Books - Essential Reading for All Beekeepers

 

BOOK OF THE MONTH - APRIL 2012

Honeybees make decisions collectively--and democratically. Every year, faced with the life-or-death problem of choosing and traveling to a new home, honeybees stake everything on a process that includes collective fact-finding, vigorous debate, and consensus building. In fact, as world-renowned animal behaviorist Thomas Seeley reveals, these incredible insects have much to teach us when it comes to collective wisdom and effective decision making. A remarkable and richly illustrated account of scientific discovery, Honeybee Democracy brings together, for the first time, decades of Seeley's pioneering research to tell the amazing story of house hunting and democratic debate among the honeybees.

BOOK OF THE MONTH - MARCH 2012

This book is designed to present detailed information about the anatomy and physiology of the honey bee in a clear and concise format. Each of the eight chapters covers an aspect of bee biology and all are illustrated. 
Also included, are an appendix giving the background to scientific terminology, a wide-ranging glossary including phonetic spellings and suggestions for further reading.  It is based on the examination modules set by the British Beekeepers' Association, but this text will prove interesting for anyone wanting to know more about our honey bees.

BOOK OF THE MONTH - FEBRUARY 2012

Clive De Bruyn is one of the current world leaders in beekeeping and his book "Practical Beekeeping" is the complete guide to the bee and its management. Topics covered include the bee and its environment; hives and other equipment; management of the apiary; and control of pests and diseases. Profusely illustrated with photographs and specially commissioned line illustrations, this book will be an invaluable addition to the bookshelf of anyone involved in beekeeping.

BOOK OF THE MONTH - JANUARY 2012
This is the ideal guide for anyone wanting to start beekeeping and a revered reference book for experienced beekeepers. It includes information on all you need to know, including how to avoid swarms, plan requeening, or provide the colony with winter stores. It features key information on Varroa. It is copiously illustrated throughout. Fully revised and updated, this new edition of 'Guide to Bees and Honey' also presents expert advice for readers who plan to maintain a few hives for personal recreational use, as well as those who want to expand an existing colony into a commercial venture.
Beekeeping is a hobby any interested amateur could explore - that is the message of this work which aims to take the mystique out of keeping bees. Alan Campion uses his own experiences to describe in plain terms how to go about setting up a hive, and what to expect from your bees.
'Hello. My name is Bill and I'm a bad beekeeper. A really bad beekeeper.' So begins Bill Turnbull's charming account of how he stumbled into the mysterious world of beekeeping (sometimes literally). Despite many setbacks - including being stung in the head (twice) on his first day of training - beekeeping somehow taught Bill a great deal about himself and the world around him. Bill chronicles his mishaps - and brief triumphs - with the humour and Zen-like acceptance of a man who knows his enthusiasm will always outweigh his abilities. At the same time his stories highlight the very real threats to our bee population, and what we can do to create a better environment for these vital and rather wonderful creatures. Fascinating and hugely engaging, The Bad Beekeepers Club is a universally appealing story about a very singular passion.
A fascinating hobby; a remunerative business; or a globetrotting career? Which type of beekeeper do you want to be? It is entirely up to you: beekeeping can provide it all.Beekeeping can provide anyone with an interesting and useful hobby or a lucrative and rewarding business. It is recognised as a vital agricultural industry and can therefore also offer you a globe trotting career. The whole subject is, however, often shrouded in mystery and loaded with jargon, leaving many people unaware of its true potential or how to start. This book strips away all the mystery and explains step by step how - from day one - you can start beekeeping as a hobby; how you can progress to running a beekeeping business; or how you can start a career as a beekeeper which can quite easily take you all over the world. No other guide explains in such detail the true potential and accessibility of beekeeping or of being a beekeeper.