Ontario has rules for recovering an escaped swarm. It cannot help you recover your dignity.
The Riff. October 19, 2026
I was reading about unusual Canadian laws when I discovered that Ontario has a legal framework for what happens when your bees leave you.
I assumed beekeeping involved buying the outfit, setting up the boxes, and occasionally collecting honey. I did not realize the bees could reconsider.
If they move into your neighbor’s occupied hive, they’re his bees now. You can stand there explaining that you provided housing all summer and bought a hat with a fence attached to it.
The queen is unavailable. Gary’s getting honey.
And you’re standing in the yard dressed for a relationship you’re no longer in.
