United States
£ GBP
The general public is becoming more aware of the plight of pollinating insects and many people now believe honey bees to be a protected species. The term 'bees' in this context means all bees and, in the UK, there are about 250 species of bees. However, this book is concerned with just a single species, namely Apis mellifera, the western honey bee. Feral colonies (those living in cavities other than managed bee hives) in the UK are considered to be a valuable genetic resource and should not be destroyed if it can be avoided. In this book, the authors describe the processes and thoughts any bee remover needs to undertake before, during and after the removal of feral honey bees from buildings or other structures.
"Many wild colonies of honey bees take up residence in buildings, and sometimes they do need to be removed. The book that you are holding is a superbly detailed and richly illustrated guide to the removal process. I am delighted that the authors have included a thorough discussion of their experiences and recommendations regarding "Trap-out Removals" (aka"Trap-Outs" and "Cut-Outs"). Removals performed in this way can foster the survival of colonies that have persisted without help from us, and so have shown that they possess the skills needed to cope with their parasites and pathogens. These are colonies that can help us to find our way back to treatment-free beekeeping."
– Professor Thomas D. Seeley
