Beekeeping - Short and Sweet

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...

Episode 196: Timing In Beekeeping Is Everything

25 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast:  Getting the timing right when you're messing with your bees can be crucial to a good season, today I'm starti...

Episode 195: Feeding Time

18 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast:  We've finally completed the Winter treatments, three rounds of oxalic acid sublimation and my thoughts now turn to...

Eppisode 194: Splits Boards and Demaree

11 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast:  While it's cold I've been trying to explain on video the new split board method which is very similar to the ...

Episode 193: Varroa Population Growth Can Be Frightening

04 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast: It's turned frosty outside, I've more Varroa chat and an update on other beekeeping stuff to keep you amused, i...

Episode 192: Happy New Year!

28 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast: One year ends and another begins, our beekeeping calendar continues and as reports come in about high varroa numbers I wa...

Episode 191: Merry Christmas Everyone!

21 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast: Merry Christmas Everyone, It's Christmas Eve.Hi, I’m Stewart Spinks and welcome to Episode 191 of my podcast, Beek...

Episode 190: Impulse Buys and That Damned Truck!

14 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast: Sharing the adventures that don't always go to plan are sometimes the most helpful to others. Listen in for more tr...

Episode 189: Planning for 2022

07 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast: With the Winter Solstice just around the corner it's time to flesh out some of those plans and get it down on paper....

Episode 188: Home Sweet Home

24 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast: Jet-lagged, not at all, back from the States and rested up ready to crack on with our Winter clean up. So, keep your seat...

Episode 187: Trailers and Association Struggles

17 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast: It's Holiday time, I'm off to the States, we've appointed a new apiary manager for our association and I&...

Episode 186: Keep Calm and Plan Early!

10 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast: I've just returned from a trip to catch up with the borage and pumpkin farmer we worked with through the Summer. We ...

Episode 185: First Frosts

03 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast: It's been a chilly old week, I'm here to advocate you sell some honey and I've had a trip to Milton Keyne...

Episode 184: Question Time

26 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast: Questions, Questions, Questions. You sent them in, and I'll do my best to give you an answer.Hi, I’m Stewart Spink...

Episode 183: It's Microscopy Season

19 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast: As the days get shorter and the darker nights arrive you might be thinking there's less beekeeping to do but never f...

Episode 182: The Autumn Clean Up

12 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast: This week I've been waging war on pests and diseases, it's not a complicated process and most would call it goo...

Episode 181: Fuel Shortages and Beekeeping Incompetence!

05 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast: The apiaries continue to get their Autumn tidy-up and I discover that I need to get a grip of my storage challenges befor...

Episode 180: Farmers Markets and Treatment Removal

29 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast: Farmers markets and country fairs, sometimes they're great sometimes they're a flop, stay tuned to hear how I g...

Episode 179: Chilly Mornings and Weekend Markets

22 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast: The chilly mornings have begun, the nucs continue to pack away the fondant and I'm preparing products for a weekend...

Episode 178: Difficult Decisions

15 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast: Our Autumn feeding continues, I'm uniting weaker colonies and we've even had a September swarm!Hi, I’m Stewar...

Episode 177: Early Autumn Heatwave

08 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast: It's a scorcher! Temperatures have been hitting the high 20's Celsius, that's up in the 80's Fahrenhe...

Episode 176: Autumn Colony Assessments

01 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast: In this week's Podcast, Finally, we have all the colonies home safely and the process of assessing, feeding and unit...

Episode 175: Sometimes Beekeeping Goes Wrong!

24 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Podcast: The return from the borage continues and I'm confronted with bees that really don't want to stay in their new h...

Episode 174: Late Summer Splits & Apiary Maintenance

17 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Hi, I’m Stewart Spinks, and welcome to Episode 174 of my podcast, Beekeeping Short and Sweet.In This Week's Podcast:  This week, troubles with...