What do NASA astronauts and backyard beekeepers have in common? They both know that honey bees don’t always follow the rules!

This episode of Bee Love Beekeeping starts with a wild trip into space before welcoming Ben Cooper, a Pennsylvania beekeeper with more than 50 years of experience.

_____________

It's Time For Winter Bee Prep!

$10 off your next order! https://www.mannlakeltd.com/

• Discount Code: MLBEELOVE10

_____________

Ben shares practical tips for reading frames, spotting queen and brood issues, identifying pests like small hive beetles, and figuring out what your colony really needs as winter approaches. Spoiler alert: sometimes your queen isn’t broken—she’s just following the calendar!

Then it’s time for some creative beekeeping hacks that could save your wallet from getting stung. From catching free swarms with bait hives to recycling old wax and discovering the surprising flavors of seasonal honey, Ben proves that a resourceful beekeeper doesn’t need every shiny gadget on the market.

Whether you’re new to beekeeping or a seasoned beekeeper, you’ll pick up useful insights into caring for honey bees, managing your frames, and learning to expect the unexpected. Because after 50 years, even Ben knows who’s really running the hive—and it isn’t us!

VIDEO VERSION Now Available on Apple Podcasts and YouTube

_____________

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

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

Follow Us: https://www.beelovebeekeeping.com/follow/

https://www.beelovebeekeeping.com/

Eric@BeeLoveBeekeeping.com

Ben: https://www.facebook.com/groups/AlleganyMountainBeekeepers

Honey harvesting without the sticky mess? Yes, please! 🐝

On this episode of Bee Love Beekeeping, Eric Bennett chats with Simon Mildred of Hivekeepers, an Australian innovator making honey extraction easier with clever reusable cassettes and a compact honey harvester. Less cleanup, less fuss, and more time enjoying the bees and their sweet stuff!

_____________

It's Time For Winter Bee Prep!

$10 off your next order! https://www.mannlakeltd.com/

• Discount Code: MLBEELOVE10

_____________

First, Eric gets into the honey bee’s sneaky stinger, which can keep pumping venom even after detaching.

Then Simon shares how his invention could make beekeeping less intimidating for beginners, help every beekeeper sample different honey flavors throughout the season, and give those busy honey bees a little less wax-building work.

Sweet science and sticky innovation—what’s not to buzz about?

VIDEO VERSION Now Available on Apple Podcasts and YouTube

_____________

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

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

Follow Us: https://www.beelovebeekeeping.com/follow/

https://www.beelovebeekeeping.com/

Eric@BeeLoveBeekeeping.com

https://hivekeepers.com/

What do you get when you combine a French beekeeper, illegal rooftop beehives in Manhattan, a legendary bee venom pioneer, and a healthy dose of curiosity? One seriously sweet episode of Bee Love Beekeeping!

Host & beekeeper Eric Bennett, chats with Jean-François La Rivière, a beekeeper and apitherapy expert living in southwestern France, who shares the wild story of sneaking honey bees onto a New York City rooftop—black garbage bags and elevator rides included.

_____________

It's Time For Winter Bee Prep!

$10 off your next order! https://www.mannlakeltd.com/

• Discount Code: MLBEELOVE10

_____________

From Manhattan’s urban apiaries to the rolling pastures of France, Jean-François has spent years exploring the fascinating world of bees and their remarkable products.

Then it’s time to get sticky with apitherapy—the traditional use of bee products like honey, propolis, royal jelly, bee pollen, beeswax, and even bee venom for health and medicinal care.

Whether you’re a seasoned beekeeper or just curious about what your honey bees are making besides honey, this conversation is packed with history, unusual adventures, and enough bee-related rabbit holes to keep you buzzing!

VIDEO VERSION Now Available on Apple Podcasts and YouTube

_____________

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

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

Follow Us: https://www.beelovebeekeeping.com/follow/

https://www.beelovebeekeeping.com/

Eric@BeeLoveBeekeeping.com

https://beehealthyfarms.com/

https://www.chezlesabeilles.com/en/