Host Eric welcomes Kevin O’Connor of Bee Boys Apiary from Waiohinu on the Big Island of Hawaiʻi to talk about what many consider one of the spiciest topics in beekeeping: treatment-free, regenerative beekeeping.

Before the interview, Eric shares a fascinating new study on the waggle dance, showing that bees don’t just pass on direction and distance—they actually integrate dance information with their own cognitive map of the landscape to anticipate landmarks and fly more efficiently.

Kevin walks us through the philosophy behind his 100% treatment-free beekeeping business: no plastic, no feeding, no foundation, no pollination services, bees allowed to swarm, and an 8-year closed line of genetics stemming from a single colony. He explains why this slow, sometimes painful path (you will lose colonies at first) can produce very resilient “landrace” honey bees when you pair it with abundant, diverse forage and a clean environment.

They also tackle the big objections—“you’re sending me mite bombs,” “you can’t do that where winters are hard,” “I can’t do that with 2,000 colonies”—and Kevin gives the nuanced answer: you can move toward it, but it’s a multi-year, location-aware transition and you can’t shortcut the genetics of your bees.

Finally, Kevin shares how farmers markets became his best business channel—because people will happily pay top dollar (yes, $45–$50/pint!) when they can look the beekeeper in the eye, hear how the bees are kept, and see all the value-added products (salves, balms, honey vinegars) that come from clean wax and honey.

VIDEO VERSION: https://youtu.be/TEvKZuO2d8k

Mann Lake's New Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/mannlake

Kevin O'Connor: https://beeboys.org/

Special thanks to our presenting sponsor, Mann Lake! https://www.mannlakeltd.com/

Mann Lake discount code: MLBEELOVE10 for $10 off your first $100 order.

https://www.beelovebeekeeping.com/

Eric@BeeLoveBeekeeping.com

What can you learn from a 50 year beekeeper? Chuck Kutik opens up about everything he has learned about beekeeping and making money in the business of bees, over the years.

In this engaging episode, host Eric Bennett welcomes Chuck, a 50-year veteran commercial beekeeper from New York.

Chuck opens up about the fascinating life of bees, the business side of beekeeping, and what it takes to balance passion, profit, and pollination. From moving thousands of hives for blueberry pollination to dealing with bears, yellow jasmine, and lightning strikes, Chuck’s stories blend humor, humility, and decades of hard-earned wisdom.

Episode Highlights The Wonder of the Hive: Chuck shares how each beehive feels like divine creation in motion — a glimpse of harmony between bees, flowers, and nature itself.

Pollination Journeys: His favorite job? Pollinating blueberries in North Carolina. Chuck describes hauling 3,000 hives south, working with farmers he now calls friends, and how blueberries, almonds, and even weather patterns shape the bees’ health.

Toxic Blooms & Bee Hazards: Learn why yellow jasmine, South Carolina’s state flower, is poisonous to bees — and how even his workers once found out the hard way.

Trucking Bees Across America: Chuck details the challenges of transporting bees across long distances — from ventilation hacks on semis to surviving long nights and a near-miss lightning storm in Maine.

The Business of Bees: From selling nucs and queens to running retail stores and pollination contracts, Chuck explains which parts of beekeeping actually make money — and how new beekeepers can start smart.

Honey Varieties & Flavor Talk: Explore the unique tastes of clover, blueberry, sourwood, locust, and the rare Tupelo honey — which Chuck confesses is his favorite.

Lessons in Loss & Survival: How Chuck’s colonies fared through cold winters, why new comb and young queens make a difference, and the constant battle with Varroa mites.

Beekeeping Humor & Humanity: Chuck recalls youthful misadventures, from overworking himself to bringing a spare truck transmission on the road — “because you never know.”

Advice for Beginners: Chuck reminds new beekeepers that bees aren’t for saving money — they’re for joy. “If you just want cheap honey, buy it. But if you love nature and God’s creation, then you’ll love keeping bees.”

VIDEO VERSION: https://youtu.be/2OPwBJqBZ1s

____________________

Mann Lake's New Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/mannlake

Chuck Kutik: https://www.kutiks.com/

Special thanks to our presenting sponsor, Mann Lake! https://www.mannlakeltd.com/

Mann Lake discount code: MLBEELOVE10 for $10 off your first $100 order.

https://www.beelovebeekeeping.com/

Eric@BeeLoveBeekeeping.com

Has Varroa met it's match? Is there really a birth control for mites?

Beekeepers celebrate with this episode of Bee Love Beekeeping!

We start with a love letter to honeybees and the beekeepers who tend them, then head to the Bee Love newsroom: small hive beetle turns up in southeast Alaska for the first time, and West Virginia considers a statewide Beekeeping Rights Bill that would centralize apiary regulations and protect beekeepers.

Our main segment features Eric Walgren and Adam Pachl from GreenLight Biosciences on Narroa, a new RNA treatment that prevents Varroa mites from reproducing rather than poisoning them. We cover safety (no special PPE, broad working temps), application (a sugar-syrup pouch nurse bees convert into brood food), timing and strategy (best as a preventive when mite loads are low; pairs well after a knock-down), storage and shelf life, and availability following recent EPA registration.

We wrap with stories from the field and a beginner’s primer on why Varroa control is non-negotiable for all beekeepers.

It's all about the love of honey bees and the beekeepers!

Video Version: https://youtu.be/l9LsBn6pXh0

______________________

Mann Lake's New Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/mannlake

Norroa: https://norroa.com/

Special thanks to our presenting sponsor, Mann Lake! https://www.mannlakeltd.com/

Mann Lake discount code: MLBEELOVE10 for $10 off your first $100 order.

https://www.beelovebeekeeping.com/

Eric@BeeLoveBeekeeping.com