Category Archives: Ecology

Why Vegans are Wrong

Posted on October 22, 2016 by Ron Miksha

I have a vegan acquaintance. He is a mild, considerate, and generally pleasant young man. He thinks that beekeeping is cruel and inhumane. He tells me that honey-eating encourages theft and the abuse, imprisonment and exploitation of insects. “Tell me … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, or lack thereof, Ecology, History, Honey, Strange, Odd Stuff | Tagged , , , , | 104 Comments

Why do bumblebees follow ferries?

Posted on September 26, 2016 by Ron Miksha

Originally posted on Prof. Jeff Ollerton – ecological scientist and author:
A few years ago I mentioned in my post “Garlicky archipelago” that I had seen bumblebees (Bombus spp.) following the ferry from Southampton to the Isle of Wight, a…

Posted in Ecology, Reblogs, Strange, Odd Stuff | Leave a comment

Remembering: Charles Valentine Riley

Posted on September 18, 2016 by Ron Miksha

Charles Valentine Riley (1843-1895) September 18 is the birthdate of British-American    entomologist     Charles Valentine Riley. Riley pioneered the scientific study of insect pests and their impact on agriculture.   He founded the US Department of Agriculture’s Division of Entomology and was … Continue reading →

Posted in Diseases and Pests, Ecology, History, People | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Noxious Milkweed?

Posted on September 16, 2016 by Ron Miksha

The Cedar Rapids (Iowa) Gazette had a story yesterday about a fellow in Monticello who ran afoul of the law for something he’s growing in his back yard. His crime? Cultivating (Milk)weed. Bee and butterfly enthusiasts know milkweed. So do … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, or lack thereof, Ecology, Honey Plants, Humour, Save the Bees | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Bumble Bees and Free Will

Posted on September 8, 2016 by Ron Miksha

Much is made of a human’s ability to make free choices. It’s an illusion, of course, but if people should be awarded this mysterious power, then why not bees? To bolster this notion of bees and free will, we’ll look … Continue reading →

Posted in Bee Biology, Ecology, Science | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments

Should a “Bee City” Ban Honey Bees?

Posted on August 31, 2016 by Ron Miksha

In February, Toronto became Canada’s first certified Bee City. This week, a bedroom community just outside Calgary became Canada’s second. I heard the news last night on a CBC radio interview of Dr. Preston Pouteaux, a hobby beekeeper who apparently … Continue reading →

Posted in Ecology, Outreach, Save the Bees | Tagged , , , , , | 8 Comments

Zombees in Canada

Posted on August 16, 2016 by Ron Miksha

I wish I had good news. Canada’s first confirmed case of zombees has appeared – on Vancouver Island, out in the Pacific. Hundreds of kilometres from my home in Calgary.  Zombie zombees, like the human kind, are undeads who are … Continue reading →

Posted in Bee Biology, Diseases and Pests, Ecology, Strange, Odd Stuff | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Bird-brained Hunting Partner

Posted on July 28, 2016 by Ron Miksha

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 , , , , , | 2 Comments

Dropping into Sunshine Valley

Posted on July 15, 2016 by Ron Miksha

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 , , , , | 5 Comments

Malathion and Pesky Bugs

Posted on July 8, 2016 by Ron Miksha

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 , , , | Leave a comment