Tag Archives: bumblebees

Pollinator Week 2019

Posted on June 17, 2019 by

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

Bees learn to drive tiny cars

Posted on April 10, 2019 by

I wouldn’t believe this if I had seen it with my own eyes! Sam Droege, bee scientist extraordinaire, has a USGS Flickr website populated with great bee photographs. Last week, somewhere around April first, Sam posted the results of some … Continue reading →

Posted in Humour, Native Bees, Science, Strange, Odd Stuff | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

David Attenborough and the tired bumblebee

Posted on November 15, 2018 by

Back in July, I posted about some cute stories which were filling social media. Vignettes described people rescuing tired, hungry-looking (how can you tell?) bumblebees by giving them a spoonful of sugar water. I have reposted that July blog piece … Continue reading →

Posted in Humour, Reblogs, Save the Bees | Tagged , | 1 Comment

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

Prolonging the sweet taste

Posted on July 23, 2018 by

Most nectar-supping insects land on a flower, take a bit of nectar, then fly off. But bees are different. They hang around the flower, sometimes gorging for ten seconds or more, if there’s enough nectar. Why the difference? Scientists think … Continue reading →

Posted in Bee Biology, Science | Tagged , , | 10 Comments

Bees (of a sort) on Postage Stamps!

Posted on May 30, 2018 by

Canada has something called ‘permanent’ stamps. We call them “P” stamps. The first ones, issued ten years ago, had a small letter P on them, next the the Queen of England’s face. P stamps have become B stamps, at least … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, or lack thereof, Outreach, Save the Bees | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

March on Down?

Posted on April 21, 2017 by

This weekend, we celebrate Earth Day. And why not? There are official days for glazed spiral ham (April 15), chocolate covered cashews (April 21!), and bee sting enthusiasts (March 30). So, Earth should have a day of celebration. As a … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, or lack thereof, Outreach, Science | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

First Exit of Bumblebees (A Video)

Posted on April 3, 2017 by

Do you have a minute? You might enjoy this video, First exit of bumblebees, filmed (and scored) by Mukibrain. When he sent me his link, the producer wrote, “I would like to share with you the latest video by Mukibrain, … Continue reading →

Posted in Climate, Movies | Tagged , | 2 Comments

Bumble Bees and Free Will

Posted on September 8, 2016 by

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

Bumblebee Honey For Sale?

Posted on April 25, 2016 by

My brother was at a farmer’s market in North Carolina this weekend. A vendor was selling a thimble-full of honey for $10. Maybe slightly more than a thimble. The seller told my brother that you wouldn’t smother a pancake with … Continue reading →

Posted in Apitherapy, Bee Biology, Ecology, Friends, Honey, Save the Bees | Tagged , , , | 8 Comments