# Recommendations on beekeeping books?



## dewnhew (Aug 12, 2015)

Anyone know of any good books I can get on beekeeping?

This is one of those things on the to do list that I'd like to get on top of. I don't really know squat about what it takes to keep bees but I'd sure like to be able to do it. Both for the germination of crops and the like and for the honey.

Any suggestions are appreciated.


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## bogey (Aug 10, 2015)

Following!


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## ClemKadiddlehopper (Aug 15, 2014)

Bee keeping is a hot topic. It rates right up there with religion and politics. It is therefore tough to recommend a book since there is one for every oppinion out there. Check out your local bee keeping association for someone who is holding classes, take one if you can, just to get a peek in a hive and learn some terminology. You will probably get a lot of opinions about commercial vs permie. You could try the book Beekeeping for Dumbies and watch lots of you tube videos and just figure it out as you go. www.permies.com has a very good bee keeping thread with just about every way of doing things discussed to death in a very civilized manner.

Once you get an idea of what level of "laziness" you wish to maintain for the sake of the bees versus your bottom line, than get a nuc and proceed to break all the rules that don't suit you and let the bees teach you what you need to know for what it is you wish to do or not do.

I am in the leave them alone camp and get some honey off them in the spring. I need my bees to be self sustaining. That means I need five hives to maintain a count of three over time and to get enough honey to suit my needs without stripping the bees of what they need to maintain themselves on their own.


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## dewnhew (Aug 12, 2015)

ClemKadiddlehopper said:


> I am in the leave them alone camp and get some honey off them in the spring. I need my bees to be self sustaining. That means I need five hives to maintain a count of three over time and to get enough honey to suit my needs without stripping the bees of what they need to maintain themselves on their own.


And seriously I'm really in this camp myself. I'd rather be able to set this up and largely have the bee population self-sustain and only take out a little honey. I'm not looking to sell the stuff or even as a barter source. Just some honey for a sweetener.


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## LincTex (Apr 1, 2011)

My Granddad was a firm believer in Ag Extension Service Publications.

Most are free if you know where to look and who to ask

http://extension.uga.edu/agriculture/animals/bees/

http://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.cfm?number=B1045

http://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.cfm?number=B1106

http://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.cfm?number=C934

http://www.extension.umn.edu/garden/honey-bees/

http://growingsmallfarms.ces.ncsu.edu/growingsmallfarms-beekeeping/

http://extension.psu.edu/business/ag-alternatives/livestock/additional-livestock-options/beekeeping

http://www.clemson.edu/extension/beekeepers/

http://www.extension.org/bee_health

http://www.kyagr.com/statevet/honeybees.html

http://uaex.edu/farm-ranch/special-programs/beekeeping/

https://ag.umass.edu/farm-specific-faq/bees-honey

http://www.oda.state.ok.us/cps-bees.htm

http://www.oces.okstate.edu/


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## crabapple (Jan 1, 2012)

ClemKadiddlehopper said:


> Bee keeping is a hot topic. It rates right up there with religion and politics. It is therefore tough to recommend a book since there is one for every oppinion out there. Check out your local bee keeping association for someone who is holding classes, take one if you can, just to get a peek in a hive and learn some terminology. You will probably get a lot of opinions about commercial vs permie. You could try the book Beekeeping for Dumbies and watch lots of you tube videos and just figure it out as you go. www.permies.com has a very good bee keeping thread with just about every way of doing things discussed to death in a very civilized manner.
> 
> Once you get an idea of what level of "laziness" you wish to maintain for the sake of the bees versus your bottom line, than get a nuc and proceed to break all the rules that don't suit you and let the bees teach you what you need to know for what it is you wish to do or not do.
> 
> I am in the leave them alone camp and get some honey off them in the spring. I need my bees to be self sustaining. That means I need five hives to maintain a count of three over time and to get enough honey to suit my needs without stripping the bees of what they need to maintain themselves on their own.


I agree!
I have not used permie link for beekeeping, but for wood stoves.
I use Beekeeping for Dummies by H. Blackiston.
I use Keeping Bees & Making Honey by A. Benjamin.

Good luck.


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## tsrwivey (Dec 31, 2010)

Bees are something we're working on now. Hubby is reading Langstroths Hive & The Honey Bee  now. Originally published in 1878. It was recommended by several bee keepers. My recommendation is to find someone local to buy your bees from that way if you have a problem & can't get it figured out, they can come help. Bees are expensive & it'll take 2 years before you start getting honey so you don't want your hive to die or swarm & leave. Dealing with someone locally will also give you access to needed supplies same day vs having to order them. Apparently lots of people are getting into beekeeping, I saw all the stuff at Atwood's. Good luck!


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## IlliniWarrior (Nov 30, 2010)

the Survival Library has four entire sections dedicated to beekeeping .... probably 150+ books on the subject and then sections covering the American Bee Journal and likewise the British version ....

http://www.survivorlibrary.com/?page_id=1014


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## cowboyhermit (Nov 10, 2012)

I love books so I have a lot of them, and since I have been keeping bees for a long time I have accumulated several on the subject. I found them very useful for gaining an understanding of bee biology and behaviour when first starting out but I have much less use for them as an ongoing how-to sort of thing. Even relatively recent publications based in my exact province have many things that don't work in my particular situations.

That being said, I think you have a couple things to consider when thinking about beekeeping info. The first is whether you intend to use the now traditional Langstroth system or relatively new top-bar or even newer automatic hive types. The traditional Langstroth type hive has barely changed in ages, practically since the days of skeps, the parts and info are widely available etc. Top bar hives are becoming very popular with small beekeepers for sever reasons that I won't go into here. Many people are seeing promise in the new automatic type hives :dunno):. The other is to what degree the information in the book will vary for your particular area, for example;



tsrwivey said:


> Bees are something we're working on now. Hubby is reading Langstroths Hive & The Honey Bee  now. Originally published in 1878. It was recommended by several bee keepers. My recommendation is to find someone local to buy your bees from that way if you have a problem & can't get it figured out, they can come help. Bees are expensive & it'll take 2 years before you start getting honey so you don't want your hive to die or swarm & leave. Dealing with someone locally will also give you access to needed supplies same day vs having to order them. Apparently lots of people are getting into beekeeping, I saw all the stuff at Atwood's. Good luck!


Up in the western Canadian prairies, I have seen 150lbs or 15gallons of honey from a 1st year package of bees. It is my understanding that in the southern U.S, that half or 1/3 of that is considered "good" for an already established colony. There are other differences as well, in how much honey we leave in the hive to overwinter a colony, how we wrap them up for winter, what the bees will feed on and when, etc.

So, for example, while I may recommend this book for people who are getting into it here;







http://www.amazon.ca/Beekeeping-Western-Canada-John-Gruszka/dp/0773261397
It probably has a lot that doesn't specifically apply to your area. That's fine if you actually want to understand bees but not so much for a hold-your-hand guide book.


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