Winter Episodes

Oct. 31, 2024

Packing Hives with Anne Frey (203)

As the temperature drops, Jim and Anne Frey discuss the age-old question: Should you insulate your hives for winter? They explore the history of hive insulation, from traditional sawdust-filled crates to modern polystyrene wraps, weighing the benefits...

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Dec. 14, 2023

Downsizing Your Bee Operation (157)

There comes a time for many beekeepers when they realize they have more colonies than time to properly work them - with “work” being the operative word. If they’ve been keeping bees long enough, they may decide that hefting ten-frame …

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Nov. 30, 2023

Winter Chores: Culling Combs (155)

In this episode of Honey Bee Obscura, Kim and Jim delve into several important maintenance tasks that beekeepers can undertake during the winter season to ensure the health and productivity of their hives. Winter might seem like a downtime, but …

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Nov. 23, 2023

Archive Special - Preparing Your Hives for Winter! (154)

Happy Thanksgiving!! Join Kim and Jim in this special archive episode from late October 2021, where they delve into the critical task of preparing your hives for the winter season. This episode is particularly crucial for beekeepers in colder...

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Feb. 2, 2023

Bee Management on Warm(ish) Winter Days (111)

It’s going to be 50 degrees tomorrow. Kim and Jim are going to have to check their bees for the first time this very early spring. So what do they do, how do they examine a colony this time of …

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Dec. 1, 2022

Managing Winter Colony Die-Offs (102)

It’s winter time and sure as the sky is blue (or grey – as the case may be), there will be many dead colonies out there next spring. If not in as early as in the few weeks. Winter kills …

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