Beekeeping Today Podcast

• Norroa: A New Era in Varroa Management (357)

  Varroa mites remain the most destructive pest facing honey bees today—but a revolutionary new treatment may finally shift the balance. In this episode, Jeff Ott and Dr. Becky Masterman welcome Adam Pachl, North American Technical Manager for Bee Health at GreenLight Biosciences, to discuss Norroa, the first EPA-approved dsRNA-based treatment for Varroa mites. Norroa introduces a fundamentally new approach: instead of killing mites outright, it prevents them from reproducing. Adam explains how this RNA interference (RNAi) technology works at the molecular level, blocking the mites' ability to lay viable eggs without harming honey bees or other organisms. He also shares insights from years of field research, including trials across five U.S. states that demonstrated dramatic improvements in colony survival and mite suppression. Becky and Jeff explore the implications of this technology for beekeepers of all scales—from hobbyists managing a few hives to large-scale commercial operations—and how Norroa fits into an integrated pest management strategy. The discussion covers everything from timing of application, compatibility with other treatments, and safety testing, to potential future uses of RNAi against pests like Tropilaelaps. For the first time in decades, beekeepers may have a tool that targets Varroa precisely and safely—without collateral damage to the bees they're fighting to protect. Websites from the episode and others we recommend: GreenLight Biosciences. "GreenLight Biosciences Launches Norroa, the First RNA-Based Treatment for Varroa Mites." 25 Sep 2025. https://www.greenlightbiosciences.com/articles/greenlight-biosciences-launches-norroa-the-first-rna-based-treatment-for-varroa-mites GreenLight Biosciences. "In the Pipeline: Protecting the Honeybee." https://www.greenlightbiosciences.com/in-the-pipeline-protecting-the-honeybee GeneOnline. "EPA Registers Norroa as First RNA-Based Treatment for Varroa Mites Threatening Honeybee Populations." 25 Sept 2025. https://www.geneonline.com/epa-registers-norroa-as-first-rna-based-treatment-for-varroa-mites-threatening-honeybee-populations Honey Bee Obscura Podcast: https://honeybeeobscura.com Project Apis m. (PAm): https://www.projectapism.org Honey Bee Health Coalition: https://honeybeehealthcoalition.org The National Honey Board: https://honey.com Honey Bee Obscura Podcast: https://honeybeeobscura.com Copyright © 2025 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! Thanks to Bee Smart Designs as a sponsor of this podcast! Bee Smart Designs is the creator of innovative, modular and interchangeable hive systems made in the USA using recycled and American sourced materials. Bee Smart Designs - Simply better beekeeping for the modern beekeeper. Give your bees a boost with HiveAlive! Proven to increase bee health, honey yield, and overwinter survival, HiveAlive's unique formula includes seaweed, thyme, and lemongrass, making it easy to feed. Choose from HiveAlive's Fondant Patties, High-Performance Pollen Patties, or EZ Feed Super Syrup—ready-to-use options for busy beekeepers. Buy locally or online. 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. 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 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. _______________ We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments in the show notes of this episode or: [email protected] 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; 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 © 2025 by Growing Planet Media, LLC

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• [Bonus] Short - Inside Bee Culture Magazine: Medina's Beekeeping Legacy

  In this special Beekeeping Today Podcast Short, Jeff visits the historic A.I. Root Company headquarters in Medina, Ohio—the home of Bee Culture Magazine. Sitting down with the magazine's production team—Jerry Hayes, Jen Manis, and Stephanie Bayerl—Jeff explores what it takes to bring each monthly issue to life. Listeners get a rare, behind-the-scenes look at how articles, design, photography, and advertising all come together to create the trusted magazine so many beekeepers rely on. From article coordination and layout design to QR-coded audio features and digital engagement, this conversation celebrates Bee Culture's 150-year legacy of education and innovation. Jerry, Jen, and Stephanie share their commitment to reader involvement—from monthly honey price reports and honey recipes to the popular Catch the Buzz daily e-blast. For longtime readers and new beekeepers alike, this visit underscores how human creativity, teamwork, and passion for honey bees continue to shape modern beekeeping media. Links and references mentioned in this episode: Bee Culture Magazine - https://beeculture.com A.I. Root Company History - https://beeculture.com/the-story-of-a-i-root-beginning-bees/ Catch the Buzz Newsletter - https://beeculture.com/catchthebuzz/ 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 ** As an Amazon Associate, we may earn a commission from qualifying purchases Copyright © 2025 by Growing Planet Media, LLC

