Beekeeping Today Podcast

Steven Coy returns to Beekeeping Today for a wide-ranging conversation about the challenges facing American beekeepers—and the role genetics may play in building more resilient colonies. Steven is president of the American Honey Producers Association and a longtime commercial beekeeper and Russian honey bee breeder. He begins by explaining how the AHPA represents commercial beekeepers through advocacy, Farm Bill work, anti-dumping efforts, and programs such as ELAP. He also discusses the proposed Honey Integrity Act and why the industry wants a federal standard of identity for honey. The conversation also examines declining U.S. honey production, imported honey, consumer confidence, and efforts to encourage consumers to buy American honey and support domestic beekeepers and pollination agriculture. In the second half, Steven takes Jeff and Becky inside his Mississippi operation and nearly three decades of experience with Russian honey bees. He discusses Varroa resistance, wintering, brood production, honey production, defensive behavior, and why resistant stock still requires thoughtful mite management. Steven also makes the case for evaluating genetics at the apiary level, explaining why mite drift and surrounding colonies can mask the advantages of resistant stock. Websites from the episode and others we recommend: American Honey Producers Association: https://ahpanet.com Russian Honey Bee Breeders: https://www.russianhoneybeebreeders.org Steven's Book about Russan Honey Bees at Amazon: https://amzn.to/3Vuipui Honey Bee Health Coalition: https://honeybeehealthcoalition.org Project Apis m. (PAm): https://www.projectapism.org The National Honey Board: https://honey.com Honey Bee Obscura Podcast: https://honeybeeobscura.com   Copyright © 2026 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!  As a beekeeper, you want products that benefit you and your bees. When you choose Premier Bee Products, you choose hive components that are healthier for bees and more productive for you. Because we believe that in beekeeping, details make all the difference. Premier Bee Products: Better for bees. Better for beekeepers. Use promo code PODCAST for 10% off your next online order. 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 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. We'd like to thank Vita Bee Health for supporting the podcast. Vita provides proven tools for controlling Varroa—from Apistan and Apiguard to the new VarroxSan extended-release oxalic acid strips—helping beekeepers keep stronger, healthier colonies. 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.   Thanks to Bee Culture, the Magazine of American Beekeeping, for their support of Honey Bee Obscura. Available in print and digital at www.beeculture.com   _______________ 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; Bolero de la Fontero  by Rimsky Music; Perfect Sky by Graceful Movement; I'm Not Running Away This Time by Max Brodie; 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 © 2026 by Growing Planet Media, LLC

Norroa brings a very different approach to Varroa management. In this installment of the Beekeeping Today Podcast Varroa Treatment Series, Jeff Ott and Becky Masterman welcome Dr. David Peck of Betterbee to explain how this new treatment works and, just as importantly, when it may—or may not—fit into a beekeeper's management plan. Unlike treatments designed to quickly kill mites, Norroa uses RNA interference, or RNAi, to disrupt reproduction in female Varroa mites. The active ingredient, vadescana, is delivered in sugar syrup pouches that bees consume and incorporate into brood food, where reproductive mites can be exposed. That means timing matters. Norroa requires actively reared open brood and is intended to hold mite populations down over time rather than rescue a colony already experiencing dangerously high mite and virus pressure. David also explains pouch placement, treatment timing, monitoring challenges, cost considerations, and why local nectar flows, dearth periods, colony development, and mite pressure all matter when deciding whether Norroa belongs in your Varroa management program. Websites from the episode and others we recommend: Beekeeping Today Episode with Greenlight Technology's Adam Pachl: https://www.beekeepingtodaypodcast.com/357-norroa-varroa-management/ Honey Bee Health Coalition: https://honeybeehealthcoalition.org Project Apis m. (PAm): https://www.projectapism.org The National Honey Board: https://honey.com Honey Bee Obscura Podcast: https://honeybeeobscura.com   Copyright © 2026 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 _______________ 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; Bolero de la Fontero  by Rimsky Music; Perfect Sky by Graceful Movement; I'm Not Running Away This Time by Max Brodie; 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 © 2026 by Growing Planet Media, LLC

What does honey bee health look like when researchers examine it from the inside out? In this episode, Jeff and Becky welcome three scientists from the USDA-ARS Carl Hayden Bee Research Center in Tucson, Arizona: Dr. Vanessa Corby-Harris, Dr. Kirk Anderson, and Dr. Mark Carroll. Their work spans insect physiology, nutrition, microbiomes, chemical ecology, Varroa, and the complicated ways multiple stressors influence colony health. Vanessa explains why nutrition is one of the areas where beekeepers can directly influence colony health and how researchers use biomarkers—including the honey bee fat body—to connect individual bee physiology with brood production and colony performance. Kirk describes research comparing colonies placed in diverse Conservation Reserve Program forage with colonies working canola and sunflower landscapes, then discusses a more recent case involving Varroa, amitraz resistance, viruses, nutrition, and agricultural exposure. Mark explores another layer: how young workers interpret colony conditions and how pheromones such as β-ocimene may influence brood rearing during nutritional stress. Together, the conversation shows why understanding colony health increasingly means looking beyond any single stressor—and why nutrition, physiology, microbes, pesticides, pathogens, and mites often need to be considered together. Also in this episode, Jeff and Becky answer a Hive IQ listener question about preparing plastic foundation for bees. Websites from the episode and others we recommend: Carl Hayden Honey Bee Research Lab: https://www.ars.usda.gov/pacific-west-area/tucson-az/carl-hayden-bee-research-center/ Honey Bee Health Coalition: https://honeybeehealthcoalition.org Project Apis m. (PAm): https://www.projectapism.org The National Honey Board: https://honey.com Honey Bee Obscura Podcast: https://honeybeeobscura.com   Copyright © 2026 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!  As a beekeeper, you want products that benefit you and your bees. When you choose Premier Bee Products, you choose hive components that are healthier for bees and more productive for you. Because we believe that in beekeeping, details make all the difference. Premier Bee Products: Better for bees. Better for beekeepers. Use promo code PODCAST for 10% off your next online order. 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 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. We'd like to thank Vita Bee Health for supporting the podcast. Vita provides proven tools for controlling Varroa—from Apistan and Apiguard to the new VarroxSan extended-release oxalic acid strips—helping beekeepers keep stronger, healthier colonies. 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.   Thanks to Bee Culture, the Magazine of American Beekeeping, for their support of Honey Bee Obscura. Available in print and digital at www.beeculture.com   _______________ 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; Bolero de la Fontero  by Rimsky Music; Perfect Sky by Graceful Movement; I'm Not Running Away This Time by Max Brodie; 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 © 2026 by Growing Planet Media, LLC

