Author Archives: Ron Miksha

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About Ron Miksha

Ron Miksha is a bee ecologist working at the University of Calgary. He is also a geophysicist and does a bit of science writing and blogging. Ron has worked as a radio broadcaster, a beekeeper, and Earth scientist. (Ask him about seismic waves.) He's based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

Podcast: from Beyonce to bee forage and beyond

Posted on August 26, 2024 by Ron Miksha

Season 1 Episode 5: About Bees, Culture & Curiosity Podcast – Some Bee Buzz In today’s podcast episode, we jump from moving bees between Alberta and British Columbia to examining a recent paper about the ecology of disappearing bee species. … Continue reading →

Posted in Bee Biology, Culture, or lack thereof, Ecology, Native Bees, Personal, Podcasts, Strange, Odd Stuff | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Podcast: The Bees’ Ears

Posted on August 13, 2024 by Ron Miksha

Our latest podcast rambles around the bees’ ears. Available everywhere you grab your podcasts. Enjoy. Season 1 Episode 4: About Bees, Culture & Curiosity Podcast – The Bees’ Ears In this episode, we discover that insects, including bees, can hear. They … Continue reading →

Posted in Bee Biology, Culture, or lack thereof, History, Podcasts, Pollination, Science, Strange, Odd Stuff | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Podcasting about bees

Posted on August 5, 2024 by Ron Miksha

I considered launching a podcast several times over the past few years. However, I had been a guest on half a dozen shows, so I recognized the enormous amount of effort and time that hosting a podcast entails. It’s a … Continue reading →

Posted in Beekeeping, Friends, Personal, Podcasts | Tagged | 7 Comments

Who’s afraid of a few bees?

Posted on May 1, 2024 by Ron Miksha

Yesterday’s New York Times had a lengthy first-person account of the disturbing tale of a home invasion. Dozens came in, none left alive. According to the author, Sarah Kliff, “Honey bees invaded my house, and no one would help.” This … Continue reading →

Posted in Beekeeping, Outreach, Save the Bees, Stings | Tagged , , , | 6 Comments

Stack ’em High

Posted on February 13, 2024 by Ron Miksha

Long ago (about 1975), there was an amazing beekeeper, now a legend, in northeast Saskatchewan. He consistently had 300-pound/hive crops. This was Dr. Don Peer (PhD, 1955, U Wisconsin). Peer once told us “If I were king of the world, … Continue reading →

Posted in Beekeeping, Commercial Beekeeping, Culture, or lack thereof, Hives and Combs, Honey | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Bees and frequencies

Posted on January 26, 2024 by Ron Miksha

Hi, Everyone! Chief Lee Crowchild and I have been asked to present at the Calgary Science Centre for an upcoming Indigenous Science Night. Attendance will be up to about 1700 people and the event is just a few weeks away, … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, or lack thereof, Friends, Native Bees, Science | Tagged , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Bees flying high

Posted on January 13, 2024 by Ron Miksha

Almost every time I teach a beginning beekeeping course, a student or two comes forward to whisper: “If I move my bees to a patch of cannabis, will I get weedy honey?” I tell them that cannabis buds don’t secrete … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Culture, or lack thereof, Ecology, History, Honey, Honey Plants, People, Personal, Podcasts, Strange, Odd Stuff | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

The heat is up

Posted on January 1, 2024 by Ron Miksha

My badbeekeeping blog has largely avoided the topic of global climate change. It’s contentious. Some insist it’s happening; other insist that it ain’t. I have purposefully tried to limit my conversation on the topic because I didn’t want to alienate … Continue reading →

Posted in Beekeeping, Climate, Culture, or lack thereof, Personal | Tagged , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

A Langstroth Christmas Story

Posted on December 25, 2023 by Ron Miksha

I’ve been posting this piece nearly every Christmas for a while. If you’ve read it before, read it again. Or not. Christmas Day is L.L. Langstroth’s birthday. He’d be 214 years old, if he hadn’t been struck down in his … Continue reading →

Posted in Beekeeping, Books, Culture, or lack thereof, History, Hives and Combs, People, Tools and Gadgets | Tagged , , | 5 Comments

Kim Flottum: a life among the bees

Posted on December 19, 2023 by Ron Miksha

Mid-70s is too young to pass over to the other side. But that was the fate for Kim Flottum, 76, who passed away Sunday, December 10, 2023, after a short battle with cancer. The bright and adventurous bee master, editor, … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Friends, History, People, Podcasts | Tagged , , , , | 7 Comments