About Bees, Culture & Curiosity

Season 3 Episode 10: About Bees, Culture & Curiosity Podcast – Spring feeding

Before we look at spring feeding strategies in the northern part of the northern hemisphere, we take a detour through a few important news stories, including the effect tariffs might have on honey sent from Canada to the USA, Apimondia in Denmark, the death of Gene Hackman, and a trial chemical treatment that might help bees withstand pesticide poisoning.

In our main theme, we critique a half dozen popular spring feeding methods. How does your favourite feeding technique stack up?

Bonus link: Apimondia 2025

This episode was recorded in March, 2025.

Please subscribe, like, love, and follow. We live or die by your adulation.

Podcast website: https://sites.libsyn.com/540327/site About Ron Miksha: https://about-bees.org/about-ron/

Finally: email your questions, comments, and angst: [email protected]

Season 3 Episode 9: About Bees, Culture & Curiosity Podcast – Packages or Overwintered Colonies?

We begin this episode – which is mostly about honey production using package bees – with a quick look at gloomy Denmark, where this year's big international bee fest is being held. That, of course, leads us to a discussion about the wealth of nations (not to be confused with Adam Smith's book), before finally circling back to packages of honey bees.

What works better – packages or overwintered honey bee colonies? It depends on location, but we come out in favour of packages here in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Find out why.

Bonus link: Apimondia 2025

This episode was recorded in March, 2025.

Please subscribe, like, love, and follow. We live or die by your adulation.

Podcast website: https://sites.libsyn.com/540327/site About Ron Miksha: https://about-bees.org/about-ron/

Finally: email your questions, comments, and angst: [email protected]

Season 3 Episode 8: About Bees, Culture & Curiosity Podcast – The Bee Shop

We visit Robert McBane and his brilliant beautiful bee supply shop in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Discussion flows from helping new beekeepers choose the right equipment to the establishment of a large retail beekeeping supply company, with lots of stops in between.

Worker and Hive: https://workerandhive.com/

This episode was recorded in February, 2025.

Please subscribe, like, love, and follow. We live or die by your adulation.

Podcast website: https://sites.libsyn.com/540327/site About Ron Miksha: https://about-bees.org/about-ron/

Finally: email your questions, comments, and angst: [email protected]

Season 3 Episode 7: About Bees, Culture & Curiosity Podcast – The Bees are Still Dying

The bees are still dying. It's looking really bad for the survival of bees and beekeepers.

This episode was recorded in February, 2025.

Please subscribe, like, love, and follow. We live or die by your adulation.

Podcast website: https://sites.libsyn.com/540327/site About Ron Miksha: https://about-bees.org/about-ron/

Finally: email your questions, comments, and angst: [email protected]

Season 3 Episode 6: About Bees, Culture & Curiosity Podcast – The Bees are Dying Part 2

The bees are dying. In part 2 of this 2-part podcast, we look at how devasting honey bees losses have been the during past year and we look at the enormous loss of wild (native) bee species. It's not good out there.

This episode was recorded in February, 2025.

Some links mentioned in this podcast:

https://www.biologicaldiversity.org/campaigns/native_pollinators/pdfs/Pollinators_in_Peril.pdf

https://capabees.com/shared/CAPA-Statement-on-Colony-Losses-2023-2024_FV.pdf

https://www.beeculture.com/national-survey-indicates-highest-bee-colony-losses-in-14-years/

https://www.ontario.ca/document/annual-apiculture-winter-loss-reports/2023-apiculture-winter-loss-report

https://www.landcareresearch.co.nz/discover-our-research/environment/sustainable-society-and-policy/nz-colony-loss-survey/2023-colony-loss-survey/

Please subscribe, like, love, and follow. We live or die by your adulation.

