Dr. Jamie Ellis joins Beekeeping Today Podcast to discuss improving honey bee health, colony management strategies, and how beekeepers can strengthen their colonies heading into spring.

Jamie shares insights from his work in research, extension education, and beekeeper outreach, helping bridge the gap between academic science and real-world beekeeping practices. The conversation explores how beekeepers can make better management decisions by understanding colony biology, seasonal dynamics, and the pressures that modern honey bee colonies face.

Jeff, Becky, and Jamie discuss the importance of monitoring colonies closely as winter transitions into spring. This includes evaluating colony strength, assessing food reserves, and preparing for rapid brood expansion that often accompanies early nectar flows. Jamie emphasizes that successful beekeeping often comes down to careful observation and timely intervention rather than rigid adherence to calendar-based management.

The conversation also touches on common misconceptions that beekeepers encounter when managing colonies and the importance of staying adaptable in response to changing environmental conditions, pests, and disease pressures.

Jamie's ability to translate complex research into practical guidance makes this episode particularly valuable for beekeepers at all experience levels. Whether managing a few backyard colonies or operating a larger apiary, listeners will find useful reminders about the fundamentals of good colony management and the importance of staying curious about the biology and behavior of honey bees.

Websites from the episode and others we recommend:

University of Florida Honey Bee Research and Extension Lab: https://entnemdept.ufl.edu/honey-bee/
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 © 2026 by Growing Planet Media, LLC

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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!

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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!

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Beekeeping Today Podcast is an audio production of Growing Planet Media, LLC

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Copyright © 2026 by Growing Planet Media, LLC

Jamie Ellis: Improving Honey Bee Health (376)

Beekeeping Today Podcast