The Beekeeper's Field Guide Everything You Need to Know, from Honey to the Hive

About this book

Beekeeping is a popular pastime that more and more people are turning to for personal enjoyment or even small commercial gain. Today you will find hives in backyards, gardens, and on rooftops, benefiting both the bee and the keeper.

For those who have begun their beekeeping journey and need a go-to pocket guide on establishing and maintaining their hives, The Beekeeper's Field Guide is the perfect book. Not only will readers learn about a wide range of bee species and their life cycle, behaviour, and preferred plants, but readers will also be informed about the practicalities of beekeeping, from personal safety and hygiene to record keeping and legal requirements.

With an extensive troubleshooting section that debunks myths, and includes explanations and solutions for "bad" bee behaviour, diseases, and pests, The Beekeeper's Field Guide is a handy-sized yet comprehensive tool for all keen and established beekeepers.

Contents

Introduction - 6
A Guide to Honeybees and the Hive - 14
Beekeeping Tasks and Equipment - 64
Responsible Beekeeping - 144
Troubleshooting - 212
Resources and Suppliers - 278

Customer Reviews

Biography

Meredith May is a 5th-generation beekeeper, and author of the best-selling memoir The Honey Bus, published in 18 countries. Her debut illustrated children’s book My Hive is about learning the art of beekeeping from her grandfather. She is a former award-winning reporter for the San Francisco Chronicle where she kept several rooftop hives. She lives in Carmel Valley, California, where she tends her bees and volunteers as a scuba diver for the Monterey Bay Aquarium.

Garden communicator at her award-winning website, The Garden Diaries, Claire Jones is a landscape/floral designer, garden travel leader, and has worked at the White House as a floral designer many times. She is a frequent presenter at Flower Shows, Botanic Gardens, and Master Gardeners. Claire practices what she preaches on her own Maryland two-acre property which includes a buzzing meadow, mixed hedgerow, vegetable garden, planting borders, and honey-producing apiary.