Podcast website: https://sites.libsyn.com/540327/site About Ron Miksha: https://about-bees.org/about-ron/

Finally: email your questions, comments, and angst: [email protected]

Season 3 Episode 5: About Bees, Culture & Curiosity Podcast – The Bees are Dying Part 1

The bees are dying. In part 1 of this 2-part podcast, we look at how devasting honey bees losses have been the during past year and we look at the enormous loss of wild (native) bee species. It's not good out there.

This episode was recorded in February, 2025.

Some links mentioned in this podcast:

https://www.biologicaldiversity.org/campaigns/native_pollinators/pdfs/Pollinators_in_Peril.pdf

https://capabees.com/shared/CAPA-Statement-on-Colony-Losses-2023-2024_FV.pdf

https://www.beeculture.com/national-survey-indicates-highest-bee-colony-losses-in-14-years/

https://www.ontario.ca/document/annual-apiculture-winter-loss-reports/2023-apiculture-winter-loss-report

https://www.landcareresearch.co.nz/discover-our-research/environment/sustainable-society-and-policy/nz-colony-loss-survey/2023-colony-loss-survey/

Please subscribe, like, love, and follow. We live or die by your adulation.

Podcast website: https://sites.libsyn.com/540327/site About Ron Miksha: https://about-bees.org/about-ron/

Finally: email your questions, comments, and angst: [email protected]

Season 3 Episode 4: About Bees, Culture & Curiosity Podcast – Winter Bee News Roundup

This episode covers some recent papers and news, including the discovery of a new bees species in France, native bees used for crop pollination, a Tropilaelaps (Tropy) Mite invasion in Georgia (Europe), and a robot-bee designed to scatter pollen. As usual, we blunder far off topic and that might be the best part of today's podcast.

This episode was recorded in January, 2025.

Please subscribe, like, love, and follow. We live or die by your adulation.

Podcast website: https://sites.libsyn.com/540327/site About Ron Miksha: https://about-bees.org/about-ron/

Finally: email your questions, comments, and angst: [email protected]

Season 3 Episode 3: About Bees, Culture & Curiosity Podcast – Growing up on a Bee Farm

We talk with Monica King, who captures wayward Africanized Honey Bees in Arizona, and her brother Ted Miksa, manager of a Florida queen-breeding outfit. They talk about being the children of pioneering commercial migratory beekeeping parents, Linda and David Miksa. We chat about migrating with the bees, keeping kids safe from bee-sting allergies, and learning the beekeeping trade.

This episode was recorded in January, 2025.

Please subscribe, like, love, and follow. We live or die by your adulation.

Podcast website: https://sites.libsyn.com/540327/site About Ron Miksha: https://about-bees.org/about-ron/

Finally: email your questions, comments, and angst: [email protected]

Season 3 Episode 2: About Bees, Culture & Curiosity Podcast – Winter Beekeeping in Alberta

Ah, winter in the near-Arctic! It's amazing that honey bees can survive here in Alberta, Canada, but they sometimes do. In this episode, we look at some tips and tricks that cold-climate beekeepers should know. Warm-climate beekeepers may pick up a few useful ideas, too.

This episode was recorded in January, 2025.

Please subscribe, like, love, and follow. We live or die by your adulation.

Podcast website: https://sites.libsyn.com/540327/site About Ron Miksha: https://about-bees.org/about-ron/

Finally: email your questions, comments, and angst: [email protected]

Season 3 Episode 1: About Bees, Culture & Curiosity Podcast – Waxing with Jessie

We meet Jessie Smulders at Worker and Hive to learn about beeswax, candles, wax crayons, food wraps, and lip balms. We cover it all - from the honey bee to the match stick. And yes, folks, we learn that size really does matter.

Jess's website: Green Box Bees: https://www.greenboxbees.com/

Worker and Hive Bee Supplies:: https://workerandhive.com/

This episode was recorded in January, 2025.

Please subscribe, like, love, and follow. We live or die by your adulation.

Podcast website: https://sites.libsyn.com/540327/site About Ron Miksha: https://about-bees.org/about-ron/

Finally: email your questions, comments, and angst: [email protected]