...

Episode 255: A Cold, Start-Stop Season

14 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast:  A chilly East wind continues to blow and it's disrupting my early inspections, we start, we stop, we start again, ...

Episode 254: Spring Inspections Begin

07 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast:  Finally, April has produced some warmer weather, albeit, short bursts of sunshine in between chilly hail showers, but i...

Episode 253: Bee Chat with Stephen Barnes From the BBKA

30 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast:  This week something slightly different, today I'm joined by Stephen Barnes, Vice Chair of the British Beekeepers A...

Episode 252: Oilseed Rape Challenges

23 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast:  One of our early major nectar flows comes in the form of the Oilseed Rape crops sown widely by farmers across the UK. I...

Episode 251: New Queen Rearing Methods

16 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast:  With Spring inspections almost upon us it's a good time to think about how we might replace old queens and that me...

Episode 250: Can I Inspect My Bees Yet?

09 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast:  Another week and a change in the weather. Warmer conditions and a chance for our bees to break cluster, get out and fo...

Episode 249: Snow, Sun and Patience

02 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast:  It's been a cold week, a very cold week in some spots. We got off lightly here in Norfolk but the snow still settl...

Episode 248 - Getting Ready for Spring

26 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast:  March often begins with a cold snap followed by warmer, sunnier days, I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a fast st...

Episode 247: Happy Fifth Birthday

19 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast:  It's My Birthday! Five years ago, on February 25th I publish my very first podcast, since then we've covered ...

Episode 246: Pests and Diseases - Part 2

12 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast: In my last podcast I was discussing the more serious honeybee diseases AFB and EFB. This time it's the turn of the n...

Episode 245: Pests and Diseases - Part 1

05 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast:  One of the biggest challenges beekeepers face each season is the identification of pests and diseases, working out how ...

Episode 244: Nosema Checks

26 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast: For beekeepers who are overwintering colonies, it may seem that Spring is still a long way off but there are things we ca...

Episode 243: Buying a Nucleus Colony of Honeybees

19 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast: In the depths of Winter thoughts turn to warmer weather and the prospect, for many, of purchasing their first nucleus col...

Episode 242: Pick a Hive, Any Hive!

12 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast: For new beekeepers, the most important decision can be which hive type to use. With so many options out there it can be ...

Episode 241: Plans for 2023

05 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast: A new year means we can all look forward to an exciting new beekeeping season and there's no better way to get excit...

Episode 240: Happy New Year 2023

29 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast: My final podcast of 2022 or is it my first of 2023?! Another year slips by and we've had such fun this year. Here&ap...

Episode 239: Hard Frosts and Green Woodpeckers

15 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast: It's been a really frosty week, temperatures dropping like a stone and woodpeckers paying a little too much attentio...

Episode 238: Ekes, Leaks and Fondant!

08 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast: Eke's Leaks and Fondant, what a combination! What's an Eke I hear you say, stay tuned to find out more on that,...

Episode 237: Cold, Clustered Honeybees

01 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast: We began our Oxalic Acid Winter treatments this week, the first batch of many. Our bees had their first taste of wintery ...

Episode 236: More Cleaning and Sorting

25 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast: The cleaning and sorting continue at a fair old pace, I'm reminded that a Christmas wish list needs compiling, and ...

Episode 235: Scorching Boxes

18 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast:  I've finally made a start on the Winter clean-up work, scraping and scorching wooden boxes in readiness for the ne...

Episode 234: Microscopy Work and New Kit

11 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast:  I have some exciting new honey room equipment to share with you today, I know I really should get out more but hey us b...

Episode 233: Removing Varroa Treatments

04 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast:  Last week we discussed veterinary medicines, importantly they have a treatment period that should not be exceeded, lis...

Episode 232: Beekeepers Veterinary Medicines & Records

27 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast:  The records we keep form an important part of, understanding how our bees have performed, and the can inform our judgem...

Episode 231: Pallet Stands and Acetic Acid

20 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast:  This week it's pallets stands, grain store woes, Parasitic Mite Syndrome and Acetic acid Treatments, listen in for...

Episode 230: Hefting and The Grain Store

13 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast:  I'm still playing catch up and this week that involved hefting, part science, part black magic, I was very happy ...

Episode 229: Post Covid Chat

06 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast:   It's October, I've survived Covid, and really need to catch up on a few jobs around the apiaries to make su...

Episode 228: Cooler Autumn Conditions

16 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast:  September has brought with it some much cooler conditions and as the days grow shorter we chase around to get bees trea...

Episode 227: Winter Preparations

02 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast:  What we do now in preparing our colonies for the Winter will have a direct impact on the bees. Not necessarily before t...

