Category Archives: Ecology

Bees on Ice

Posted on October 14, 2018 by

So much has happened in the weeks since my last post: I started an MSc (in bee ecology); my son and I pulled our honey crop;  I presented a talk at the first-ever United Beekeepers of Alberta conference; I began … Continue reading →

Posted in Climate, Ecology, Travels | Tagged , , , | 19 Comments

Smoky Bees

Posted on August 16, 2018 by

Originally posted on Bad Beekeeping Blog:
Calgary – a smoker’s haven. My home town – Calgary – is under a smoke advisory. The sky is hazy with smelly gray smoke from the trees, grass, and homes that are on fire…

Posted in Beekeeping, Ecology, Honey, Reblogs, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Should you feed a tired bee?

Posted on July 5, 2018 by

Feeding bumblebees that are resting in a garden has become a thing. I’ve seen some twitter tweets with concerned citizens gallantly virtue signalling their good deed – giving a bee a drink of sugar water. Here’s a sample: You can … Continue reading →

Posted in Ecology, Save the Bees, Strange, Odd Stuff | Tagged , , | 8 Comments

Minding the June Gap

Posted on June 23, 2018 by

I ran this piece last year, but it’s worth repeating. After the natural spring bouquet has begun to fade, honey bees may become hungry. The hives are (usually) strong with lots of brood. If there is a long gap between … Continue reading →

Posted in Beekeeping, Ecology, Honey Plants | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Celebrating Pollination Week

Posted on June 6, 2018 by

National Pollinator Week is coming, June 18-24. You have less than two weeks to get your affairs in order.  I’m not always sure what a person is supposed to do when National (fill-in-the-blank) Day/Week/Month is celebrated. Well, it’s pretty obvious … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, or lack thereof, Ecology, Outreach, Save the Bees | Tagged , | 3 Comments

Peak Dandelion

Posted on May 26, 2018 by

For a lot of temperate-climate beekeepers, dandelions are the peak of the spring season.  Their bloom marks the point where hives are finally getting much stronger, nectar is pouring in, and the dandelions’ massive gifts are giving a fine boost … Continue reading →

Posted in Bee Biology, Climate, Ecology, Honey Plants | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

Pollen Specks

Posted on April 26, 2018 by

Yesterday, I saw the first pollen of the year carried by bees in our area.  It’s almost May! Local bees have been without fresh pollen for over six months.  The pollen specks which I saw were pitifully specky. If you … Continue reading →

Posted in Beekeeping, Climate, Ecology, Honey Plants | Tagged , , , , | 6 Comments

Oh dear, a virus ‘jumps’ from plants to bees

Posted on February 18, 2018 by

The bane of the bee is varroa. We warn new beekeepers that varroa will kill their bees faster than they can say “varroosis“ five times.  Varroa kills. Thirty years ago, the mites weren’t as bad as they are now. In … Continue reading →

Posted in Bee Biology, Diseases and Pests, Ecology, Science | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

Wax Worms Biggly in the News

Posted on December 20, 2017 by

The folks who write my favourite business magazine, Economist, have a freebie on their website. They are giving away a 50-page book,  Ten Things We Learned in 2017. You’ll like the second story in their feature: “How plastic-eating caterpillars could … Continue reading →

Posted in Bee Biology, Diseases and Pests, Ecology, Science, Strange, Odd Stuff | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

Busy as a Bee

Posted on December 16, 2017 by

I try to write at least one blog post every week. It’s not hard to find material. Honey production, honey chemistry, queen breeding, nectar sources, apitherapy, famous beekeepers, colony management, bee diseases, and on and on – it’s easy to … Continue reading →

Posted in Ecology, Outreach | Tagged , | 10 Comments