The Complete Guide to Beekeeping

Beekeepers and those interested in beekeeping An introduction and guide to the complex subject of beekeeping, an ancient pastime which has seen a recent revival in interest. Whether the reader is a novice or a professional beekeeper, this book will be a valuable addition to existing literature. The book is fully comprehensive, starting with the novice and ending with the semi-expert It tells you all you need to know about taking up beekeeping on a small scale. Starting Beekeeping When and where; hives and beekeeping equipment; buying secondhand; understanding honeybees. Siting Your Bees Selecting a site; hiving your bees; feeding your bees; looking through the hive; avoiding bee stings. A Thriving Colony Adding supers; using a queen excluder; how bees forage; the honey flow; taking off honey. Wintering Down Preparing and feeding the hive for winter; mice, damp, wax moth and other enemies. The Second Year Spring cleaning; getting a second hive; oil seed rape; the 'June gap'; problems with a poor harvest. Planning Ahead Keeping the queen in charge; requeening; making a nuc. warming Why bees swarm; swarms in action; catching and hiving a swarm; drone laying queens and other problems. beekeeping; migratory hives. Honeybee Products Honey for sale; honey for show; honey recipes; making mead; wax extracting; beeswax polish and candles; propolis' and medicinal properties. Honeybee Problems Killer bees; bee pests and diseases. Bees in History Beekeeping from BC to the present century. Glossary of beekeeping terms and information packed appendices.