Category Archives: Beekeeping
Should you feed pollen supplement?
In mid-March, Stevo Sun, a Calgary resident, sent some gorgeous pictures of honey bees foraging on silver maple. Maple is an ornamental here, at our elevation and latitude. But for less than $250, you can pick up a young tree … Continue reading
Better Hives: Dzierzon’s Boxes
Here in North America, we believe that modern beekeeping began with Langstroth, who discovered bee-space and movable frames. But Europeans are celebrating the Polish beekeeper, Johannes Dzierzon, for the same accomplishments. On the continent, it’s Dzierzon, Dzierzon, Dzierzon, everywhere you … Continue reading
Resolutions
Most of my New Years’ days have passed without resolutions. This year, I resolved, would be different. Along with the typical (exercise more and eat less), the necessary (write more), the obvious (finish that grad degree), the impossible (learn Hungarian), … Continue reading
Posted in Beekeeping, Ecology, Native Bees, Personal, Save the Bees
Tagged Native Bees, University of Calgary
6 Comments
2020 Rewind
Like an unruly house guest staying far past midnight (and still visiting the liquor cabinet), 2020 should have left long ago. It’s a year we won’t forget. A hurricane in an earthquake, delivering volcanic pyroclasts. Our 14-year-old will forever remember … Continue reading
Posted in Beekeeping, Strange, Odd Stuff
Tagged Alberta, bottling honey, British Columbia, Covid-19, fires, wasps
4 Comments
Visit the UK National Honey Show – Free!
I’ve always wanted to visit the UK National Honey Show, renowned as the ultimate in honey judging. But, it’s in the UK and I’m in Canada. Well, because of COVID-19, the event has moved on-line and we all have a … Continue reading
Posted in Beekeeping, Culture, or lack thereof, Hive Products, Honey
Tagged England, Events, honey judging, Honey Show
1 Comment
Ready for the cold?
Podcasts continue to grow in popularity. People are spending about two hours each day following the wise musings of their favourite word-weavers. I heard that Joe Rogan signed with Spotify for $100,000,000 (though he’s locked in for ten years). I … Continue reading
Posted in Beekeeping, Tools and Gadgets
Tagged Adony Melathopoulos, Alberta, feeding bees, podcast, wintering
3 Comments
Frosted Honey
My cousin, who lives in Europe, sent me the photograph above. She was wondering what had gone wrong with her honey – and how she could fix it. First, I have to wonder if this is something ‘wrong’. Honey with … Continue reading
Covid: How we got our bees
Some really unusual things have been going on in the bee world since the advent of Covid-19. These include a big setback for beekeepers in my community and the rescue of stranded Canadians in Central America – a rescue performed … Continue reading
Posted in Beekeeping, Commercial Beekeeping, Pollination
Tagged Bees on TV, Covid-19, nuc
4 Comments
A Guide to Controlling Varroa
Spring is arriving in the north, and a young man’s mind thinks about romance. And varroa. There’s a nice new single-page guide that offers a quick look at integrated pest management (IPM) for the varroa beast. You can read some … Continue reading
Posted in Bee Biology, Beekeeping, Diseases and Pests
Tagged Integrated Pest Management, IPM, varroa mites
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The Richard Taylor Centennial
I certainly could not let this year pass without a note or two about Richard Taylor, American beekeeper and philosopher. He would have reached 100 years in November. Alas, he expired seventeen years earlier. It’s hard to say which of … Continue reading
