Category Archives: History
This Cat Don’t Eat Honey
Humans can taste one drop of sucrose (table sugar) diluted in 150 parts water. A honey bee outranks our sugar sensitivity six-times over: about one part in a thousand and the bee is on it. What about Puff, the cat? … Continue reading
Posted in Culture, or lack thereof, History, Honey
Tagged cats, fructose, glucose, honey sweetness
5 Comments
Happy Birthday Johann Dzierzon
Originally posted on Beekeeping365:
Okay, as many of my beekeeping friends might remember, I started December vowing to answer to, and identify myself as, “Lorenzo” to reservation takers, waitresses, and others. I am pleased to report that this has worked…
155th Anniversary of a Botany Professor
Just a short post today, and though it’s about genetics and botany, bees (my usual blog subject) are mentioned only indirectly. It’s the 155th anniversary of the birth of Carrie Derick – one of the world’s first geneticists. Derick was … Continue reading
Posted in Culture, or lack thereof, Genetics, History, People
Tagged Canada, Carrie Derick, famous beekeepers, McGill
3 Comments
The Center (of beekeeping)
In the 1800s, states tried to place their county seats near the county center. The county seat usually hosted the county government, the county court, and (conveniently) the county jail. Being equidistant from all villages, it seemed fair. In my … Continue reading
2016 in Bee Review
2016 was a year for the bees. Honey bees were in recovery. Colony collapse hadn’t been reported in five years and (in Canada, at least) there were record numbers of kept hives – there were more bees than anytime in … Continue reading
Langstroth, the Christmas Gift
I’m repeating a blog which I posted on Christmas Day last year. It’s about the inventor of modern beekeeping, L.L. Langstroth. Enjoy! He invented modern beekeeping, making it easier, more productive, and less stressful for bees. However, Lorenzo Lorraine Langstroth … Continue reading
Posted in Beekeeping, Books, History, Hives and Combs, People
Tagged Langstroth, manic-depression, The Hive and the Honey-Bee
1 Comment
Some Ambrosia
Ambrosia. n. nectar; food or drink of the Greek gods which confers longevity Break out the mead – it’s St. Ambrose Day! Ambrose is the patron saint of beekeepers, a task he’s had since the day in 340 when he … Continue reading
Posted in Culture, or lack thereof, History, Strange, Odd Stuff
Tagged candles, honey in religion, Saint Ambrose
3 Comments
A Metaphysical Life
Today is the anniversary of the birth of one of my beekeeper-heroes, Professor Richard Taylor. He was an early champion of the round comb honey system, a commercial beekeeper with just 300 hives, and he was a philosopher who wrote … Continue reading
Posted in Books, Comb Honey, Commercial Beekeeping, Culture, or lack thereof, History, People
Tagged Comb Honey, famous beekeepers, Richard Taylor
5 Comments
Why Vegans are Wrong
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 Donald Watson, health, honey and environment, sugar, vegans
104 Comments
A Penny for my Thoughts
I began blogging in October, 1995 – 21 years ago this fall. In those days, it wasn’t called blogging. It was called “spilling your guts in public.” Of course it was a much smaller public back in the days of … Continue reading
Posted in Culture, or lack thereof, History
Tagged advertising, blogging, internet, writing
2 Comments
Bad Beekeeping Blog 