102 Beekeeping Controversies With Susan Rudnicki

Behind the headlines about bee die-offs is an untold story about the methods of conventional beekeeping. There is a sharp divide between mainstream beekeepers and natural beekeepers. In this episode we delve deep into the controversies over how bees are managed with beekeeper Susan Rudnicki. We recorded this episode in front of a live audience at one of Honey Love’s monthly symposiums. We get into a lot of detail on beekeeping methods, so consider this episode a kind of natural beekeeping 101. During the podcast Susan discusses:

• Why are all the bees dying?
• Treatment vs. non-treatment.
• Why most advice is pro-treatment.
• Keeping feral stock.
• Africanized bees.
• Mistakes.
• How often to inspect.
• Swarm prevention.
• When to take honey in a Mediterranean climate
• Dodgy bee removal services.
• The “Complete Idiots Guide to Beekeeping.”
• What’s wrong with package bees?
• The difference between swarming and absconding.
• That Flow Hive thingy.
• Darwinian concepts in beekeeping.
• “Scientific” beekeeper Randy Oliver’s change of opinion on feral stock: here and here.
• Bee Audacious conference.
• Foundation vs. no foundation.
• Reducing entrances.
• Queen excluders.
• Screened bottom boards.
• Straightening crooked comb.
• Eight frame boxes.
• The problem with organic treatments.
• Les Crowder’s “Top Bar Beekeeping.”

If you’d like to leave a question for the Root Simple Podcast please call (213) 537-2591 or send an email to [email protected]. You can subscribe to our podcast in the iTunes store and on Stitcher. The theme music is by Dr. Frankenstein. A downloadable version of this podcast is here.

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