Category Archives: Culture, or lack thereof
Too Hot for Bees? Arizona Heat, Drought, and Rescuing Bees
How hot is too hot for a honey bee? That question doesn’t mean much sitting here in Calgary on a mild (20°C) summer day. It becomes important to my niece, keeping bees in southern Arizona where the thermometer was pushing … Continue reading
Where Have All the Bugs Gone?
A few weeks ago, I drove from Calgary to Banff and back again. It was a beautiful summer day. The mountains were spectacular, the wildflowers were in bloom, and the bumble bees were busy. When I returned home, however, something … Continue reading
What happens to beekeepers if Alberta leaves Canada?
Alberta has a separatist movement with a minority (20%?) of people out here thinking Alberta should become an independent country, then join the USA. I talked about this in detail on my latest podcast (which also includes a recap about … Continue reading
Posted in Beekeeping, Commercial Beekeeping, Culture, or lack thereof, Honey, Podcasts, Strange, Odd Stuff
Tagged Alberta, Alberta joining USA, Alberta referendum, beekeeping, beekeeping economics, bees, Canola honey, CFIA, Commercial Beekeeping, honey bees, Honey production, package bees, USDA
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March is Orange Blossom Month
I just released a podcast episode about citrus trees. I’ve been trying to find honey plants in bloom during each month. I’ve been surprisingly consistent since I started this series in July with sweet clover. This is March, there is … Continue reading
Posted in Bee Yards, Beekeeping, Commercial Beekeeping, Culture, or lack thereof, Honey Plants, Podcasts
Tagged beekeeping, Florida, honey bees, orange blossom
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Serving the Perfect Cup of Tea
The perfect cup of tea starts with honey. At least, that’s how the royals do it. It’s hard to argue that anyone else would know better. They’ve got history, experience, connections and money. And tea is important in their part … Continue reading
Posted in Culture, or lack thereof, Honey
Tagged English royalty, food, honey, tea, Umi
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Sylvia Plath, the Beekeeper’s Poet
Today, February 11, is the anniversary of the death of a great poet, Sylvia Plath. The daughter of a bee scientist, Sylvia spent her brief life writing about love, loss, disappointment, and nature. Don’t skip this short (20 minute) podcast episode. … Continue reading
Posted in Beekeeping, Culture, or lack thereof, Podcasts
Tagged beekeeping, Sylvia Plath
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The most important beekeeper you never hear of
🐝 🐝 🐝 🐝 You probably know that Karl von Frisch figured out how honey bees use their waggle-dance to communicate. He won the Nobel Prize for that and for other studies of bee behaviour. I think it was well-deserved … Continue reading
Posted in Bee Biology, Books, Culture, or lack thereof, History, People, Science
Tagged bee brains, Charles Henry Turner
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Podcast: 2025 – Ten Bee News Stories
A lot happened in 2025, so I’m ending the About Bees, Culture & Curiosity podcast year (Season 6 Episode 12) with stories from bee news that you might enjoy. Listen to this short (30 minute) collection of some of the science … Continue reading
Posted in Beekeeping, Commercial Beekeeping, Culture, or lack thereof, Ecology, Pesticides, Podcasts, Science
Tagged bee nutrition, bee viruses, beekeeping, bees, varroa mites
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Podcast: Is All Manuka Honey Fake?
In this podcast episode, I explore whether all mānuka honey is “fake,” tracing its unusual rise from an obscure (and unpopular) New Zealand honey to a globally coveted, heavily counterfeited product. The story begins with a look at the antibacterial … Continue reading
Posted in Beekeeping, Commercial Beekeeping, Culture, or lack thereof, Honey, Podcasts
Tagged adulteration, beekeeping, bees, manuka, New Zealand
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Podcast: Chief Crowchild and the Bees
Season 2 Episode 1: About Bees, Culture & Curiosity Podcast – Chief Crowchild and the Bees Chief Lee Crowchild of Tsuut’ina Nation is a member of a family designated as the Keepers of the Bees. He tells us of childhood summers … Continue reading
Posted in Beekeeping, Culture, or lack thereof, Friends, Outreach, People, Podcasts
Tagged Alberta, Chief Crowchid, honey bees, Tsuut'ina
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