Beginners Beekeeping Books

[Colobee]

I have a dozen or so, but my "main-stays" are "ABC-XYZ".., "The Hive and the Honey Bee", and Taylor's "How-To-Do-It..." . I use bits from all of them but usually grab "How-To" first, as it's well organized into many small treatments of usually just a few paragraphs. It's a quick way to jog my memory to the other sources. 151 short stories on the How-To's of beekeeping. Easy to read, front to back, unlike many others.

I used to have several boxes of old Gleanings from Bee Culture and The American Beekeeper mags - years (and years) of each. They came as part of a bee business I bought out in the 90's. I read most of them, but don't have many left.

I suppose it's time I got something that was written in this millennia... but another interesting read is the 1917 (2nd) edition of ABC that I acquired many years ago - for one, it also describes the queen's mating flight as her "wedding flight". There's a barely visible "Grace Margaret Starryon Roe, 1918 " penciled on the inside cover - obviously the original owner. Many of the illustrations are intricately hand drawn.

[pgayle]

Kim Flottum has a brand new revision of "The Backyard Beekeeper" just out on Amazon for about $15. The photographs are excellent and all in color. His writing is excellent as usual. I think it just became my new favorite, edging out "Complete Idiot's Guide to Beekeeping" mainly because of the good photos which are very useful to beginners. I like both because they address the treatment free approach.

(I was never impressed with beekeeping for dummies. Unless they have a new revision it is pretty heavily treatment-based.)

[intlgrrl]

"Beekeeping for Dummies" is the required book for my local Beekeeper's Association beekeeping class

[DirtyLittleSecret]

Beekeepers Handbook for sure if you have the urge to just let em' loose on a book with the thinking they are general public. This is also assuming you are gearing your programme to a certain level of proficiency.
Alternatively, I'd actually recommend ABC & XYZ and teach from select sections. That way the protege bee whisperers could have additional references at their learning level should they already have found BeeSource. Most beekeeping classes are more elementary and would love to see a course with some actual rigor!

[ScienceGirl]

After reading tons of beekeeping books, my absolute favorite book is The Beekeeper's Handbook by Diana Sammataro and Alphonse Avitabile.
It covers every necessary beekeeping topic and then some, offering information in a way that is easy to comprehend and directions that are easy to follow. There are many helpful diagrams. While the text is easy for a beginner to understand, it also offers scientific information, explanations, and data, making it a book for everyone. It includes a variety of solutions for various problems and gives pros and cons for each, allowing the beekeeper to determine the path that will be best in their situation.

A second favorite is Beekeeping for Dummies by Howland Blackiston.

[gtp086]

For those who live in a Mediterranean climate central California, there's Jeremy Rose's Beekeeping in Coastal California.
Tom Seeley's books help you think like a bee, and that's a good thing.
I second the recommendation of Beekeeper's Handbook and Practical Beekeeper
Be aware that there are the "treatment" and "non-treatment" camps when it comes to Varroa.
Pick a mentor that shares your philosophy and goals.
Go to symposia if any are offered in your area.
Borrow and read back issues of Bee Culture magazine and American Bee Journal.
Subscribe to the newsletter of your state apiarist. (e.g. http://honey.ucdavis.edu/newsletter for California)

-- Jerry (Oakland)

[Steed]

storys guide to beekeeping is the book that got me started.

[PapaRob]

The following link is to a publication from the University of Tennessee Extension. Although the title is "BEEKEEPING IN TENNESSEE", it is an excellent source of information for all regions of the United States. NOTE: any reference to honey flows and their dates must be adjusted to your region. This information is accurate for Tennessee and similar climates. Now for the legal stuff: Copyright 2004 The University of Tennessee. All rights reserved. This document may be reproduced and distributed for nonprofit educational purposes provided that credit is given to University of Tennessee Extension.

https://extension.tennessee.edu/publ...nts/PB1745.pdf

Cheers, Rob

[Delta 21]

If you are starting with top bars, these two have tons of info in that direction.
books.jpg
I have a computer folder with every pdf file with anything at all about bees I have saved.

Read, read, read........

[steve1]

The Backyard Beekeeper by Kim Flottum is a nice book for beginners, seems to have some rather great reviews... Alongside The Beekeeper's Handbook by Diana Sammataro

Steve (EbeeHQ)

[edzkoda]

Check out Wicwas Press, Larry Conners site. Very nice selection in my opinion.

[sweeteststing]

Hi,
I would like to inform you for a new book about beekeeping
THE SWEETEST STING: Beekeeping stories for beekeepers (21 days for a bee to be born - 21 stories about beekeeping )
https://www.amazon.com/SWEETEST-STIN...sweetest+sting

[studyabroadlife]

Hello All, I'm studyabroadconsultant, from India. Thanks for sharing this and I also liked the book. Glad to join this group and looking forward to this group.