Beekeeping For Dummies

Newcomers to beekeeping can use this practical guide to work through the whole process one step at a time. Author David Wiscombe walks readers through choosing equipment, buying or collecting bees, picking a suitable site for the hive, and keeping the colony healthy over time. Readers also learn how to take and process honey, from extracting and jarring it to packaging and selling it. Explanations of bee anatomy and the benefits of keeping bees round out the early chapters.

The book also looks at the wider picture. It covers the causes and effects of bee disease and colony collapse disorder, and how the sudden disappearance of honeybees affects the environment and the economy. Its guidance is tailored to beekeeping in the UK, addressing the local climate, where to put hives, how colony collapse disorder plays out locally and how to reduce the risk to your colony. Seasonal tasks, local beekeeping associations and recent material on keeping bees in towns and cities are also included.

The book suits people who are just starting out, those enrolled in a beekeeping course, and anyone concerned about the honeybee's decline.