Episode 226: It Rained At Last

25 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast:  Finally,  we've had some rain, guess which beekeeper chose that day to spend strapping hives and tidying apiaries...

Episode 225: Maximum Effort

18 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast:  We’re really motoring right now, there just don’t seem to be enough hours in the day and the jobs keep piling up. L...

Episode 224: It's a Sticky Mess!

11 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast:  Another week and another heatwave, what better way to spend the hot Summer days than setting up nucs for the Autumn, co...

Episode 223: Barrels of Honey

04 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast:  I'm finally in the honey room and the process of extracting our honey is under way. One new addition to the line u...

Episode 222: Bumps in the Road

28 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast:  I always said there would be bumps in the road as we build our beekeeping business this year, I wasn't quite prepa...

Episode 221: Wasps!

21 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast: There's been a noticeable increase in the number of wasps appearing around our hives this week, as the Summer necta...

Episode 220: Melting Beekeepers

14 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast: I've been trying to work out our colony numbers again, the weather is getting hotter and hotter and the bees are pa...

Episode 219: Elderflower Mead

07 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast: What to do with all the honey left in buckets and extractors? Well, why not have a bash at making mead, I've done ju...

Episode 218: Foundation Sheets Versus Drawn Comb

31 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast: The Summer nectar flow has begun, it’s now a mad rush to get honey into supers but if all you have is new frames with f...

Episode 217: Lucky Swarm and Pollen Traps

24 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast: Sometimes we get lucky with swarm collections, low-hanging fruit as it were, listening to hear about our latest catch an...

Episode 216: Scorching Days and Caged Queens

17 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast: It's been incredibly hot with daytime temperatures hitting in excess of 30° Celsius, we had a very late night movin...

Episode 215: Summer Pollination Preparations

10 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast: Summer is approaching fast and I'm preparing colonies for the main nectar flow of the year, listen to find out how ...

Episode 214: The June Gap

03 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast: The June Gap hits but not everywhere and not in every colony, listen in to find out more of that and an update on how we...

Episode 213: Queen Introductions

26 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast: Expansion necessarily requires more of everything, more hives, more bees, and more queens. This week I began the process ...

Episode 212: Spring Honey Extraction

19 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast: What a week, it's our first honey extraction of the season and we've spent the week adding clearer boards, remo...

Episode 211: The Shook Swarm

12 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast: It appears that Parasitic Mite Syndrome has taken hold of one of my colonies. To help the colony recover I've opted...

Episode 210: Swarms Aplenty!

05 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast: The warmer weather has arrived and with it swarms, and plenty of them. Stay tuned to hear how we've faired over the...

Episode 209: A Chilly Spring Week

29 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast:  Chilly days bring congested colonies, and congested colonies can lead to more swarming. Fingers crossed we're alm...

Episode 208: First Swarm of 2022

22 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast: Well it had to happen sooner or later. Reports of colonies swarming are being reported and we too have discovered our fir...

Episode 207: Scaling Up My Beekeeping

15 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast: My main priority this year is scaling up my beekeeping operation, this week we took the first step by introducing an addi...

Episode 206: Let The Fun Begin!

08 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast: It's been frosty of late but with warmer temperatures forecast for the next couple of weeks I'm excited to get...

Episode 205: Cold Snap, Swarm Risk!

01 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast: A late March cold snap and the bees are again clustered tightly against sub-zero overnight temperatures. Building colony ...

Episode 204: First Inspections 2022

24 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast: We've found ourselves basking in temperatures more like Summer than Spring, First inspections have been carried out ...

Episode 203: Drones, Huh, What Are They Good For?

17 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast: Warm, warm sunshine but there's still a chill in the air, mind-March and things are starting to stir, but what about...

Episode 202: Spring Inspections? Not Yet!

08 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast: The month of March always brings a sense of Anticipation, warmer days, shorter nights and bees out flying. But wait, ther...

Episode 201: What's the Point of a Nuc Box?

01 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast: I was recently asked a question as to why and how anyone would want to use a nuc box. Listen in to find out all about the...

Episode 200: How To Profit From Your Season

25 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast: How can you profit from your beekeeping season? Not specifically in a financial way but just making your season successf...

Episode 199: High Winds and Big Pallets

18 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast:  It's a windy old week and I've been stacking pallets a little too high, I'm feeling a little nervous and...

Episode 198: Big Plans Afoot

11 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast:  Exciting news this week, so much so, I don't really know where to start! I need more bees, more hives and more roo...

Episode 197: Snowdrops, Washing Soda and Toothache!

04 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast:  At Last,  I've seen my first snowdrops, we've been over at the workshop boiling frames and I have a rather p...