"Beekeeping Buddies" is your go-to podcast for all things buzzing in the world of beekeeping! Join Steve and Luke, two seasoned hobbyist beekeepers with over a decade of experience each, as they take you on a journey through the captivating realm of beekeeping.
Tune in as they share firsthand accounts of the latest buzz in their personal bee yards parked in picturesque Peoria, IL. From Midwest seasonal hive updates to intriguing anecdotes, Steve and Luke provide invaluable insights garnered from years of tending to their buzzing colonies.
Stay informed with their segment on the latest buzzworthy news in the beekeeping community. Whether it's breakthroughs in bee research or tips on sustainable beekeeping practices, they've got you covered with the latest buzz.
Have burning questions about beekeeping? Fear not! Dial into their "Honeybee Hotline" segment, where Steve and Luke lend their expertise to answer listener-submitted queries. Whether you're a novice beekeeper or a seasoned pro, their wealth of knowledge and friendly banter make for an enlightening and entertaining listen.
So grab your beekeeping gear and buddy up with Steve and Luke as they explore the sweet world of beekeeping on "Beekeeping Buddies"!
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Episode 44 - Beekeeping in Arizona with Honey Hives Farm, Package Queen Swapping, Hive Body Types and more!
Season 3 · Episode 44
Wednesday, April 1, 2026 • Duration 01:10:09
Episode 44 of Beekeeping Buddies takes us out west as we talk about beekeeping in Arizona and how conditions there compare to what many of us see in the Midwest. We also dig into swapping queens in package bees, including why a beekeeper might choose to do it. In this episode's Honeybee Hotline, we answer listener questions and work through practical beekeeping issues from the field. Lastly on our droning on, we talk about what we will be doing as we reach warmer temperatures and longer days!
Episode 43 - Is Spring Here? Accident in the Yard! Luke Goes to the Midwest Honeybee Expo!
Season 3 · Episode 43
Saturday, February 28, 2026 • Duration 01:15:58
We're enjoying a stretch of beautiful weather here in the Peoria area, and that can only mean one thing for beekeepers: false spring temptation.
This week, Steve and Luke talk through what you should (and shouldn't) be doing during these warm February days. When is it smart to crack a lid? When should you leave well enough alone? And how do you avoid setting your colonies back before maples even think about blooming?
Luke also shares a hard lesson from the yard an accident that resulted in a grass fire. What happened, what caused it, and what you can do to avoid the same mistake around your apiary.
Finally, Luke breaks down some of the standout speakers and takeaways from the Midwest Honeybee Expo in Wisconsin. From practical management tips to bigger industry conversations, there was plenty worth bringing back home to Illinois.
If you're staring at your hives in 50-degree weather wondering whether to "just take a quick peek," this episode is for you.
Episode 34 - Cooler Weather Preparation, Honey Harvest for Summer, Open Feeding, Working with the USDA, Another Strange Cutout... and Important Bee News!
Season 2 · Episode 34
Thursday, August 28, 2025 • Duration 50:25
Around the Yard:
Cooler Weather: Fall has started peeking around the corner. What do we do?
Honey Harvest for Summer: Luke and Steve take the last of our summer honey.
Open Feeding: Is it the time for open feeding yet?
Illinois USDA: Luke and Steve are working with the USDA... providing small hive beetles.
Can You Feed Maple Syrup: We talk about if this is a problem!
Taking Honey Leaving Deep and Medium: What does it take to overwinter in a deep and a medium? Are there other issues?
Droning On:
What are we doing in the next few weeks?
Luke's New Trip: Luke goes overseas to check out an overseas apiary!
Tune in to Episode 34 for all this and more as we delve into the world of beekeeping in Central Illinois, providing you with practical advice, the latest news, and answers to your buzzing questions.
Episode 33 - Pulling Honey, Fall Prep, News from Luke, and Lots of Honeybee Hotline
Season 2 · Episode 33
Wednesday, August 13, 2025 • Duration 01:22:31
Around the Yard:
Pulling Honey: Luke and Steve talk about the struggles of staying cool in the bee yard.
Fall Prep: Is it already time to feed our bees for winter? What treatments do we use?
In the News
Big News From Luke
Honeybee Hotline:
How Long Does a Field Bee Spend Away: We talk mabout when to treat, what we are treating with, and how useful are the new OA boards?
Queen Introduction Problem: Our tips and tricks on introducing a new queen.
Laying Worker vs New Queen: How do you tell the difference between a laying worker and a newly mated queen?
Doomed to Always Have Hive Beetles?: If you have hive beetles once are they always at that hive?
Tune in to Episode 33 for all this and more as we delve into the world of beekeeping in Central Illinois, providing you with practical advice, the latest news, and answers to your buzzing questions.
Episode 32 - Staying Cool in the Bee Yard, Time to Feed?, Hive Treatment, Queen Introduction, Problems Running a Beekeeping Management Business
Season 2 · Episode 32
Tuesday, July 29, 2025 • Duration 53:04
Around the Yard:
Staying Cool: Luke and Steve talk about the struggles of staying cool in the bee yard.
Time to Feed?: Is it already time to feed our bees for winter?
Honeybee Hotline:
Hive Treatments: We talk mabout when to treat, what we are treating with, and how useful are the new OA boards?
Queen Introduction: Our tips and tricks on introducing a new queen.
Droning On:
Extracting Honey: Luke and Steve are busy getting ready to extract honey.
Problems Running a Beekeeping Business: Luke shares some of his struggles running a beekeeping business.
