Listener Beekeeping Questions (369) — Beekeeping Today Podcast

Listener questions drive some of the most practical and wide-ranging conversations on Beekeeping Today Podcast, and this episode is packed with thoughtful questions from beekeepers at every stage. Jeff and Becky work through a full slate of listener submissions covering mentorship, overwintering decisions, feeding practices, hive tools, monitoring systems, and a few persistent beekeeping myths.

The episode opens with a listener question about mentorship—how to make it effective, sustainable, and rewarding for both mentors and new beekeepers. Jeff and Becky discuss setting expectations, encouraging hands-on learning, and building confidence without overwhelming volunteers.

From there, the conversation moves into common beginner challenges, including surviving a rough season, dealing with small hive beetles in warmer climates, and improving queen-finding skills without unnecessarily stressing colonies. Jeff and Becky emphasize regional context, local support, and learning from both success and failure.

Several feeding-related questions follow, including overwintering with honey supers, the use of fondant as insurance feed, and whether supplemental feeding can contaminate honey supers. Becky offers clear guidance on keeping brood nests intact, avoiding supplemental feed when honey supers are present, and making peace with sacrificing honey for colony survival when necessary.

The episode also tackles practical yard questions, like how to stop losing hive tools and whether electronic hive monitoring systems make sense for smaller apiaries. Jeff and Becky share real-world strategies and tools that simplify inspections and improve efficiency.

Finally, they address one of the more unusual questions circulating in beekeeping circles—feeding bananas to bees—exploring where the idea came from, what limited research suggests, and why caution and timing matter.

It's a wide-ranging, honest, and practical episode shaped entirely by the questions beekeepers are asking right now.

Websites from the episode and others we recommend:

Beekeeping Today Podcast Bananas for Bees: https://www.beekeepingtodaypodcast.com/bananas-for-bees-with-katharina-davitt-s3-e25/
Research articles mentioning bananas:
- https://doi.org/10.3389/frbee.2024.1386799
- https://www.researchgate.net/profile/El-Kkazafy-Taha/publication/281578975_Importance_of_banana_Musa_sp_Musaceae_for_honeybee_Apis_mellifera_L_Hmenoptera_Apidae_in_Egypt/links/560fe06a08ae6b29b49a8220/Importance-of-banana-Musa-sp-Musaceae-for-honeybee-Apis-mellifera-L-Hmenoptera-Apidae-in-Egypt.pdf

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

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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

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