# Regional Beekeepers Spring 2026: Honey Flows, Varroa, and What's Working (387)

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/beekeeping-today-podcast-512758/regional-beekeepers-spring-2026-honey-flows-varroa-and-what-s-working-387
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/beekeeping-today-podcast-512758/regional-beekeepers-spring-2026-honey-flows-varroa-and-what-s-working-387.md
Podcast: [Beekeeping Today Podcast](https://stenobird.com/podcast/beekeeping-today-podcast-512758)
Published: 2026-06-01T10:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://www.beekeepingtodaypodcast.com/387-regional-beekeepers-spring-2026
Audio file: https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/traffic.libsyn.com/secure/beekeepingtodaypodcast/387-Spring-Regionals.mp3?dest-id=2537132
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/beekeeping-today-podcast-512758/episodes/regional-beekeepers-spring-2026-honey-flows-varroa-and-what-s-working-387
Duration seconds: 3198

## Resource

In this spring 2026 edition of Regional Beekeepers, Jeff Ott and Becky Masterman welcome a familiar panel of beekeepers from across North America to compare notes on how the season is unfolding in their respective regions. Joining the discussion are Ang Roell (Northeast), Bonnie Morse (Northern California), Duane Combs (Arizona), Jay Williams (Tennessee), and Paul Longwell (Pacific Northwest). The conversation highlights the remarkable regional differences in weather, nectar flows, colony buildup, and honey production. Duane reports one of Arizona's best honey seasons in decades following unusually wet conditions, while Bonnie describes strong honey production in California alongside increasing concerns about Varroa mites and small hive beetles. Ang shares updates on queen breeding and a new research project examining the heritability of Varroa-sensitive hygiene traits. Jay discusses challenges caused by a difficult winter, late queen production, and his early experiences with the new mite-control product Norroa. Varroa management remains a central topic, with panelists comparing treatment strategies, discussing oxalic acid applications, Formic Pro, VarroxSan, and emerging approaches to mite control. The conversation naturally expands into small hive beetles, producing both practical advice and several memorable stories from the field. The group also shares lessons learned from mistakes, unexpected setbacks, and successful innovations. Topics range from hurricane recovery and extreme desert heat to transporting bees, honey marketing, 3D-printed beekeeping tools, agritourism experiences, honey tastings, and bee-centered wellness programs. As always, the Regional Beekeepers episode provides a valuable snapshot of beekeeping conditions across the continent while highlight…

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