When do honeybees appear in spring?

Photos by Barry Wallace

In Ontario, honeybees do not truly hibernate but stay in their hives, beginning to fly out for "cleansing flights" on warmer days in March (when temperatures are above 0 degrees celsius), with major foraging starting in April.

Bumblebee queens emerge from hibernation in early spring, typically between mid-April and mid-May, once temperatures are reliably warmer and early flowers are blooming.

Honeybee haiku

"A bee

staggers out of the

peony"

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Barry Wallace

King Lodge Cats...

                                                                        Photo by Barry Wallace

This is a photo I took at King Lodge, north of King City, many years ago when my mother Muriel was a resident there.   These cats were a favourite of hers and most of the other residents at the time.

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Barry Wallace

Protected against the elements...

Photo by Barry Wallace

Weather-protected canine

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Barry Wallace

Another pink to try...

Photo by Barry Wallace

Toronto Star columnist Carolyn Evans Hammond, has recommended another pink delight called Pelee Island Pelee Pink (2023).   I'm about to try a bottle shortly.   This Pelee Island product is apparently a delicious blend of 86 percent Chambourcin, a lesser known grape, and 14 percent Vidal.   The result is seems is a rose' that gleams pink in the glass.   The flavour is, apparently, juicy and round with a kiss of sweetness offset by racy aciditity.   Flavours lean toward freshly picked strawberries and ruby grapefruit.   Carolyn goes on to say this crowd-pleassing style will appeal to fans of the once-popular Bread & Butter Rose' from California.   It is 12.5% alc. and 14 g/L sugar, selling at $13.95.   We shall see...

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Barry Wallace

Olympic Medal Factor favours Canada...

 

When one divides the medal counts of top countries in the 2026 Winter Olympics by the population of each country one comes up with what I am calling the... 

'Olympic Medal Factor'

When I established an Olympic Medal Factor for the top nine medal winners in the recently completed Winter Olympics, I discover that Canada is almost tied with Italy (30 medals divided by 59 million population) with a Olympic  Medal Factor  of 5.1).  Canada's Olympic Medal Factor is 5.25 ( 21 medals divided by 40 million population).

Italy placed 3rd in the official recent Winter Olympic medal count at 30 medals.  Using what I am calling the 'Olympic Medal Factor', Canada could be ranked in 4th place in a revised medal standings tally.

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Barry Wallace

King 15th Sideroad...

                                                                        Photo by Barry Wallace

                                   Come on summer...

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Barry Wallace

Chipmunk...

Photos by Barry Wallace

Chipmunks are small striped squirrels of the subtribe Tamiina.   They are found in North America, with the exception of the Siberian Chipmunk, which is found primarily in Asia.   

The name "chipmunk" originated in the 19th century, and other names for this group include chitmunk, chiptmuck, chipping squirrel and ground squirrel.

Chipmunks are omnivorous animals, and have diets that primarily include seeds, nuts, fruits and buds but may extend to include other plant matter, fingi, insects, small frogs, worms, bird eggs and nestlings. 

Their varied diet allows them to feed on plants such as grains and vegetables grown by humans which leads them to be thought of as pests in some areas.

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Barry Wallace