Beekeeping For Newbees®

Spring is getting closer, which means the questions from beekeepers are starting to pour in again. In this Bee Buzz episode, I work through a lightning round of listener questions covering late winter hive activity, feeding decisions, early inspections, and what normal colony behavior looks like as temperatures begin to warm. If you're seeing bees flying on warm days, noticing dead bees in front of the hive, or wondering if it's time to check food stores or add space, this episode walks through the most common questions beekeepers are asking right now.
What’s Inside This Episode:
• Why bees suddenly start flying during warm winter days and what cleansing flights actually mean
• What a pile of dead bees in front of the hive usually indicates during late winter cleanup
• When it makes sense to check food stores and how to do a quick cold weather hive check
• Why one hive may appear active while another seems quiet coming out of winter
• How to estimate food stores and determine if a colony may be running low without pulling frames
• Whether bees bringing in pollen means the queen has already started laying again
• When to perform your first full spring inspection and what to focus on early in the season
Why Listen to This Episode?
Late winter can be one of the most confusing times for beekeepers as colonies begin transitioning toward spring. This episode answers the questions many beekeepers are asking right now and helps you understand what normal behavior looks like as your bees begin ramping up for the season.
More Info:
🌐 https://beekeepingfornewbees.com
🔗 https://bestbeekeepinggear.com
📺 https://youtube.com/@beekeepingfornewbees
💬 https://discord.gg/XzkqFKrjMJ
🫶 https://thehealinghiveproject.org
☕ https://buymeacoffee.com/beekeepingfornewbees
Beekeeping For Newbees is a top 1.5% podcast with over 600,000 downloads, helping new and experienced beekeepers grow stronger colonies and make smarter decisions through every season. Listen weekly for practical guidance, swarm stories, and honest takes on what works and what does not in real-world beekeeping.

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/beekeeping-for-newbees/donations

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

March is one of the most critical transition points in the beekeeping year. Colonies are expanding, winter bees are aging off, brood production is ramping up, and nectar flows are just beginning. In this episode, I walk through the key management decisions that can determine whether your colonies thrive, swarm, or collapse in the weeks ahead.
What’s Inside This Episode:
Why March is the most dangerous transition period for overwintered colonies
The balance between declining winter bees and rising brood production
When to feed, how to feed, and what not to stimulate too early
Box management, reversing hive bodies, and when to add space
Why I do not equalize weak colonies at the expense of strong genetics
Early swarm pressure, queen cups, and how quickly things can escalate
Inspection timing and how missing one queen cell can cost you half a colony
Why Listen to This Episode?
If you want strong colonies heading into spring instead of surprise losses or swarms, this episode gives you a practical framework for managing the most volatile month of the year.
More Info:
🌐 https://beekeepingfornewbees.com
🔗 https://bestbeekeepinggear.com
📺 https://youtube.com/@beekeepingfornewbees
💬 https://discord.gg/XzkqFKrjMJ
🫶 https://thehealinghiveproject.org
☕ https://buymeacoffee.com/beekeepingfornewbees
About the Podcast:
Beekeeping For Newbees is a top 1.5% podcast with over 650,000 downloads, helping new and experienced beekeepers grow stronger colonies and make smarter decisions through every season. Listen weekly for practical guidance, swarm stories, and honest takes on what works and what does not in real-world beekeeping.

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/beekeeping-for-newbees/donations

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Cold weather has a way of making even experienced beekeepers second guess everything. With unusually low temperatures showing up across large parts of the country, I wanted to take some time to walk through what cold actually means for overwintering colonies, how much additional honey they may consume, and when intervention does or does not make sense.
This episode is a general update covering several seasonal topics, including winter feeding philosophy, evaluating colony stores, progress on ongoing projects, and getting ready for spring.
What’s Inside This Episode:
Why extended cold spells increase honey consumption and how much more bees may actually use
Realistic weekly honey usage at different winter temperatures
Why panic inspections often cause more harm than good
How to assess colony weight and food stores without opening the hive
Different feeding strategies and why context and goals matter
Updates on the hive monitoring project and why it is temporarily paused
Progress on the Master Beekeeper Program and what is coming next
Swarm trap preparation and placement timing for the upcoming season

