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In this episode, we welcome back Colorado beekeeper, . Tom had a small commercial operation in Colorado in the late 70’s, running up to 200 or so colonies when he first started using two queen colonies. The biology of running two queens in a colony...
In this episode, we welcome back Colorado beekeeper, Tom Theobald. Tom had a small commercial operation in Colorado in the late 70’s, running up to 200 or so colonies when he first started using two queen colonies. The biology of running two queens in a colony does make sense if you use the technique Tom perfected, but the better you get, the more lifting you are going to do. His finished production hives had three deeps for brood production and seven mediums for honey storage. At the time, an average to strong colony in his part of Colorado would make about 70 pounds of honey in a season, Tom’s two queen colonies averaged between 240 and 270 pounds!
The advantages, beside huge honey crops, were that these colonies started with last year’s queen, and a new, second queen was added in early spring. When the season was over, the new queen almost always prevailed, thus starting the next season with a proven queen. Plus, with a foraging population as large as these colonies produced, there was a vast store house of pollen the next spring for that season’s buildup.
Two-queen honey production is becoming a lost art as it takes a lot of work, timing and an understanding of your area’s nectar flows. However, the payoff is big! If you have bees in a location with lots of forage and not too much varroa or pesticide pressure, this approach may work for you.
Tom and we would like to know if you or a beekeeper you know uses the two-queen approach. Let us know on our website!
Links and websites mentioned in this podcast:
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Thanks to Strong Microbials for their support of Beekeeping Today
Podcast. Find out more about heir line of probiotics in our Season 3, Episode 12 episode and from their website: https://www.strongmicrobials.com
This episode is brought to you by Global Patties! Global Patties is a family business that manufactures protein supplement patties for honey bees. Feeding your hives protein supplement patties will help 
ensure that they produce strong and health colonies by increasing brood production and overall honey flow. Global offers a variety of standard patties, as well as custom patties to meet your specific needs. Visit them today at http://globalpatties.com and let them know you appreciate them sponsoring this episode!
We want to also thank 2 Million Blossoms as a sponsor of the podcast. 2 Million Blossoms is a quarterly magazine destined for
your coffee table. Each page of the magazine is dedicated to the stories and photos of all pollinators and written by leading researchers, photographers and our very own, Kim Flottum.
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We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com
Thanks to Bee Culture, the Magazine of American Beekeeping, for their support of The Beekeeping Today Podcast. Available in print and digital at www.beeculture.com
Thank you for listening!
Podcast music: Young Presidents, "Be Strong", Musicalman, "Epilogue"
Beekeeper, Columnist
Tom Theobald was a notable figure in the beekeeping community, particularly recognized for his advocacy and dedication to the health and welfare of bees. Residing in Niwot, Colorado, Theobald had a profound impact on both local and national beekeeping circles.
His journey in beekeeping began in the 1970s, when he transitioned from a career in information technology to full-time beekeeping. This shift marked the start of a passionate and committed journey in the world of apiculture. Theobald managed his own apiaries, nurturing and caring for bees, while also being deeply involved in the broader beekeeping community. Tom was a founding member of the Boulder County Beekeepers Assn.
Tom was widely know in the Boulder area for his column, "Notes from the Beeyard" in local papers and the Fence Post, a weekly agricultural publication.
One of Theobald's most significant contributions was his advocacy for the wellbeing of bees, especially in the face of growing concerns about pesticides and their impact on bee populations. He was particularly vocal about the risks posed by neonicotinoid pesticides.
Tom passed on November 10, 2021
