Category Archives: Outreach

Face-off

Posted on January 3, 2021 by Ron Miksha

I was one of the first Facebook users on my block. I’m not usually an “early adapter” – I let others struggle with beta versions, then I move in when the system is actually working. But I heard about Facebook … Continue reading →

Posted in Outreach, Personal, Strange, Odd Stuff | 22 Comments

Covid: Saturday at the Hive

Posted on July 18, 2020 by Ron Miksha

Our local bee club (Calgary & District Beekeepers Association)  coordinates a nice summertime event, Saturday at the Hive. Experienced beekeepers offer to show their colonies to newer beekeepers. The guest list is limited and cleared through the bee club, but … Continue reading →

Posted in Bee Yards, Friends, Outreach | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

Big Bee Meet

Posted on March 1, 2020 by Ron Miksha

This is sort of a public service announcement for Alberta beekeepers. Alberta is a place in Canada, population 4 million, north of Montana, home to the Calgary Stampede, some NHL teams, and the best honey in the world. Deer and … Continue reading →

Posted in Outreach, Personal, Strange, Odd Stuff | Tagged , | 3 Comments

Seeing 20-20

Posted on January 1, 2020 by Ron Miksha

What will the new year (and decade) bring?  Although “20-20” denotes perfect vision, I doubt we’ll be so lucky. I suspect that we’ll continue with our near-sighted attitudes toward . . . everything. We can’t help it. We’re hardwired that … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, or lack thereof, Ecology, Outreach, Personal | Tagged | 1 Comment

Apimondia 2019: Monday

Posted on September 11, 2019 by Ron Miksha

Monday, September 9, was a head-expanding day for me at Apimondia. This biannual event attracts thousands of attendees from across the globe. This year, it’s in Montreal – a mere 3,008 kilometres (as the crow flies) from my home in … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, or lack thereof, Outreach, Travels | Tagged , | 4 Comments

Feel like a MOOC?

Posted on August 24, 2019 by Ron Miksha

You can never know too much about bugs.  That’s why I signed up for Bugs 101, offered by a rival school, the University of Alberta. (That’s up in Edmonton – I’m in Calgary, at a different, and arguably warmer, closer,  … Continue reading →

Posted in Bee Biology, Beekeeping, Ecology, Outreach | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

Apimondia: Will you be there?

Posted on July 3, 2019 by Ron Miksha

This year’s 46th Apimondia International Apicultural Congress – APIMONDIA 2019 MONTRÉAL – begins September 8 in Montréal, Canada. This is the big bi-annual beekeepers’ and bee researchers’ bash. I’m hoping that many of the readers of this blog will be able … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, or lack thereof, Outreach, Travels | Tagged , | 6 Comments

Pollinator Week 2019

Posted on June 17, 2019 by Ron Miksha

In the past three or four years, I began to notice that honey bees aren’t the only bees in the world. What a surprise! There are over 20,000 other versions. Some as big as elephants, some as small as pin … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, or lack thereof, Ecology, Outreach, Pollination | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Save the People

Posted on June 6, 2019 by Ron Miksha

A few decades ago, most prisons had farms. Inmates grew some of their own food while learning a few basic skills. That changed for a number of reasons, partly because of the tendency to lock everyone up if they couldn’t … Continue reading →

Posted in Outreach | Tagged , | 3 Comments

World Bee Day 2019

Posted on May 20, 2019 by Ron Miksha

World Bee Day, May 20 of each year,  is not just about honey bees. Although the idea arose in Slovenia, a little country that’s really big on honey-bee keeping, it’s also a celebration of all the world’s bees. About 20,000 … Continue reading →

Posted in Ecology, History, Native Bees, Outreach, Save the Bees | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments