In this episode of Bee Science with Dewey, Dewey Caron introduces the concept of a colony necropsy—the careful reading of hive debris to understand what is happening inside a honey bee colony without opening the hive. By examining wax particles, pollen fragments, brood remains, mite debris, and other material on the hive floor, beekeepers can diagnose colony health, seasonal progress, and potential stressors with minimal disturbance.

Dewey explains how debris patterns change through the year, what normal versus concerning signs look like, and how this simple observational practice can guide smarter management decisions. From overwinter survival clues to early warning signals of brood disease or Varroa pressure, colony necropsy offers a low-cost, low-impact tool available to every beekeeper.

This episode reinforces a central theme of the series: good beekeeping begins with careful observation. By learning to interpret what bees leave behind, beekeepers gain insight that supports healthier colonies and more confident seasonal management.

Links and references mentioned in this episode:

Caron, D.M. 2018 Dead Colony Forensics. Bee Culture
Apiary Inspectors of America: https://apiaryinspectors.org/US-beekeeping-survey
Pacific Northwest Honey Bee Survey: https://pnwhoneybeesurvey.com
Underwood, R and D. M. van Englesdorf. 2007. Colony Collapse Disorder: Have We Seen This Before? American Bee Journal.
Beekeeping Today Podcast, Episode 372 with Ray Baxter, "Bottom Up Beekeeping": https://beekeepingtodaypodcast.com/372-bottom-up-beekeeping

______________

Brought to you by Betterbee – your partners in better beekeeping.

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

_______________

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!

Podcast music: Be Strong by Young Presidents; Epilogue by Musicalman; Faraday by BeGun; Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus; A Fresh New Start by Pete Morse; Wedding Day by Boomer; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; Red Jack Blues by Daniel Hart; Bolero de la Fontero by Rimsky Music; Perfect Sky by Graceful Movement; Original guitar background instrumental by Jeff Ott.

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

** As an Amazon Associate, we may earn a commission from qualifying purchases