John and Nathalie take a jaunt across the pond to talk with Steve Riley and discuss his new book “The Honey Bee Solution to Varroa.” Steve, along with the Westerham Beekeepers in the UK, have done a lot of research into how Varroa was affecting their bees, and how the bees responded when they were not treated. They have combined their observations …

Nathalie and John sit down with Niki Backes, Supporter Manager for Bees Abroad, to discuss what got her interested in Beekeeping, and how she came to be involved with Bees Abroad. Plus, what is Bees Abroad, how are they making a difference in other countries, and what can you do to help? Tune in now to learn more… Link: https://www.beesabroad.org/…

Nathalie and John sit down with long-time friend of the show, Tara Chapman, to discuss her new book "For the Bees: A Handbook for Happy Beekeeping." Plus, the gang catch up on life changes that have caused Tara to have to re-evaluate how she runs aspects of her day-to-day business. Tune in now to learn more... To purchase a copy of Tara's new book,…

This week John and Nathalie sit down with Randy McCaffrey of 628 Dirt Rooster YouTube Fame to discuss how he got started in bees, and what all it took to build his YouTube channel up to nearly 40 Million Views! Tune in now to learn more…Par John Swan; Nathalie B; Randy McCaffrey

This week John finally got to fulfill a podcast-long goal of sitting down with the creator of Bella Beek and host of Beekeeper Confidential… the one and only… Mandy Shaw! Join us as John and Nathalie catch up with Mandy and learn what her journey has been like thus far, as well as what she has planned for the future. Tune in now to learn more……

Nathalie and John recap a few topics from the recent interviews with Tracy, Tucka, Gemma, and Peggy. Are mites really the line in the sand that beekeepers make it out to be today? Plus, it’s time for another Ken’s Cooking Corner where he continues his Sourdough addiction with some Sourdough Oatmeal Cookies made with Honey.…

This week John and Nathalie sat down with Peggy DeSanto, co-founder of Bee the Change and The Hive Hugger. The group discusses how Peggy got started in Beekeeping, what inspired her to create the Hive Hugger, and how important it is to make sure your hives are properly insulated. Plus, how does Peggy feel about the current state of beekeeping? Tune…

This week John and Nathalie sit down with Gemma Astley from Homestead Hens and Honey to catch up on all things Homesteading, Chicken Keeping, and Bees! The group covers a wide range of topics including if Gemma has changed her opinions on Hive Styles, a discussion on queen mysteries, and how Gemma feels about the current state of beekeeping. Tune i…

This week John and Nathalie sit down with the one and only Tucka Saville to learn what it was like keeping bees between New York and Florida, as well as catching up on the latest changes in the world of Tucka Bee as she dips her toes into the commercial world of contracted beekeeping in Florida.Par John Swan; Nathalie B

This week John sits down with Tracy Pielemeir to discuss how she got into beekeeping, started the North Central Beekeepers Club, came up with the concept for The Hive Butler, and to find out what she thinks about the current state of beekeeping. Tune in now to learn more…Par John Swan

John and Nathalie discuss a few takeaways from their recent interview with Angela Tollerson, plus the pair go a bit more in-depth with a few of the concepts that were mentioned. Tune in now to learn more…Par John Swan; Nathalie B

John and Nathalie sit down with Angela Tollerson, a fellow Master Beekeeper, to have an engaging conversation about how she sees the world of beekeeping today. Hear her perspective on some common issues, what challenges she faces in her own beekeeping, and what is she doing to help overcome them. Tune in now to learn more……

For the first interview episode of the season, we sit down with none other than Ken Milam to discuss his views on the current state of beekeeping. Tune in now to learn more...Par John Swan; Nathalie B; Ken Milam

It's time to address that big fuzzy striped elephant in the room that is Season 4. John sits down with us for a personal one-on-one and explains what has kept the show on hiatus for so long, and what it means for the future of The Hive Jive. Tune in now to learn more...Par John Swan

This week Nathalie and John discuss topics from a recent Bee Informed Partnership panel discussion on queen genetics and queen health/viability. Tune in now to hear their thoughts on a few key topics regarding Queens and how it relates to recent topics... BIP Queen Panel Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4ndh02r9Ac…

In today's Beekeeper Chat, we get an update from Nathalie about her recent swarm captures, some things they both would like to try now that swarm session is under way, and John give a few updates about his new bees and also lets us in on his recent hive building misadventures. Tune now to learn more...…

Today John and Nathalie discuss how recent studies have revealed that a beehive can help identify the nuances of a cities unique biome by collecting and storing the microscopic bacteria, yeast, spores, and other fungal matter that reside in that specific city. Tune in now to learn more... Article Link: https://theweek.com/environmental-news/1022253…

Breaking News! John's bees arrive TOMORROW morning and he hasn't even started building his hives yet!! How exactly does one forget something so important and exciting as the arrival of new bees? Well, John and Nathalie discuss this out of sight, out of mind scenario in today's beekeeper chat. Tune in now to hear all about it...…

Today Nathalie and John revisit a topic that was originally discussed back in 2021 on the possible effects of EMF on bees. With new research being presented, and new definitions of RF-EMR (Radio Frequency Electro Magnetic Radiation), the pair have decided that it is time to take another look at the possible effects that our electronics are having o…

Today Nathalie and John discuss new research that suggests younger bees learn the finer details of a precision Waggle Dance from older more experienced bees. What implications could this have on how we view our colonies, and the decisions we make on their behalf? Tune in now to learn more...Par John Swan; Nathalie B

In today's beekeeper chat, Nathalie and John discuss the topic of Queen Excluders. What were they designed for? How do you use them? When should they be used? And, are they even really required? Tune in now to find out what the pair think about this often touchy subject...Par John Swan; Nathalie B

Today John and Nathalie discuss a comb guide that was recently brought to John's attention from a listener. This comb guide is meant to be placed on the bottom of Topbar hive bars in order to help encourage the bees to draw out their comb in a straight line. However, this specific comb guide claims several other advantages that make it stand out fr…

Today John breaks the news to Nathalie that he is now back down to zero colonies. Despite everything looking great for the "Oh Bee One Colony" going into winter, things took a drastic turn somewhere along the way. This has left John with more questions than answers. Tune in now to learn more... (Original Air Date: Feb 28th, 2023)…

Recently, a listener brought up the subject of Re-Wilding honey bees in the comments after discussing Honey Bees as the Poster Child for the Save the Bees movement. So, in today's beekeeper chat, John and Nathalie attempt to tackle the concept of "Re-Wilding" and whether this is a good idea or not. Turns out, it is not an easy subject and there are…

Today Nathalie and John discuss whether the fact that the Honey Bee has become the Poster Child of the "Save the Bees" movement is a good thing, or if it could have it's own unintended consequences. There are pros and cons to both sides of this, and of course it all depends on how you look at it. Tune in now, and let us know what you think about th…