The number of people interested and active in keeping bees has increased greatly over the past few years. Membership of the BBKA, the main association for amateur beekeepers (those with less than 40 hives) has grown by 65 per cent over the past couple of years. This guide, aimed at beginning beekeepers, provides an authoritative text, along with clear photographs and illustrations demonstrating the essential points. The first part of the book introduces the reader to beekeeping including the workings of the colony, the structure of a hive, how to acquire bees and keep them healthy and the structure of the beekeeping year, while the second part answers a number of frequently asked questions such as how to prevent swarming.
Ivor Davis is a past president of the BBKA, a master Beekeeper and one of the few people to hold the National Diploma in Beekeeping. Roger Cullum-Kenyon has been a beekeeper for more than 30 years and is managing director of BBKA enterprises.