Adventures of a Honey Bee Veterinarian
Wow what a month for all things bee! It has been a long time since I posted and it isn't because I was taking a break. Far from it! This month saw me travel to Montreal, Quebec and Raleigh, North Carolina to immerse myself in expanding my bee education. I've also been busy trouble-shooting with... Continue Reading →
The Obedient plant (Physostegia virginiana), or False Dragonhead as it is also commonly known, is a native plant to Eastern Canada and the United States. The common name - obedient plant - comes from the fact that if you gently push the flower into a different position it will stay there as though it is... Continue Reading →
One thing that I have learned so far with beekeeping is that the bees, and a good beekeeper, always need to be thinking of and preparing for the season to come. And so even though it is August, and still hot as blazes outside, my bees are busy building comb and storing as much honey... Continue Reading →
Yesterday - August 17th - was National Honey Bee Day. Okay this is in the USA but, hey, I think honey bees are worth celebrating so I'm considering it a day here in Canada too! So with that in mind I packed up the 3 kids for a day of honey bee adventuring. And how... Continue Reading →
In the gardening world we all have our colours - the hues that draw us in and inspire us. For me, the flower colours that I love the most are shades of pink, purple and blue. And although I appreciate all of the other colours, and love the combinations that can be created when planting... Continue Reading →
I have had the monarchs for a little over a week and to say the change in them has been huge would be an understatement! (to read about what got me into this project and why monarchs are important click here: https://doctorb.blog/2019/08/06/raising-monarchs-part-1/). Every morning, after my cup of coffee is ready, I go out on... Continue Reading →
Another week flew by like a high speed bullet train. I can feel it - the days are getting shorter, the nights are getting cooler, summer is winding down. But another week gone by meant I could get out and check my hive again - something that I find myself really looking forward to as... Continue Reading →
In honour of the little cats munching away in my dad's vase on my back porch I decided the featured flower for this week should be none other than the milkweed! (To read about the start of my monarch adventures you can read my post https://doctorb.blog/2019/08/06/raising-monarchs-part-1/). There are actually 14 different species of milkweed that... Continue Reading →
Last weekend I received a message from a woman in my town, who may just be as passionate as I am when it comes to protecting our pollinators. She wanted to know if I would be interested in raising monarchs. Ummm - yeah! Count me in! This is something she has been doing for years,... Continue Reading →
I went yesterday afternoon to check on my hive - my feelings were a mixture of excitement and trepidation as August kicks into full swing and the clock ticks down on ensuring my colony is strong enough to survive the winter. So as we pulled up on the lawn beside my hive I was relieved... Continue Reading →
Doctor B 