Tune in to Episode 32 for all this and more as we delve into the world of beekeeping in Central Illinois, providing you with practical advice, the latest news, and answers to your buzzing questions.
Episode 31 - Raising Virgin Queens, Luke Goes to the Purdue Queen Rearing Course, How We Go Through Hives, Hive Cutouts, Extracting
Season 2 · Episode 31
Friday, July 18, 2025 • Duration 55:32
Around the Yard:
Virgin Queen Raising: Luke and Steve talk about raising some virgin VSH Queens.
Purdue Queen Rearing: Luke takes the Purdue queen rearing course.
Going Through Hives: Luke and Steve talk about how we go through hives.
In the News:
Hive Cutout: Luke and Steve talk about their first cutout 11 years ago!
Droning On:
Extracting Honey: Luke and Steve are busy getting ready to extract honey.
Master Beekeeper Course: Luke talks more about the master beekeeper course.
Flow Hives: Luke and Steve talk about our flow hives.
Tune in to Episode 31 for all this and more as we delve into the world of beekeeping in Central Illinois, providing you with practical advice, the latest news, and answers to your buzzing questions.
Episode 30 - Honey Extracted, Grafting, Virgin Queens, Adding Supers, Inspector Visits, Honeybee Hotline, Field Day, and Around the Yard
Season 2 · Episode 30
Thursday, June 19, 2025 • Duration 01:22:18
Around the Yard:
Harvesting Honey:Luke and Steve have harvested honey.
Grafting: Luke continues to graft!
Queens Obtained: Queens purchased from Kobe Apiary for the Dalan Animal Vaccine
Adding Supers: Continues to add supers to hives.
Inspector Visits: Our local inspector came to visit Luke!
In the News:
Field Day: What is a club field day and should your local club have one?
Droning On:
Purdue Queen Grafting: Luke is headed to Purdue to check out some queen grafting.
Hive Cutouts: Luke and Steve have some more cutouts coming up.
Beekeeping Insurance: Luke is finally insured (again) for the cutouts.
Tune in to Episode 30 for all this and more as we delve into the world of beekeeping in Central Illinois, providing you with practical advice, the latest news, and answers to your buzzing questions.
Discord Server Live:https://discord.gg/SzCUt7yZ come talk to Steve and Luke and make some beekeeping buddies!
Rewaxing Frames: What we use to rewax our frames.
Queenless Colonies: Do you add brood from another hive when I add a queen?
How Many Queen Cells: How many grafted queen cells do you add to a hive?
Honeybound: How to deal with honeybound hives.
How to Move Bees Into Drawn Supers: How we get bees to move into drawn supers.
How to Fix a Drone Laying Queen Coming Out of Winter
How to Requeen a Large, Mean, Hive
Where is the Colony Cliff?
Droning On:
Honey, Treating, and Spring Splits: Luke and Steve talk about what we are doing.
Episode 28 - Hold On Because Here We Go! Spring flow is on and the bees are off!
Season 2 · Episode 28
Tuesday, May 20, 2025 • Duration 49:26
Welcome to Episode 28 of Beekeeping Buddies. The podcast where Steve and Luke talk about beekeeping in the Central Illinois area.
Around the Yard:
Purchasing Hives: Steve buys some hives from a local beekeeper who is chasing her dreams!
Queen Hatching Experience: Steve finds a unique experience working the club beehives, and some lessons learned.
Oops: Luke makes a mistake with one of his hives!
Nectar Flow: Nectar is coming in so fast it's difficult to keep up.
Swarm Captures: Ideas for catching swarms and how we go about it this busy season.
In the News:
Bumblebees Have a Flower Preference: Study shows bumblebee pressure with pollination is causing some flowers shift from red to yellow.
Honeybee Hotline:
Discord Server Live:https://discord.gg/SzCUt7yZ come talk to Steve and Luke and make some beekeeping buddies!
City Ordinances: Ever wanted to change your city ordinances? Luke and Steve talk about how we did it!
Droning On:
Queen Rearing Course: Luke and Steve work on their queen rearing course.
Moving Bees To Clover: Trying out moving queens to clover.
Oxylic Acid Pads: Luke makes and is trying out OA pads for his hives.
Bonus Content:
Riverivew Road Apiary Needs a Truck?
Tune in to Episode 28 for all this and more as we delve into the world of beekeeping in Central Illinois, providing you with practical advice, the latest news, and answers to your buzzing questions.
Episode 27 - Swarms, Splits, Market Sales and more!
Season 2 · Episode 27
Monday, May 5, 2025 • Duration 58:16
Welcome to Episode 27 of Beekeeping Buddies. The podcast where Steve and Luke talk about beekeeping in the Central Illinois area.
Around the Yard:
Swarms: Luke and Steve continue to pick up swarms!
Splits: It's that time of year to make your splits. Luke and Steve discuss how we do that.
Moving Bees to Clover Farm: Luke and Steve discuss moving some bees.
Steve's Purchasing Adventures: What is involved when buying someone's hives?
In the News:
Honeybee Losses: Will beekeeping have to change with the times?
Droning On:
Hive Checks: What we are seeing in our hives.
Queen Grafting: Queen grafting classes.
Tune in to Episode 27 for all this and more as we delve into the world of beekeeping in Central Illinois, providing you with practical advice, the latest news, and answers to your buzzing questions.
Tune in to Episode 29 for all this and more as we delve into the world of beekeeping in Central Illinois, providing you with practical advice, the latest news, and answers to your buzzing questions.
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