About this episode
This Holiday Special episode of Beekeeping Today Podcast brings together Jeff Ott, Becky Masterman, and Dr. Jim Tew from Honey Bee Obscura, for a warm, thoughtful conversation about bees, beekeeping, and reflection during Christmas week. With a special Santa Claus opener returning for another year, the episode sets a festive tone before settling into practical winter-season observations and the deeper meaning beekeeping brings this time of year. Jim shares insights into what honey bees are doing right now in winter clusters, how beekeepers can read subtle signs of life without opening hives, and why snow can sometimes be one of the best indicators of colony survival. Becky adds perspective from northern beekeeping, discussing winter brood patterns, cleansing flights, and emerging research on winter brood rearing across the U.S. Jeff rounds out the discussion with observations from sensor data and technology-assisted hive monitoring, prompting a lively exchange on tradition versus modern tools. The episode also explores the emotional side of winter losses, beekeeper intuition, and the responsibility felt when colonies don't survive. Listener questions spark deeper discussion about how bees sense temperature and make life-or-death decisions in cold weather, reminding us how much there is still to learn about the superorganism. To close, the hosts look ahead to the North American Honey Bee Expo, thank the sponsors who make the podcast possible, and reflect on the "promise of bees" as a symbol of renewal, resilience, and hope heading into the new year. Websites from the episode and others we recommend: North American Honey Bee Expo (NAHBE): https://https://www.nahbexpo.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. 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 . 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: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com 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