Bee Talks

00:00 Welcome & Bloom Calendar 06:52 Do Spotted Lanternflies affect honey production? 12:53 What should I do if I see Yellow-Legged Hornets? 18:32 How can I tell if my hives have CBPV and if it spread between hives? 24:02 What are the benefits of registering my hives in CT? 25:10 I had two colonies swarm, and now I’m concerned that I don’t have enough equipment to handle the new hives — what should I do? 32:09 Can I treat with both Norroa and VarroxSan? 40:57 I moved my hives and my bees are coming back — why? 47:16 Does anyone have frames they would be willing to donate? 52:07 Electric Smoker Review More about the episode, including links to products and recommendations at https://www.ctbees.org/bee-talks-recap-august-2026 Connecticut Beekeepers Association promotes and supports beekeepers and their local organizations. Our goal is to provide a common forum for the beekeepers of Connecticut to come together to share information and ideas. #beekeeping #bees #beelife MORE BEEKEEPING INFO - https://www.ctbees.org

00:00:00 - Intro & Bloom Calendar 00:11:55 - How and when would I swap the original frames I received with my nucs for new, deep frames? 00:15:47 - How much time should I wait after an oxalic acid treatment to do an inspection or harvest honey? 00:17:19 - I don’t see any mites in my hives — should I still treat for varroa? How? When? 00:19:25 - I heard there was a nectar dearth in Connecticut this June. Should I be feeding during this time? 00:25:04 - My deeps are full. When should I add a honey super? 00:30:22 - What’s the best time to move or sell hives & equipment? 00:32:05 - How can I manage an inspection if I can’t lift the weight of the box? 00:33:10 - When is the best time to relocate a hive? 00:38:55 - How do I know if my hives need robber screens? 00:41:05 - If two colonies are located next to each other, will the bees always go back to the same colony? More about the episode, including links to products and recommendations at https://www.ctbees.org/bee-talks-recap-july-2026 Connecticut Beekeepers Association promotes and supports beekeepers and their local organizations. Our goal is to provide a common forum for the beekeepers of Connecticut to come together to share information and ideas. #beekeeping #bees #beelife MORE BEEKEEPING INFO - https://www.ctbees.org

00:00:00 - Intro & Bloom Calendar 00:12:19 - Do swarms typically leave drones behind in the host colony? 00:13:51 - How are the layen swarm boxes doing at the bee yard right now? 00:15:28 - How can I know if my hives are diseased / should I consider re-queening if my queen cells appear small or capped? 00:23:27 - When should I stop feeding my bees? Is the better option to feed too long or to stop too early? 00:30:15 - How can I rebalance my hives as a new beekeeper? 00:35:07 - How do I manage the host hive after a swarm? 00:36:53 - How do I move a hive to another area? 00:42:35 - Should I test before treating for varroa? 00:51:03 - Should I keep my bottom board in at all times for inspection purposes, or will this negatively affect thermodynamics? More about the episode, including links to products & recommendations at https://www.ctbees.org/bee-talks-recap-april-2026 __________________________________________________________ Connecticut Beekeepers Association promotes and supports beekeepers and their local organizations. Our goal is to provide a common forum for the beekeepers of Connecticut to come together to share information and ideas. #beekeeping #bees #beelife #beetalks #science MORE BEEKEEPING INFO - https://www.ctbees.org

00:00:00 - Intro & Bloom Calendar 00:04:07 - I’ve re-hived swarms, one of which has an overwintered queen. Because my colonies are broodless, I’m considering oxalic acid vaporization, but should I be concerned about doing this treatment before they are settled in? 00:09:47 - Is there a way to track nectar flow over time? 00:11:09 - What is the best method for a first-time beekeeper new to splitting hives? 00:20:21 - What should I feed brand-new packages? 00:32:39 - When should I switch my hive opening to a larger size? 00:34:15 - How can I easily find the queen in my hives? 00:44:21 - Will I get stung while bees a swarming? 00:45:27 - Does rain wash away all a plant’s nectar, or does a plant refresh its nectar supply? 00:46:22 - Once I split my hives, how long before the queen lays eggs? 00:47:32 - When is the best time to add a super? 00:48:00 - Ants chewed the insulation on my inner hive cover and I’m worried that the particles got into my sugar syrup. Should I change out the syrup or will the bees drink around the particles? Connecticut Beekeepers Association promotes and supports beekeepers and their local organizations. Our goal is to provide a common forum for the beekeepers of Connecticut to come together to share information and ideas. #beekeeping #bees #beelife #science MORE BEEKEEPING INFO - https://www.ctbees.org

00:00:00 - Intro & Bloom Calendar 00:10:55 - Any advice for setting up hives inside greenhouses? 00:12:33 - When is the ideal time to add supers to overwintered colonies? 00:15:05 - How should I clean up my hives if they died due to dysentery or diagnosed Nosema? 00:21:44 - Is there a protocol for what to do if you lose a hive over the winter? (continued at 47:40) 00:24:37 - Has anyone else experienced sudden colony loss this March? 00:33:34 - Is it too early to equalize colonies? Should I wait for swarm cells before splitting hives? 00:44:04 - Which frames from a dead colony should I reuse with a new package? 00:45:29 - My hives were two deeps over winter. Most of the bees are in the top hive. Should I switch the deeps around? 00:47:40 - I was a beginner beekeeper last year; one of my hives did not make it over the winter. I've cleaned their boxes and treated them with bleach/water. Am I okay to start a new package with new frames/foundation? 00:50:00 - We are in the process of setting up our hives for the first time, and are wondering if we need to add a heat source for the winter? 00:51:50 - How can I stop drifting between my two colonies? More about the episode, including links to products and recommendations at https://www.ctbees.org/bee-talks-recap-april-2026 Connecticut Beekeepers Association promotes and supports beekeepers and their local organizations. Our goal is to provide a common forum for the beekeepers of Connecticut to come together to share information and ideas. #beekeeping #bees #beelife MORE BEEKEEPING INFO - https://www.ctbees.org

00:00:00 - Intro & Bloom Calendar 00:08:04 - Should I be feeding my bees right now? (recipe on our website) 00:11:44 - What is the correct dosing for Norroa™? I’ve dosed my single deep colonies - should I re-dose when I move those colonies to doubles? (continued at 00:15:03) 00:14:18 - When can I safely move a colony from one location to another? 00:18:00 - CBA Bloom Management & Observation Tool (get involved on our website - links below) 00:22:10 - Thermal imaging hive monitoring using Brood Minder 00:24:56 - What is the “bad” treatment for mites? 00:27:29 - Has anyone suffered significant hive loss this winter? 00:28:40 - Should I reverse hive deeps in Spring? 00: 29:57 - Does painting a swarm box a certain color make a difference encouraging bees to enter or stay? More about the episode, including links to products and recommendations at https://www.ctbees.org/bee-talks-recap-march-2026 __________________________________________________________ Connecticut Beekeepers Association promotes and supports beekeepers and their local organizations. Our goal is to provide a common forum for the beekeepers of Connecticut to come together to share information and ideas. #beekeeping #bees #beelife MORE BEEKEEPING INFO - https://www.ctbees.org

00:00:30 - Can I use thermal camera for winter monitoring (and which kind should I use)? 00:08:30 - Can a virgin queen overwinter in a colony, and will there be laying workers in the Spring? 00:14:50 - Why would a colony swarm in September? 00:16:38 - Is it normal to still see drones this late in the season? 00:18:20 - To put a bear fence up, I have to move my hives - What’s the best way to do this? 00:20:30 - Do we have feedback on local (Connecticut) efficacy of Norroa™ treatment? 00:28:21 - Does temperature determine how much oxalic acid should be used in a treatment? 00:31:15 - Are queen deaths associated with oxalic acid treatments? 00:32:45 - Has oxalic acid changed dosage? 00:33:31 - Will workers reseal their chamber if you break the seal? More about the episode, including links to products and recommendations at https://www.ctbees.org/bee-talks-recap-december-2025 __________________________________________________________ Connecticut Beekeepers Association promotes and supports beekeepers and their local organizations. Our goal is to provide a common forum for the beekeepers of Connecticut to come together to share information and ideas. #beekeeping #bees #beelife #beetalks #science MORE BEEKEEPING INFO - https://www.ctbees.org

00:00:00 - Welcome & Bloom Calendar Updates 00:01:00 - How can hive temperature data show whether colonies are broodless? 00:07:00 - How much stored honey do my colonies need to survive winter? 00:15:50 - Should I adjust oxalic acid dosage for smaller winter colonies? 00:19:30 - How many times can I vaporize and what should I expect to see when I do the treatment? 00:20:25 - How does ventilation and hive setup affect how much honey my colonies consume? 00:21:22 - How do insulated systems like HiveIQ boxes and Bee Cozy wraps perform in winter? 00:26:50 - How tightly does my insulation need to fit around my hive? 00:27:46 - How does Norroa™ fit into varroa management and what makes it different than other treatments? 00:34:34 - Is insulating hives year round helpful? More about the episode, including links to products and recommendations at https://www.ctbees.org/bee-talks-recap-november-2025 Connecticut Beekeepers Association promotes and supports beekeepers and their local organizations. Our goal is to provide a common forum for the beekeepers of Connecticut to come together to share information and ideas. #beekeeping #bees #beelife #science MORE BEEKEEPING INFO - https://www.ctbees.org