Artificial intelligence is rapidly finding its way into everyday tools—but where does it fit in the bee yard? In this Beekeeping Today Podcast Short, Jeff Ott and Becky Masterman begin exploring how beekeepers can put AI to practical use without treating it as an unquestioned authority. Jeff and Becky discuss using AI to organize colony inspection notes, create spreadsheets for mite monitoring, analyze data, help locate research and extension resources, and assist with projects such as grant applications. They also address the other side of the equation: AI can sound convincing while providing inaccurate information, invent sources, misinterpret images, or claim capabilities it does not actually have. Jeff shares his own experiment asking AI to identify and count Varroa mites from photographs of IPM boards—with decidedly mixed results. Their takeaway is straightforward: use AI as an assistant, much like a student or intern. Ask questions, challenge the answers, request sources, and verify important information yourself. And this is only the beginning. Websites from the episode and others we recommend: Honey Bee Health Coalition: https://honeybeehealthcoalition.org Project Apis m. (PAm): https://www.projectapism.org The National Honey Board: https://honey.com Honey Bee Obscura Podcast: https://honeybeeobscura.com   Copyright © 2026 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 _______________ 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; Bolero de la Fontero  by Rimsky Music; Perfect Sky by Graceful Movement; I'm Not Running Away This Time by Max Brodie; 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 © 2026 by Growing Planet Media, LLC

What can nearly two decades of beekeeper-reported data tell us about colony health—and what can it not tell us? In this episode, Jeff Ott and Becky Masterman welcome Dr. Geoff Williams, Dr. Nathalie Steinhauer, and Dr. Agostina Giacobino to discuss the 2026 U.S. Beekeeping Survey and its continuity after the closure of the Bee Informed Partnership. The team explains why annual colony-loss rates function much like a mortality or turnover measure rather than a direct count of the nation's living colonies. Preliminary 2025–26 results suggest losses improved from the exceptionally difficult previous two years, yet the national annual estimate remained near 40 percent. One in three responding commercial beekeepers reported losing more than half their colonies—sobering numbers even in a comparatively better year. Nathalie and Agostina describe how consistent questions make long-term comparisons possible, while new dashboards help beekeepers, researchers, inspectors, and extension professionals explore management trends. The conversation highlights increased adoption of Varroa monitoring and treatment, growing commercial use of oxalic acid amid concerns about amitraz resistance, and a central lesson: successful Varroa control is a season-long system of prevention, monitoring, timing, and multiple tools—not a search for one magic product. The guests also walk through the survey calendar, state participation, rapid preliminary reporting, and why both summer and winter losses matter. More than 2,300 respondents represented roughly 10 to 13 percent of U.S. colonies in the latest survey, but stronger state-level participation remains an important goal. Before the interview, Becky answers a HiveIQ listener question about how quickly pulled honey supers should be extracted. Websites from the episode and others we recommend: Preliminary Results from the 2025-2026 US Beekeeping Survey: Honey Bee Loss and Management: https://apiaryinspectors.org/US-beekeeping-survey-25-26 Honey Bee Health Coalition: https://honeybeehealthcoalition.org Project Apis m. (PAm): https://www.projectapism.org The National Honey Board: https://honey.com Honey Bee Obscura Podcast: https://honeybeeobscura.com   Copyright © 2026 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!  As a beekeeper, you want products that benefit you and your bees. When you choose Premier Bee Products, you choose hive components that are healthier for bees and more productive for you. Because we believe that in beekeeping, details make all the difference. Premier Bee Products: Better for bees. Better for beekeepers. Use promo code PODCAST for 10% off your next online order. 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 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. We'd like to thank Vita Bee Health for supporting the podcast. Vita provides proven tools for controlling Varroa—from Apistan and Apiguard to the new VarroxSan extended-release oxalic acid strips—helping beekeepers keep stronger, healthier colonies. 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.   Thanks to Bee Culture, the Magazine of American Beekeeping, for their support of Honey Bee Obscura. Available in print and digital at www.beeculture.com   _______________ 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; Bolero de la Fontero  by Rimsky Music; Perfect Sky by Graceful Movement; I'm Not Running Away This Time by Max Brodie; 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 © 2026 by Growing Planet Media, LLC