Synopses & Reviews
A honey of a guide to getting started in beekeeping – from sourcing your bees to harvesting your sweet rewardYour complete guide to beekeeping in virtually any setting – city, town or country – Beekeeping For Dummies, UK Edition gives you step-by-step instructions on all practical aspects of starting and maintaining a beehive and reaping the many rewards.
To bee or not to bee – discover the many benefits of beekeeping, while learning about bee anatomy, language, habits, complex social organisation, and a typical day in the life of a bee
The adventure begins – everything you need to know about starting a hive, including locating the hive, buying equipment, choosing and sourcing the right kind of honey bees, and more
Up close and personal – find out how to open your beehive and get to know your bees and their world from the inside, as well as the different tasks involved with keeping the hive buzzing along
A healthy bee is a happy bee – anticipate, diagnose and solve problems that can beset a hive, including common illnesses and pesky pests such as mites and insects
Sweet rewards – get the lowdown on the equipment you need to reap your golden harvest along with step-by-step directions to harvesting and bottling your honey
Fun stuff – learn to brew mead, bake the best honey cake, plant flowers for your bees, make beeswax candles, and make two hives from one
Open the book and find:
Explanations of bee anatomy and physiology
Tips on safely extracting honey
The benefits of beekeeping
The best ways of buying and hiving your bees
Beekeeping tasks throughout the year
Bee diseases and threats
How to keep your neighbours happy
Lists of regional associations and equipment suppliers
Learn to:
Understand the amazing behaviour of your honey bees
Obtain and hive your first colony
Deal with pests and diseases that may harm your bees
Harvest your own honey
Synopsis
The fast and easy way to start and maintain a hiveBeekeeping For Dummies is a practical, step-by-step beginner's guide to beekeeping. It gives you plain-English guidance on everything you need to know to start your own beehive, from buying the right equipment, sourcing bees, and locating your hive to maintaining a healthy colony and harvesting honey. Plus, you'll get the latest information on the causes and effects of bee disease, colony collapse disorder, and the impact the sudden disappearance of the honeybee has on our environment and economy.
Here, you'll get trusted information on beekeeping in the UK, specifically written to address climate, buying equipment, locating hives, the local impact of colony collapse disorder and ways to avoid or minimise the risk to your hive, seasonal beekeeping tasks, local beekeeping associations, and updated content on urban beekeeping.
- Understand the anatomy of your bees
- Learn techniques and tips for harvesting, bottling, packaging, and selling honey
- Discover the benefits of beekeeping
- Learn techniques on obtaining and hiving your bees
If you're a beginner beekeeper, taking a beekeeping course, or just have an interest in the plight of the honeybee,
Beekeeping For Dummies has you covered!
About the Author
David Wiscombe is a beekeeping expert who has been keeping bees for over 50 years. He also teaches novice beekeepers and runs the beekeeping course at River Cottage.
Howland Blackiston has more than 20 years' experience keeping bees. He has written many articles on beekeeping and been a keynote speaker at conferences in over 40 countries.
Table of Contents
Introduction 1Part I: Getting Hooked on Honey Bees 7
Chapter 1: To Bee or Not to Bee? 9
Chapter 2: Life Inside the Honey Bee Hive 21
Part II: Starting Your Adventure 41
Chapter 3: Locating Your Hive 43
Chapter 4: Stocking Up on Basic Beekeeping Equipment 51
Chapter 5: Obtaining and Hiving Your Bees 81
Part III: Looking Inside Your Hive 97
Chapter 6: Opening Your Hive 99
Chapter 7: What to Look for when You’re Inspecting 109
Chapter 8: Your Work throughout the Seasons 129
Part IV: Common Problems and Simple Solutions 145
Chapter 9: Heading Off Potential Problems 147
Chapter 10: Treating Diseases and Considering Colony Collapse Disorder 169
Chapter 11: Buzz Off! Dealing with Honey Bee Pests 183
Chapter 12: Raising Your Own Queens 201
Part V: Sweet Rewards 223
Chapter 13: Getting Ready for the Golden Harvest 225
Chapter 14: Honey, I’m Home: Harvest Time 239
Part VI: The Part of Tens 253
Chapter 15: Ten Fun Things to Do with Bees 255
Chapter 16: Ten Frequently Asked Questions about Bee Behaviour 267
Chapter 17: Ten Delicious Honey Recipes 271
Appendix A: Helpful Resources 279
Appendix B: Glossary 291
Index 297