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Welcome to
THE BUZZ
What's the Buzz?
The Buzz is a beekeeping blog by Master Beekeeper, Christine McDonald.
Through these articles, I share my experiences and advice in a way that is concise and easy to understand. If you would like me to speak at an upcoming club meeting or event, you can learn more about my speaking engagements here. And if you've found this valuable and would like to buy me a cup of tea, you can do so here.
Bee well!
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Queen Cells in my Nuc!
Getting a nuc is exciting, whether you're a brand new beekeeper just starting out or a veteran expanding your apiary or replacing winter...

rushingriverapiaries
May 21, 20233 min read


Your Bee Equipment Order List
It's that time of year! Time to start preparing for the bee season ahead. Bees don't tend to wait around for their keepers to catch up,...

rushingriverapiaries
Jan 4, 20233 min read


Hive Placement
Step one in getting bees is deciding where to put them. Bees don't need a lot of space, but certain placements will help them thrive, and...

rushingriverapiaries
Dec 28, 20225 min read


A Year of Beekeeping Tasks
There really isn't much time off when it comes to beekeeping! This list of monthly beekeeping tasks will help keep you on track and out...

rushingriverapiaries
Dec 24, 20223 min read


Just Say No (to fall hive inspections)
This is not a how-to article. We could call it an opinion piece, but I hope that it provides a little more value than that. Let's say...

rushingriverapiaries
Oct 27, 20223 min read


My Bee Library
This is a collection of my favourite bee books for bee-ginners, experienced keepers, and those who just love bees 🐝 Each photo is an...

rushingriverapiaries
Jul 17, 20221 min read


Newbees: What is That? (Part 2)
This is a collection the slightly less typical stuff that you may find in your hive and what it means. We still are not looking at...

rushingriverapiaries
Jul 10, 20223 min read


Newbees: What Is That? (Part 1)
This is a photo tour of things that you can expect to see in your hive so that you know what you're looking at. In this post (Part 1),...

rushingriverapiaries
Jun 27, 20223 min read


Newbees, Start Here!
Your bees are on the way. Sh!t's about to get real. Here is a small collection of the very basics of getting started with bees. How to...

rushingriverapiaries
Jun 26, 20221 min read


My Bees Won't Draw Comb
There are three things required to make fresh wax: young bees, lots of nectar, and heat. If any one of these is missing, your bees won't...

rushingriverapiaries
Jun 25, 20223 min read


Three Types of Bee Feeders
Whether you plan to feed your bees strategically, or just for survival when necessary, having the right tool for the job will make your...

rushingriverapiaries
Mar 12, 20221 min read


Signs of a Failing Queen
We always love to see the queen during an inspection, but laying eyes on her is only one very small part of determining how healthy and...

rushingriverapiaries
Feb 23, 20223 min read


Happy Bees, Grumpy Bees
One day you're sweet as honey and the next day, you wish you had a stinger. Bees can be moody too. A scientist would argue that...

rushingriverapiaries
Feb 1, 20223 min read


Making Splits for Growth
Unless you are planning something exponential, there's no need to buy more bees as you grow your apiary. Splitting the colonies you have...

rushingriverapiaries
Jan 4, 20221 min read


Oxalic Acid Vaping
Oxalic Acid is an inexpensive and highly effective mite treatment, but can be intimidating because of the equipment involved. Here are...

rushingriverapiaries
Oct 24, 20212 min read


After the Honey is Pulled: Preparing Your Hive for Winter
You had a honey harvest. Your equipment is still sticky from the mess, and you're tired from the lifting, uncapping, spinning,...

rushingriverapiaries
Sep 14, 20213 min read


Meet your Hive Host, Christine
I didn't always like bees. In fact, I have many terrible childhood memories of being stung by flying stripey things that left me quite...

rushingriverapiaries
Sep 13, 20212 min read
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