Tag Archives: feeding bees

Early Pollen?

Posted on March 25, 2022 by Ron Miksha

A couple of days ago, on March 22, we had sunlight and heat. Honey bees were gathering pollen. I don’t remember such a rush of pre-season pollen in this area. It’s a lot earlier than expected. I figured their goodies … Continue reading →

Posted in Bee Biology, Honey Plants | Tagged , , , , , | 14 Comments

Should you feed pollen supplement?

Posted on April 3, 2021 by Ron Miksha

In mid-March, Stevo Sun, a Calgary resident, sent some gorgeous pictures of honey bees foraging on silver maple. Maple is an ornamental here, at our elevation and latitude. But for less than $250, you can pick up a young tree … Continue reading →

Posted in Beekeeping, Honey Plants, Native Bees | Tagged , , | 5 Comments

Ready for the cold?

Posted on October 13, 2020 by Ron Miksha

Podcasts continue to grow in popularity. People are spending about two hours each day following the wise musings of their favourite word-weavers. I heard that Joe Rogan signed with Spotify for $100,000,000 (though he’s locked in for ten years). I … Continue reading →

Posted in Beekeeping, Tools and Gadgets | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

A bit of pollen

Posted on April 3, 2019 by Ron Miksha

Today’s high was only 12 ºC (53F), but the bees had discovered pollen. It’s surprising how small the pollen pelts are, and doubly surprising that nearly every bee is carrying some. Both of our backyard colonies are weak, but coming … Continue reading →

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Our backyard bees get a make-over

Posted on March 24, 2019 by Ron Miksha

First the good news:  They survived.  Then, the reality: Kinda weak. For the past few days, it’s been mild (15C, or 50F), so my 16-year-old and I did a complete backyard bees make-over. Mind you, looks aren’t everything, but this … Continue reading →

Posted in Beekeeping | Tagged , , | 7 Comments

Late-winter Feeding

Posted on March 20, 2019 by Ron Miksha

Today is the last day of winter in the northern hemisphere. But the temperature – here in Calgary, at least – feels spring-like. It’s been in the mid-teens (60° F) for a few days. It’s the first chance for many … Continue reading →

Posted in Beekeeping, Tools and Gadgets | Tagged , , | 5 Comments

Should you feed a tired bee?

Posted on July 5, 2018 by Ron Miksha

Feeding bumblebees that are resting in a garden has become a thing. I’ve seen some twitter tweets with concerned citizens gallantly virtue signalling their good deed – giving a bee a drink of sugar water. Here’s a sample: You can … Continue reading →

Posted in Ecology, Save the Bees, Strange, Odd Stuff | Tagged , , | 8 Comments

Minding the June Gap

Posted on June 23, 2018 by Ron Miksha

I ran this piece last year, but it’s worth repeating. After the natural spring bouquet has begun to fade, honey bees may become hungry. The hives are (usually) strong with lots of brood. If there is a long gap between … Continue reading →

Posted in Beekeeping, Ecology, Honey Plants | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Mind the Gap!

Posted on June 2, 2017 by Ron Miksha

If you travel metro in London (and many other cities) you might hear a polite admonition from the public address system, “Mind the gap!”  It’s advising you not to get your footwear stuck between the train and platform while boarding. Beekeepers … Continue reading →

Posted in Beekeeping, Ecology, Honey Plants | Tagged , , | 15 Comments