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• Fall Honey Sales (356)

  It's harvest season—and for many beekeepers, that means it's time to sell honey! In this week's episode, Jeff Ott and Dr. Becky Masterman dig into the rewarding (and sometimes sticky) process of marketing and selling your honey crop. From fall festivals to farm stands, Becky shares her experiences at local events, state fairs, and new retail partnerships, including the launch of her own MastermanApiaries.com website. Jeff talks about scaling Olympia Honey Company and how local markets, branding, and customer relationships have helped him create a sustainable beekeeping business. Together, they explore the fun, challenges, and lessons learned from turning raw honey into a community connection. The discussion also covers labeling requirements, state regulations, setting retail and wholesale prices, and leveraging AI tools to design labels, calculate pricing, and even develop marketing materials. Becky reveals how ChatGPT helped her brainstorm creative honey names and brand ideas, while Jeff explains how AI-generated mockups led to the final design for Olympia Honey's logo. Listeners will pick up practical advice for pricing honey fairly, building repeat customers, and turning a seasonal product into a sustainable business—while avoiding the pitfalls of "free honey" and other online hiccups. Whether you sell a few jars or a few hundred, this episode will inspire you to embrace the business of bees with confidence and creativity. Websites from the episode and others we recommend: Honey Bee Obscura Podcast: https://honeybeeobscura.com Project Apis m. (PAm): https://www.projectapism.org Honey Bee Health Coalition: https://honeybeehealthcoalition.org The National Honey Board: https://honey.com Honey Bee Obscura Podcast: https://honeybeeobscura.com Copyright © 2025 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! Thanks to Bee Smart Designs as a sponsor of this podcast! Bee Smart Designs is the creator of innovative, modular and interchangeable hive systems made in the USA using recycled and American sourced materials. Bee Smart Designs - Simply better beekeeping for the modern beekeeper. Give your bees a boost with HiveAlive! Proven to increase bee health, honey yield, and overwinter survival, HiveAlive's unique formula includes seaweed, thyme, and lemongrass, making it easy to feed. Choose from HiveAlive's Fondant Patties, High-Performance Pollen Patties, or EZ Feed Super Syrup—ready-to-use options for busy beekeepers. Buy locally or online. 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 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. _______________ We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments in the show notes of this episode or: [email protected] 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; 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 © 2025 by Growing Planet Media, LLC

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• [Bonus] Short - Dewey Caron: Condensing vs. Ventilating Hives

  In this October Beekeeping Today Podcast Short, Dr. Dewey Caron returns from Apimondia in Copenhagen and the Washington State Beekeepers Association Conference with another Audio Postcard—this time exploring the long-debated topic of condensing vs. ventilated hives. Dewey discusses three levels of communication central to his monthly series: bee scientist to beekeeper, beekeeper to bee, and bee to bee. Drawing on the work of Dr. Tom Seeley and Derek Mitchell of the University of Leeds, he examines how wild colonies regulate temperature and moisture in tree cavities compared to modern Langstroth hives. Listeners will hear Dewey explain the difference between a condensing hive—which retains heat and manages moisture through top insulation—and a ventilated hive, which uses airflow and upper vents to remove humidity. He walks through the pros and cons of each, including the energy cost to bees, honey consumption, and overwintering success. The episode concludes with fascinating insights into heater bees, as first described by Jürgen Tautz, showing how worker bees actively warm brood cells during cold months. Dewey ties it all together with his signature reminder: there's no single right way to keep bees—only the approach that works best for you and your colonies. Links and references mentioned in this episode: Hesbach, W. (2020). The Condensing Colony. American Bee Journal, 160(2), 170–180. Seeley, T. D. (2019). The Lives of Bees: The Untold Story of the Honey Bee in the Wild. Princeton University Press. Radcliffe, R. W. & Seeley, T. D. (2022). Thinking Outside the Box: Temperature Dynamics in a Tree Cavity, Wooden Box, and Langstroth Hives With or Without Insulation. American Bee Journal, 162(8), 893–898. Mitchell, D. (2016). Ratios of Colony Mass to Thermal Conductance of Tree and Man-Made Nest Enclosures of Apis mellifera: Implications for Survival, Clustering, Humidity Regulation, and Varroa destructor. International Journal of Biometeorology, 60(5), 629–638. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00484-015-1057-z Mitchell, D. (2017). Honey Bee Engineering: Top Ventilation and Top Entrances. American Bee Journal, 157(8), 887–889. ISSN 0002-7626. Mitchell, D. (2023). Honeybee Cluster—Not Insulation but Stressful Heat Sink. Journal of the Royal Society Interface, 20:20230488. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsif.2023.0488 Tautz, J. (2008). The Buzz About Bees: Biology of a Superorganism. Springer. 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 ** As an Amazon Associate, we may earn a commission from qualifying purchases Copyright © 2025 by Growing Planet Media, LLC

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• Regional Beekeepers Fall Roundtable 2025 (355)

  In this special Beekeeping Today Podcast roundtable, Jeff Ott and Dr. Becky Masterman gather an inspiring group of regional beekeepers from across the U.S. to share how their colonies fared through the 2025 season and what they're doing to prepare for winter. Joining the table are Ang Roell (They Keep Bees, Massachusetts), Bonnie Morse (Bonnie Bee & Company, California), Duane Combs (Arizona Beekeepers LLC), Jay Williams (Williams Honey Farm, Tennessee), and Paul Longwell (Washington). Each regional voice brings a unique perspective on this year's challenges—heat and drought in the Southwest, unpredictable blooms in the Pacific Northwest, and extended broodless periods complicating Varroa management across the country. In response to listener Brian Schmitz's question, "What does your overwintering hive look like?", these experienced beekeepers describe how their hive setups differ by region—from Ang's double-deeps and Warre hives with insulation and mountain camp feeding, to Jay's "3:2" ratio overwintering in wrapped medium supers, to Duane's Arizona colonies managing through both heat and rain cycles. Later, they discuss what didn't go as planned—queen mating failures, volatile weather, and high mite counts—and what they're most looking forward to in 2026. From germplasm banking and bee breeding projects to bee meditation programs and rare honey production, this lively conversation captures the diversity and innovation within today's beekeeping community. Websites from the episode and others we recommend: Honey Bee Obscura Podcast: https://honeybeeobscura.com Project Apis m. (PAm): https://www.projectapism.org Honey Bee Health Coalition: https://honeybeehealthcoalition.org The National Honey Board: https://honey.com Honey Bee Obscura Podcast: https://honeybeeobscura.com Copyright © 2025 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! Thanks to Bee Smart Designs as a sponsor of this podcast! Bee Smart Designs is the creator of innovative, modular and interchangeable hive systems made in the USA using recycled and American sourced materials. Bee Smart Designs - Simply better beekeeping for the modern beekeeper. Give your bees a boost with HiveAlive! Proven to increase bee health, honey yield, and overwinter survival, HiveAlive's unique formula includes seaweed, thyme, and lemongrass, making it easy to feed. Choose from HiveAlive's Fondant Patties, High-Performance Pollen Patties, or EZ Feed Super Syrup—ready-to-use options for busy beekeepers. Buy locally or online. 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 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. _______________ We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments in the show notes of this episode or: [email protected] 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; 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 © 2025 by Growing Planet Media, LLC

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