Tag Archives: urban beekeeping

First day with the bees

Posted on April 29, 2018 by Ron Miksha

On Friday evening, just after the sun had set, we installed two packages of bees. Earlier in the day, we arranged six drawn-out deep brood frames (purchased from Scandia Honey, a very reputable bee farm in our area), two new … Continue reading →

Posted in Beekeeping, Commercial Beekeeping | Tagged , , , , | 7 Comments

Welcoming some new friends

Posted on April 28, 2018 by Ron Miksha

The bees arrived. It was getting late. I was getting anxious. But just after the sun settled for the night, my friend Mark arrived with our two packages. He brought us 13,637 worker bees and two queens. We counted them. … Continue reading →

Posted in Beekeeping, Tools and Gadgets | Tagged , , , | 12 Comments

The Perfect Place for Bees

Posted on April 27, 2018 by Ron Miksha

An easy way to intimidate a new beekeeper is to read the list of requirements for a perfect apiary.  Here’s my list. It’s not comprehensive. But even as a starter, it’s menacing: Your bees should be: In partial shade: avoid … Continue reading →

Posted in Bee Yards, Beekeeping, Humour | Tagged , , | 8 Comments

Nuisance-free beekeeping

Posted on March 2, 2018 by Ron Miksha

Tired of irritating your neighbours with your pesky bees? Help is on the way. A very bright professor at Oregon State, Andony Melathopoulos, has co-authored a guide which you should read:  Residential Beekeeping: Best-practice guidelines for nuisance-free beekeeping in Oregon.   … Continue reading →

Posted in Bee Yards, Beekeeping, Books, Outreach | Tagged , , | 5 Comments

The Bees at Times Square

Posted on June 28, 2017 by Ron Miksha

New York City beekeeper Andrew Cote just captured a swarm high above Times Square. The bees were perched on a ledge and the beekeeper went to their rescue, boxing them up before they jumped to their death.  In coastal New … Continue reading →

Posted in Save the Bees, Strange, Odd Stuff, Swarms | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Urban Beekeeping Mug

Posted on June 19, 2017 by Ron Miksha

Yesterday, Father’s Day, my family surprised me with this homemade mug. They had conspired to co-create this bit of art for the past few days. I heard the hushed tones and I saw people and things quickly disappear when I … Continue reading →

Posted in Bee Yards, Beekeeping | Tagged , | 9 Comments

PolliNation Podcast

Posted on May 18, 2017 by Ron Miksha

Here’s a great new podcast. I’ve just listened to the first episode (twice!). If all the future episodes will be as good as Episode 1, PolliNation will be a great resource and a fun listen for beekeepers.  Since beekeepers spend … Continue reading →

Posted in Ecology, Friends, Outreach, Pollination, Save the Bees | Tagged , , , , , | 10 Comments

Meanwhile in Montréal

Posted on May 2, 2016 by Ron Miksha

Here’s an interesting idea. Beekeepers rent massive numbers of colonies to almond, blueberry, cranberry, durian, eggplant, and so on farmers. Money is the attraction – neither the meager honey crop nor the diseases picked up on most of these pollination … Continue reading →

Posted in Bee Yards, Outreach, Save the Bees | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

TV Bee Outreach

Posted on February 23, 2016 by Ron Miksha

How does your bee club reach the public? TV interviews are difficult, nerve-racking, and can go seriously wrong. But when Liz Goldie of the Calgary Bee Club took to the air with a local station, everything went seriously right. From … Continue reading →

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A Bee Won’t Hurt You If . . .

Posted on July 16, 2015 by Ron Miksha

The city of Edmonton, Alberta, is telling its citizens that bees are good. People sometimes forget. Not long ago, Obama was trying to calm screaming kids on the White House lawn when one child spotted a bee and dozens panicked. … Continue reading →

Posted in Beekeeping, Ecology, Outreach, Stings | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment