Keeping Bees: A Complete Practical Guide

Description

More popular than ever, beekeeping is a fascinating craft that is fun to learn and the perfect antidote to the stress of modern life. This practical guide covers everything a new beekeeper needs to know, from buying equipment to harvesting your very own honey. With clear, step-by-step instructions on handling and checking your bees, helpful tips and advice on keeping them healthy and productive and also featuring a collection of tempting honey-based recipes for you to try, Keeping Bees contains everything a modern beekeeper should know.

Promotion info

- Expertly written and packed with practical tips and step-by-step advice. - Beekeeping is experiencing a surge in popularity. The British Beekeepers Association has seen an 11% increase in its membership in the last two years (from 9,900 to 11,000).

Author description

Paul Peacock is a keen beekeeper and gardener and has published articles for numerous magazines and newspapers, including Country Life and The Guardian. He is editor of Grow It! magazine.

Table of contents

Introduction Why keep bees? * Are bees for you? The honey bee: A history of beekeeping * Types of bee * Anatomy and life cycle of the honey bee * Bee foods and pollination. The hive: Types of hive * Parts of the hive * The beekeeper's toolkit. Getting started: Setting up a hive * Where to keep bees? * Urban beekeeping Where to get bees? * Introducing a swarm . Bee care: Opening and checking your hive * Feeding * Controlling and preventing swarming * Re-queening * Pests and diseases. Honey and other products: How to harvest your honey * Beeswax * Candles and cosmetic creams * Propolis. The bee garden: Bees and your garden * Bees and biodiversity. The beekeeper's year: Checklist for Spring * Summer * Autumn * Winter. Recipes: A selection of delicious recipes using your homemade honey. Glossary . Index.