Category Archives: Save the Bees
Rooftop Bees
There’s a jolly fat man up on the roof. With a smoker and hive tool. Rooftop beekeeping seems modern, trendy, and new, but it’s been happening for generations. Ever since homes had rooftops. I’m surprised there isn’t a Rooftop Beekeepers … Continue reading
Posted in Bee Yards, Culture, or lack thereof, Humour, Outreach, Save the Bees
Tagged Bee Yards, Einstein, Laureen Harper, New York City, rooftop beekeeping
4 Comments
Dropping into Sunshine Valley
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 Arlo's Honey, British Columbia, Kelowna, marketing honey, Okanagan
5 Comments
Bad Beekeeping Competition
I came across a blog posting titled “Bad beekeeping” over at ScienceBlogs.com. I was concerned that someone had picked up on my nomen – not that I have universal rights on the bad beekeeping phrase. But I wrote the book … Continue reading
Posted in Beekeeping, Hives and Combs, Humour, Save the Bees
Tagged Bad Beekeeping, science blogs
4 Comments
Don’t Step on a Bee Day
Today is Don’t Step on a Bee Day. See if you can keep it up all week!
Posted in Culture, or lack thereof, Humour, Save the Bees
Tagged Benny the Bee, Don't Step on a Bee Day
1 Comment
Malathion and Pesky Bugs
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 bees, malathion, mosquitoes, Winnipeg
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African Beekeeping May “Save the Trees”
Rather than “Save the Bees”, it’s “Save the Trees” in central Africa. A story from Zimbabwe reminds us that beekeeping can be very, very good for ecology. Bees (and beekeepers) are saving Zimbabwe’s forests. The country of Zimbabwe, lest we … Continue reading
Posted in Beekeeping, Ecology, Save the Bees
Tagged Africa, bees, trees, Zimbabwe beekeeping
3 Comments
Dozens of Bees
You know that a hive of bees may contain 50,000 insects. You probably also know that you can often open a hive and work its frames with just short-sleeves, sandals, and a bit of smoke. We tend to forget that … Continue reading
Posted in Culture, or lack thereof, Outreach, Save the Bees, Strange, Odd Stuff
Tagged bees, Toronto, Yukon
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Investigating the Crime Scene
A few days ago, I read an interesting American Bee Journal article by Tammy Horn (et al.) and it made me think differently about something. Although I know that poisoned bees represent a real crime, I never really thought of … Continue reading
Posted in Pesticides, Save the Bees
Tagged American Bee Journal, dead bees, honey bee poisoning, lawsuits, Tammy Horn
2 Comments
Flow(TM) Hive Wins Design Award
Our favourite Surfer Dude and his Retired Dad are the folks who invented the 21st-Century honey-on-tap bee hive. They have now won artistic recognition. You know their hive – it’s the revolutionary, earth-shaking innovation that has inspired thousands of lazy … Continue reading
Posted in Beekeeping, Culture, or lack thereof, Hives and Combs, Humour, Save the Bees, Tools and Gadgets
Tagged bee hives, crowd-funding, Flow Hive
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Sweet Sweet Clover (part 2)
Yesterday, I couldn’t say enough good things about sweet clover. The magic honey plant is just starting to bloom here in southern Alberta. In a few weeks, it will yield so much nectar that bees will plug supers with fine … Continue reading
Posted in Ecology, Honey Plants, Save the Bees
Tagged Grasslands National Park, invasive species, Lise Perrault, Saskatchewan, sweet clover, Val Marie
7 Comments
Bad Beekeeping Blog 