Submitted Photo/Prairie Rose Public Schools Facebook

By Jett Schwaier

IN THE COMMUNITY

Rescued honey-bee colony in Medicine Hat finds new home in educational apiary

Nov 26, 2025 | 1:12 PM

A hive of honey bees has been rescued and is now settled into an educational apiary at Neubauer Farms.

The colony joined the Prairie Rose Public Schools’ Prairie Rose Honey program hives after a multi-day effort.

The hive was discovered by a resident in a natural park space near the I-XL brick plant.

This is the second rescued hive donated to the school division.

Stella Sehn and Sheldon Hill from Sweet Pure Honey teach beekeeping with Prairie Rose Public Schools, providing hands-on learning opportunities for students, who suit up and visit the apiary to observe hive structure, bee behaviour and the role of the queen.

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The program reinforces lessons in ecology, communication, responsibility and environmental stewardship.

As overnight temperatures began to drop, the hive was at risk of not surviving the cold.

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Courtesy/Sweet Pure Honey

To prepare beehives for winter in Canada, beekeepers wrap hives with insulating material in late fall, once temperatures consistently fall below 10 °C.

The process includes adding exterior insulation, reducing the hive entrance and ensuring adequate ventilation, typically with a top entrance and a protective outer wrap such as a tarp or commercial cover.

The City of Medicine Hat posted a video of the rescue on Facebook, attracting more than 43,000 views.

Sehn said the public response reflects how strongly people in Medicine Hat connect with community-driven stories.

“It [the Facebook post] seems to be gaining 100 views per hour. Hatters need this, they really do,” Sehn said.

“The Monarch [Theatre] reached out to show a bee story. It’d be kind of cool, eventually we’ll do something.”

The rescued colony will be monitored through the winter, but Sehn said the queen appeared healthy and active during the transfer.

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READ: Beehive found in Medicine Hat gets a new home

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