In this special Beekeeping Today Podcast Short, Jeff Ott and Becky Masterman record live from the floor of the Midwest Honey Bee Expo, bringing listeners a series of conversations with beekeepers, educators, and innovators shaping today's beekeeping community.

The episode captures the energy of the expo, where hundreds of beekeepers gather to learn, connect, and share ideas. From practical hive management to emerging technologies and equipment, these conversations highlight the diversity of perspectives and experiences within beekeeping.

Jeff and Becky begin with David Burns, a well-known educator and EAS Certified Master Beekeeper, who shares insights on queen acceptance and the importance of ensuring colonies are truly queenless before requeening. The discussion then shifts to Amanda Stoltz of BroodMinder, who explains how hive monitoring data can help beekeepers make better decisions without unnecessary disturbance. Finally, Tracy Perlmeyer of Hive Butler introduces a versatile tool designed to make beekeeping tasks cleaner, easier, and more efficient.

Together, these interviews reflect the collaborative spirit of beekeeping—where shared knowledge, innovation, and community support help beekeepers at all levels succeed.

This is Part 1 of a multi-episode series recorded at the 2026 Midwest Honey Bee Expo.

Featured Guests

David Burns – EAS Certified Master Beekeeper; educator and YouTube content creator
Amanda Stoltz – BroodMinder, New Queen Bee
Tracy Pielemeir – Hive Butler, Founder

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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

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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!

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

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[Bonus] Short - Midwest Honey Bee Expo Interviews: Beekeepers and Innovations (Part 1)