What is pollination and why are bees so important?

By Alvéole

Pollination occurs when pollen is moved within flowers or carried from flower to flower by pollinating animals such as bees. Discover the journey of Bea the bee!

Spotlight On 5 B Corps That Inspire Our Team

By Alvéole

In terms of sustainability, starting off small can be one of the most powerful ways to build momentum for more ambitious sustainability projects!

Five Team-Building Activities to Engage Teams Remotely

By Alvéole

We’ve made it through 2020 and into a new year, and your team could probably use a bit of morale boost to get everyone motivated for the year to come.

Building Company Culture From Home

By Alvéole

How Groupon uses bees to foster connection, engagement and positivity.

When 50,000 honey bees raise funds for the Earthwise Society

By Alvéole

How Ivanhoé Cambridge is raising awareness about its sustainability efforts in Vancouver, BC.

Connecting with tenants during COVID-19

By Alvéole

No matter their city or size, commercial property owners and managers across North America are facing the same challenge right now: COVID-19 has dramatically impacted their occupancy rates and changed the usage of their buildings. In the first weeks of the pandemic, we all scrambled to wrap our minds around this new unknown. But as reality settled in, we got wind of resilient property managers that had started setting plans into motion, getting creative and rethinking tenant engagement.

Honey Bees for Beginners: How to Overcome the Fear of Bees

By Alvéole

Curious about urban beekeeping but struggling to manage people’s fear of bees? Check out these helpful tips to get everyone on board and comfortable.

#SuccessStories: 7 organizations that took their bee project to the next level

By Alvéole

Discover 7 organizations stepping their hive project up every year, increasing their engagement and stewardship towards the environment and the bees.

#BeePerks: Happier and more engaged tenants and customers

By Alvéole

Find out how smalls bees can have big impacts on tenants and customers.

Part 2: The Commercial and Office Building’s Guide to an Urban Beekeeping Season

By Alvéole

If you’ve read part one of this series, you know we’re about to take a dive into one of the most exciting parts of beekeeping season: spring and summer.

Meet four companies doing their part to keep the bees (and planet) happy

By Alvéole

In terms of sustainability, starting off small can be one of the most powerful ways to build momentum for more ambitious sustainability projects!

7 surprising facts about bee stings

By Alvéole

Everybody knows it: bees have stingers and they know how to use them! Naturally, most people ponder stings with a mixture of fear and curiosity. In truth, bees are docile and hardworking by nature. Humans and bees can live together side-by-side quite pleasantly. Here are some interesting facts about bee stings that will probably surprise you.

Bringing bees to downtown Chicago

By Alvéole

How EQ Office leveraged urban beekeeping to foster engagement, education and community.

New year, new goals: 5 tips to boost building sustainability with BOMA’s Benjamin Shinewald

By Alvéole

We sat down with BOMA Canada’s president and CEO Benjamin Shinewald to hear his top tips for building owners and managers looking to make a dent in today’s climate crisis.

5 low-cost ways to boost building sustainability without greenery

By Alvéole

Did you know that there are countless simple ways to improve your building’s sustainability without breaking the bank? Here are five initiatives you should consider to get the green ball rolling and the environmental conversation going.

Part 1: The Commercial and Office Building’s Guide to an Urban Beekeeping Season

By Alvéole

We’ve put together a season by season breakdown of the things you need to think about for a well-planned, flawlessly executed urban beekeeping project.

#MythBusting: are beehives in office buildings dangerous?

By Alvéole

There’s no denying it, bees have a bad rep’ - they just do. But far from being the sting-crazy predators they’re often made out to be, bees are first and foremost misunderstood.

#FunFacts: 6 Things You Should Know about Honey

By Alvéole

Did you know that North Americans consume a lot more honey than they can produce? In fact, numbers show that up to three-quarters of our honey comes from elsewhere. While that’s great for our collective sweet tooth, it can be trickier to know what’s in imported honey, with some blends including lesser ingredients like cheap corn syrup or unwelcome GMOs.

Tips and Hacks: Choosing an Urban Beekeeping Company

By Alvéole

Contrary to popular belief– and to unfounded fears – almost any building can host a hive. But to truly take advantage of your urban beekeeping experience and keep your bees happy, you’re best to get the help of a qualified, experienced partner.

#FunFacts: 6 Things You Should Know about Bees (and the Planet)

By Alvéole

The bee population is in serious danger, and that means our entire food system is too.

#BeePerks: Increase Property Value

By Alvéole

How urban beekeeping can help you foster community, visibility, and retention in your buildings. Because really, it’s about so much more than honey.

Divide the hive

By Alvéole

In spring, dividing the colony may thwart their plans to swarm. Just follow this simple yet effective method that doesn't even require much equipment.

Overwinter your hive

By Alvéole

Canadian winters being what they are, it's best to insulate your hive against the extreme cold. Here's how to find a suitable overwintering location to wrap up your hive.

Extract your honey

By Alvéole

Claim the sweet reward for all your labour: it's extraction time! A fun and instructive activity to share with good company.

Feed the colony

By Alvéole

It's already time to prepare your colony for the harsh months of winter ahead. Here's how to install a feeder pail above your brood box.

Treat for Varroa

By Alvéole

This parasite is an integral part of beekeeping. With this new (and safe!) treatment, it's easy to eliminate Varroa from your hive.

Catching a swarm

By Alvéole

Despite being a natural impulse for bees, swarming is not a desirable scenario, especially in urban areas. Experienced beekeepers: here's how to effectively recover a swarm.

Harvest the honey

By Alvéole

In theory, honey can be harvested as soon as the bees cap the cells it's stored in. When a box is full, follow these steps to collect the ripe frames for extraction.

Introduce a new queen

By Alvéole

Reasons to replace your queen: she's no longer productive; she mysteriously disappeared; or… you accidentally squashed her.

Check for swarming

By Alvéole

Despite your best efforts, your hive may attempt to swarm. To halt their plans, use this complex (but very effective!) method.

Install the queen excluder

By Alvéole

Before adding a third box, you must first find your queen and confine her to the bottom-most brood box. Follow these steps.

Perform your summer inspection

By Alvéole

The days are long and the bees are out gathering nectar. Simply inspect your hive to make sure it's healthy.

Add a second box

By Alvéole

Your colony is in great shape and the season is in full swing – your bees need space! It's time to add a second box to your hive.

Perform your first spring inspection

By Alvéole

It's time to open up the hive for the first time and check out the action on the frames.

Identify queen cells

By Alvéole

See how to identify queen cells at first glance. Most importantly, learn how to distinguish between supersedure cells and swarm cells!

Meet the members of the colony

By Alvéole

Take some time to familiarize yourself with the different individuals that make up your hive. Brace yourself: the images are breathtaking.

Transfer the nuc to the hive

By Alvéole

Learn the simple yet effective technique for transferring 10 000 new bees to your hive. The secret: stay calm!

Understanding bee stings

By Alvéole

An impossible subject to avoid! See why a bee stings only if she has no other choice, and especially when she considers the hive to be in danger.

Assemble your beekeeping equipment

By Alvéole

Gather all the materials you'll be using and familiarize yourself with the various components of the hive. Make sure you have everything you need before the bees arrive!

Choose a perfect spot for your hive

By Alvéole

Roof, balcony, or backyard-- it's up to you to determine the perfect location for your colony. Here are the 4 factors to consider.

Get to know the basic tools

By Alvéole

Few tools are truly essential when it comes to maintaining a bee hive. Here are the ones that are key for working in harmony with the bees.

Honey bee hive products

By Alvéole

Roles of a worker bee

By Alvéole

Available soon.