Author Archives: Ron Miksha
Can’t Get it out of the Comb?
The American Bee Journal published a timely piece in their August issue. It just hit my mailbox. The article is about avoiding granulated honey in your extracting frames. It’s written by your favourite bee-blogger. Me. I’m not going to repeat … Continue reading
Posted in Beekeeping, Climate, Commercial Beekeeping, Honey
Tagged American Bee Journal, beekeeping, fructose, glucose, granulation, honey
10 Comments
Bird-brained Hunting Partner
Scientists may have proven that African Honeyguide birds “communicate” with their human partners. You have probably already heard about this, as it’s been reported this week in Zaire’s Times, the New York Times, The New Yorker, and fine papers everywhere. … Continue reading
Posted in Ecology, Genetics, Hives and Combs
Tagged Africanized honey bees, Brazil, Carniolan honey bees, Central Europe, evolution, honeyguide
2 Comments
The Greatest Show on Earth
My home town – Calgary, Alberta, Canada – hosts an annual 10-day cowpoke fest called the Calgary Stampede, aka, “The Greatest Show on Earth”. I’m not a cowboy, but I’ve been lucky enough to help friends with spring branding and … Continue reading
Posted in Culture, or lack thereof, Friends, Outreach
Tagged bee, Calgary Bee Club, Calgary Stampede
1 Comment
Bees Do Do-Do
Diapers for bees? Some folks stopped me when I was leaving an apiary that I once had in a Florida orange grove. They didn’t own the grove, but their house was within fifty yards. They told me that my bees … Continue reading
Posted in Bee Yards, Beekeeping, Commercial Beekeeping, Humour, Strange, Odd Stuff
Tagged bee crap, Massachusetts
15 Comments
Falling Honey Price Makes National News
Something in the news caught my attention. The falling price of honey is now a national news item. We noticed that prices began falling a year ago, when wholesale prices started their tumble from $2.25 to $1.25. Now even the … Continue reading
Posted in Beekeeping, Commercial Beekeeping
Tagged business of beekeeping, honey prices, Manitoba
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Elderberry Honey
Yesterday I wrote about a lovely honey farm called Arlo’s which is near Kelowna, British Columbia. The farm produces a variety of noms (specializing in garlic) but there is a large well-kept apiary, too. I asked beekeeper Helen if she … Continue reading
Posted in Honey, Honey Plants
Tagged Arlo's Honey, British Columbia, elderberry, honey varieties, Kelowna
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Dropping into Sunshine Valley
My hometown – Calgary, Alberta, Canada – is having a much needed wet spell. In fact, there has been some ghastly local flooding which I’ll cover in a future blog. Lucky for me, I am a few hundred kilometres farther … Continue reading
Posted in Bee Yards, Beekeeping, Ecology, Friends, Save the Bees
Tagged Arlo's Honey, British Columbia, Kelowna, marketing honey, Okanagan
5 Comments
Bad Beekeeping Competition
I came across a blog posting titled “Bad beekeeping” over at ScienceBlogs.com. I was concerned that someone had picked up on my nomen – not that I have universal rights on the bad beekeeping phrase. But I wrote the book … Continue reading
Posted in Beekeeping, Hives and Combs, Humour, Save the Bees
Tagged Bad Beekeeping, science blogs
4 Comments
Don’t Step on a Bee Day
Today is Don’t Step on a Bee Day. See if you can keep it up all week!
Posted in Culture, or lack thereof, Humour, Save the Bees
Tagged Benny the Bee, Don't Step on a Bee Day
1 Comment
Malathion and Pesky Bugs
There’s a pesticide causing grief among some hobby beekeepers. No, not the neonicotinoids again (though they’re not without blame). This is an “older” poison. If you are a new beekeeper, you might not have heard of malathion. Malathion is deadly … Continue reading
Posted in Ecology, Pesticides, Save the Bees
Tagged bees, malathion, mosquitoes, Winnipeg
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Bad Beekeeping Blog 