Why Listen to This Episode?
If cold weather has you worried about your bees or questioning your winter management decisions, this episode provides calm, experience-based perspective to help you evaluate what actually needs attention and what does not.
More Info:
🌐 https://beekeepingfornewbees.com
🔗 https://bestbeekeepinggear.com
📺 https://youtube.com/@beekeepingfornewbees
💬 https://discord.gg/XzkqFKrjMJ
🫶 https://thehealinghiveproject.org
☕ https://buymeacoffee.com/beekeepingfornewbees
About the Podcast:
Beekeeping For Newbees is a top 1.5% podcast with over 650,000 downloads, helping new and experienced beekeepers grow stronger colonies and make smarter decisions through every season. Listen weekly for practical guidance, swarm stories, and honest takes on what works and what does not in real-world beekeeping.

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/beekeeping-for-newbees/donations

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Laying workers are one of those beekeeping problems that feel intimidating until you understand what is actually happening inside the hive. After a listener reached out asking where to find guidance on laying workers and realizing it deserved its own episode, I finally sat down to break the topic down from the ground up.
In this episode, we walk through the pheromonal mechanics behind laying workers, what causes the condition, how to recognize it early, and several proven ways to correct it depending on your resources and goals.
What’s Inside This Episode:
Why queen mandibular pheromone and brood pheromone are central to colony stability
How prolonged queenlessness leads to ovary development in worker bees
Clear visual signs that indicate a laying worker condition
Why laying workers can involve multiple workers, not just one
The role of brood pheromone, open brood frames, and synthetic QMP
Practical options for fixing a laying worker colony, including splits, shake-outs, and recombining
Common mistakes that cause queen introductions to fail in laying worker hives

Why Listen to This Episode?
This episode gives you the biological context and practical tools to diagnose and fix a laying worker situation with confidence.
Referenced Video About Hive Site Selection:
📺 https://youtu.be/UbJRAhoCD9Q
More Info:
🌐 https://beekeepingfornewbees.com
🔗 https://bestbeekeepinggear.com
📺 https://youtube.com/@beekeepingfornewbees
💬 https://discord.gg/XzkqFKrjMJ
🫶 https://thehealinghiveproject.org
☕ https://buymeacoffee.com/beekeepingfornewbees
About the Podcast:
Beekeeping For Newbees is a top 1.5% podcast with over 650,000 downloads, helping new and experienced beekeepers grow stronger colonies and make smarter decisions through every season. Listen weekly for practical guidance, swarm stories, and honest takes on what works and what does not in real-world beekeeping.

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/beekeeping-for-newbees/donations

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Africanized honeybees are one of the most misunderstood topics in beekeeping. In this episode, I cut through the fear driven headlines and talk honestly about what Africanized bees are, where they actually pose a risk, and how much of what we hear is grounded in biology versus social media panic. We also dig into real behavior differences, why identification is not as simple as people think, and how beekeepers should realistically manage risk.
What’s Inside This Episode:
Where Africanized honeybees came from and how they spread through the Americas
Why Africanized bees are not a separate species and cannot be identified by looks alone
The real behavioral differences that matter, including defensiveness, pursuit distance, and response thresholds
Which parts of the United States have established populations and why cold climates limit their spread
Why most serious incidents involve unmanaged or feral colonies, not maintained apiaries
How Africanized colonies differ in defensive behavior compared to hot European stock
Usurpation behavior and how one colony can take over another in minutes

Why Listen to This Episode?
You will walk away with a realistic understanding of Africanized honeybees, how real the risk actually is, and how to protect yourself without letting fear dictate your beekeeping decisions.
Referenced Article:
🔬 Usurpation: When One Colony Takes Over Another (Honey Bee Suite)
https://www.honeybeesuite.com/usurpation-when-one-colony-takes-over-another/

More Info:
🌐 https://beekeepingfornewbees.com
🔗 https://bestbeekeepinggear.com
📺 https://youtube.com/@beekeepingfornewbees
💬 https://discord.gg/XzkqFKrjMJ
🫶 https://thehealinghiveproject.org
☕ https://buymeacoffee.com/beekeepingfornewbees

Beekeeping For Newbees is a top 1.5% podcast with over 600,000 downloads, helping new and experienced beekeepers grow stronger colonies and make smarter decisions through every season. Listen weekly for practical guidance, swarm stories, and honest takes on what works and what does not in real-world beekeeping.

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/beekeeping-for-newbees/donations

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy