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Bee Talks

Learn and discuss beekeeping with experienced pros! In addition to our regular meetings and workshops, this discussion group is your opportunity to engage with knowledgeable and experienced beekeepers to get answers to issues of concern in your beekeeping.

Have a question? Ask it here.

Bee Talks Recap | May 2025

In this episode of Bee Talks, we discuss CBA's new bloom tracking tools, installing new packages with queen substitutions, the bee die-off phenomenon, spotted lanternflies, and swarming, swarming, swarming...

Q&A and Discussion Time

Each session starts with an open question & answer period followed by a seasonally-appropriate topic discussion to help guide you through the beekeeping year. Open to every beekeeper regardless of experience or the type of equipment you use, these sessions will support your beekeeping practice and help you get the critical information you need to be successful.


Share Your Ideas and Recommendations

Bee Talks are scheduled for the 2nd Thursday of each month, and are held online via Zoom. To attend, please register each month to receive event reminders and links.

Hosted by Bill Hesbach

Bill Hesbach is a Connecticut native with a background in engineering. He's an Eastern Apicultural Society Certified Master Beekeeper and graduate of the University of Montana's Master Beekeeping Program. Bill is on the Board of Directors for the Eastern Apicultural Society, and is President of the Connecticut Beekeepers Association.

Bill teaches bee biology and beekeeping methods at events hosted by regional organizations, and appears as a guest speaker at national seminars. He's a published author, with articles appearing in Bee Culture, Bee Craft, and The American Bee Journal.

  • Bee Talks
    Bee Talks
    Thu, Jun 19
    via ZOOM
    Jun 19, 2025, 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM EDT
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    Have a question? Engage with knowledgeable & experienced beekeepers for answers on beekeeping issues.
  • Bee Talks
    Bee Talks
    Thu, Jul 10
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    Jul 10, 2025, 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM EDT
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    Have a question? Engage with knowledgeable & experienced beekeepers for answers on beekeeping issues.
  • Bee Talks
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    Thu, Aug 14
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    Aug 14, 2025, 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM EDT
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    Have a question? Engage with knowledgeable & experienced beekeepers for answers on beekeeping issues.
  • Bee Talks
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    Thu, Sep 11
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    Sep 11, 2025, 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM EDT
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    Have a question? Engage with knowledgeable & experienced beekeepers for answers on beekeeping issues.
  • Bee Talks
    Bee Talks
    Thu, Oct 09
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    Oct 09, 2025, 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM EDT
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    Have a question? Engage with knowledgeable & experienced beekeepers for answers on beekeeping issues.
  • Bee Talks
    Bee Talks
    Thu, Nov 13
    via ZOOM
    Nov 13, 2025, 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM EST
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    Have a question? Engage with knowledgeable & experienced beekeepers for answers on beekeeping issues.
  • Bee Talks
    Bee Talks
    Thu, Dec 11
    via ZOOM
    Dec 11, 2025, 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM EST
    via ZOOM
    Have a question? Engage with knowledgeable & experienced beekeepers for answers on beekeeping issues.
Bee Talks with Bill Hesbach •  May 2025
01:00:23

Bee Talks with Bill Hesbach •  May 2025

00:00:00 - Welcome & honoring Peter Loring Borst (continued at 28:27) 00:01:50 - New 2025 Bloom Tracker Observations for Connecticut Beekeepers (link in blog post below) 00:08:30 - Bloom Calendar 00:13:40 - Installing New Package with Queen Substitution, Virgin Queens and Requeening (continued at 48:40) 00:16:48 - Are this year’s packages really defensive than usual? What can I do with a defensive colony? 00:20:10 - What is the status of the Spotted Lanternfly? Do we still need to be reporting sightings? (continued at 48:44) 00:22:18 - I did a Demaree split and now have capped queen cells at the bottom of the frames in the top box. Does that mean that the bees in the bottom box are going to swarm…or are the bees in the top box going to swarm? 00:26:02 - What are intercaste queens? 00:29:08 - Each year my colonies fill the lower brood boxes with nectar, ignoring the honey supers and regardless of my use of queen excluders. What am I doing wrong? 00:34:16 - Discussion about the current Bee Die-off and what is causing it 00:36:22 - How can my bees swarm without an adult queen in the top box? Did I miss the swarm? Could my queen excluder have failed? 00:42:38 - Can you take the frame of queen capped cell and some capped brood into a nuc box to start another hive? 00:48:40 - Discussion of swarm cells, swarming, and various ways to watch for signs of swarming 00:59:10 - Tips on feeding your bees right now More about the episode at https://www.ctbees.org/bee-talks-recap-may-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 MORE BEEKEEPING INFO - https://www.ctbees.org #beekeeping #bees #beelife MORE BEEKEEPING INFO - https://www.ctbees.org
Bee Talks with Bill Hesbach • April 2025
56:58

Bee Talks with Bill Hesbach • April 2025

In this episode of Bee Talks: 00:00:00 - Discussion of Primal Hives 00:06:06 - Bloom Calendar & Discussion about Queen Bumblebees 00:13:05 - I’m getting a new package, and have drawn-out comb & bee bread from other hives - what’s the best way to use this to the new package’s advantage? 00:16:00 - Further discussion of bumblebees and blooms 00:18:03 - I had a couple of small hives, and combined them - but my colony killed the queen…what happened? 00:24:30 - Discussion of how to balance hives using a Doolittle split method 00:27:15 - If I’m only moving capped brood, is it less likely to I’ll have a large population of nurse bees? 00:28:20 - I’m seeing charged swarm cells already - is it too early to make splits? 00:33:46 - My colonies overwintered and are too full of bees - How should I handle this? 00:39:50 - I don’t see any drones coming out of my hive entrances - does that mean they aren’t ready to swarm? 00:42:10 - I have frames of honey from hives that didn’t overwinter - can I extract honey from these frames so that the queen can use them to lay in? 00:43:26 - If I have supers with drawn comb, when should I start adding them to my hive? 00:44:38 - Discussion about using Queen Mandibular Pheromone (TempQueen) to reduce swarm signaling 00:48:48 - What are the best robbing screen designs / orientations? More about the episode at https://www.ctbees.org/bee-talks-recap-april-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 MORE BEEKEEPING INFO - https://www.ctbees.org
Bee Talks with Bill Hesbach • March 2025
40:51

Bee Talks with Bill Hesbach • March 2025

00:00:00 Welcome & Bloom calendar overview 00:04:01 Do I have mold in my colony? 00:06:48 What is a nuc (nucleus colony) and what issues should I expect when starting with one? 00:09:29 Can I use equipment that has been stored since last year? Should I be worried about the current bee die-offs happening in commercial beekeeping? 00:12:00 I don’t see evidence of drone cells in my hives yet. How long should I wait before I can do splits? 00:15:01 Is it a good time to feed supplemental pollen? 00:18:28 When should I replace my brood frames? 00:23:16 What do I use to catch a swarm? 00:24:43 If my hive goes queenless into winter, will it die out? 00:25:46 Which small hive beetle traps should I use? 00:31:02 Can I use the honey & bee bread from my dead hives for a new package of bees? 00:33:46 Do bees always create queen cells before they swarm? 00:36:40 Should I take my insulation covers off yet? 00:37:44 Can you discuss your Sticky Board Mite Population article in American Bee Journal? 00:39:41 What is the best way to preserve comb? More about the episode, including links to products and recommendations at https://www.ctbees.org/bee-talks-recap-march-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 MORE BEEKEEPING INFO - https://www.ctbees.org
Bee Talks with Bill Hesbach • February 2025
47:57

Bee Talks with Bill Hesbach • February 2025

00:00:00 - Widespread die-offs in Commercial Bees - does it affect backyard beekeepers? 00:04:59 - What’s happening in our colonies right now? 00:07:24 - What does it mean if I see dead bees outside of my hive during the winter? 00:09:25 - When is a good time for oxalic acid treatment? 00:10:39 - What is the best electric fence for keeping bears away from my hives? 00:12:41 - When is the best first treatment for varroa in Spring? 00:15:30 - How to use Varroxsan Oxalic Acid Strips 00:20:37 - Should I use someone else’s frames in my hives? 00:24:17 - In-depth discussion of Connecticut’s Bloom Calendar and Seasonal honey flow 00:30:12 - Does temperature matter when doing oxalic acid vaporization treatment? 00:31:04 - Hives shouldn’t be vented during the winter - here’s why 00:32:50 - Don’t make fondant - why you should be making sugar cakes instead 00:33:55 - Where can I find a new hive setup for a new beekeeper? 00:35:19 - Can I treat new packages with Varroxsan or should I vaporize them? 00:36:35 - Can I use OAV and sticky boards to assess mite levels in the colony? 00:38:02 - Can I use “Better Comb” to get bees to draw out comb? 00:42:43 - Can I use Varroxsan alone or do I need to use additional treatments throughout the year? 00:45:02 - Do I need to use hot water when making sugar cakes? 00:46:05 - Will a mouse in the hive kill my bees? More about the episode, including links to products and recommendations at https://www.ctbees.org/bee-talks-recap-february-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 MORE BEEKEEPING INFO - https://www.ctbees.org

Connecticut Beekeepers Association promotes and supports all 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.

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