Beekeeping books owned by newbies?

[savoyard]

Just to be controversial -

May I recommend to (British) newbies that - IN THE SHORT TERM - they avoid American books.

American books are among the best, but their climate, legislation, and husbandry techniques are quite different to ours. You need the confidence to know when something doesn't apply - and that can only come with time.

I would mnake the inverse recommendation to American newbies, and for the same reasons.

Savoyard

 

[Mandeville]

Hooper - of course!
Campion - Bees at the bottom of the garden
Goodman - Form & Function of the honeybee
Storch - At the Hive entrance
Turnbull - Bad beekeepers club - does this count??

 

[psafloyd]

I would recommend the following in addition to Hooper and Campion

[ame]http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1861260490/ref=oss_product[/ame]

[ame]http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1905862237/ref=oss_product[/ame]

[ame]http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1904846548/ref=oss_product[/ame]

[ame]http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1933392088/ref=oss_product[/ame] (US but interesting)

 

[Poly Hive]

I would not consider the American books to be better than oours, and often a lot worse.

Dummies comes to mind instantly.

I have warned and warned against the American views on beekeeping as the way they work, the climate, the bees themselves, and pretty near everything is so different to how it all works over here is just chalk and cheese.

Be warned. (yet again)

PH

 

[Monsieur Abeille]

I have warned and warned against the American views on beekeeping as the way they work, the climate, the bees themselves, and pretty near everything is so different to how it all works over here is just chalk and cheese

PH

Quite agree, two of my collection are US based and apart from being of interest to see how they do things over there, it could be confusing or disasterous even if taken at face value.

 

[savoyard]

I would not consider the American books to be better than oours, and often a lot worse.

Snodgrass? Laidlaw?


The ones I recommend to my mentees are

For husbandry (management and handling):-
"Guide to Bees and Honey" by Ted Hooper
"Practical Beekeeping" by Clive de Bruyn

For background (social organisation, natural history, genetics, anatomy, pheromones, etc.):-
"The honey bee inside out" &
"The honey bee around and about" - Both by Celia Davis

The Ministry booklets on Varroa and Foulbrood are also essential reading.

Regards

Savoyard

 

[blackbrood]

Be careful of the pollen load books as if the colours are slightly off from the printing process the results make no sense at all.

And yes it can happen.

PH

fair point PH, I wanted initially to get it so I could appreciate the vast array of colours/types of pollen that go in to honey. I was a little surprised at how thick a book full of pollen colours can be. This I hope will be part of a 2012 project when I would like to buy a microscope (or borrow one initially). so time will tell on how far out it is.

BB

 

[blackbrood]

I would not consider the American books to be better than oours, and often a lot worse. PH

I agree. I have a couple of American books, one is excellent, very interesting and seems well researched by a chap called Kim Flottum (if memory serves me correct). It is aimed at the newbee bee keeper which I am.

The other "the complete guide to bee-keeping for fun and profit" is quite appalling. It is an individual that is constantly referring to bee keeping with out chemicals and natural bee keeping and imo clearly has an agenda of bee keeping with out chemicals. I have no objection to this but I just found it didn't give a very rounded objective approach and the titles implies more it is a "complete guide"

BB

 

[Nellie]

I know it's almost required reading, but I have to admit, and I know it's almost beekeeping heresy to say this, that I don't actually like Ted Hooper's book very much.

I think as a taster that the Dummies book, despite its heavy American slant isn't that bad. I've never looked at it again since I started beekeeping, but I thought it actually gives a pretty good idea of what's involved, day to day, in beekeeping.

I do like David Cramp's book and I have another kicking around somewhere that I didn't think was that great but has a lot more illustrations than Cramp's that came in useful when I was first starting out.

The collins bible I've only just started looking through, but if it's still on offer on Amazon, it looks a worthy addition to the bookshelf.

I know it's not a book, but Beecraft in the first year is worth a subscription I think. The month by month guides they have on what to do this month is quite handy, but I'm not sure the subscription is worth the fee after the first year.

 

[Haughton Honey]

fair point PH, I wanted initially to get it so I could appreciate the vast array of colours/types of pollen that go in to honey. I was a little surprised at how thick a book full of pollen colours can be. This I hope will be part of a 2012 project when I would like to buy a microscope (or borrow one initially). so time will tell on how far out it is.

BB

Please also bear in mind BB that in some instances the colour of the pollen from certain plants can actually change throughout the season and is sometimes altered by growing conditions.

Fascinating stuff!

 

[Mandeville]

Nothing to do with books but ....

Why don't the voting numbers and the percentages in the poll add up ?

 

[Erichalfbee]

Perhaps because you can tick more than one box.
I did

 

[Ely]

I have -

A Practical Manual of Beekeeping by David Cramp

Guide to bees and honey by Ted Hooper

Collins Beekeeper's Bible: Bees, honey, recipes and other home uses by Philip Et Al Mccabe

Bee Keeping: Inspiration and Practical Advice for Would-be Smallholders (Country Living) by Andrew Davies

Good reads

 

[Mandeville]

Perhaps because you can tick more than one box.
I did

Ooooh - I didn't know that was allowed ....

 

[Erichalfbee]

It probably isn't

 

[cak29]

My other half is a fan of the Dummies books which is the reason we got it to find out what was basically involved. I do think as a taster to the subject when you are completely new it is useful although it quickly became obvious what was the american style compare to things on here and in other medias. Still it got me interested enough to start seriously looking into keeping bees. Ted Hoopers book seems to be the most popular though, will have to look into that one

 

[jallen]

beekeeping for dummys and bees at the buttom of the garden both well worn lol

 

[blackbrood]

Fascinating stuff!

It certainly seems to be. and thanks for the tip.

 

[Poly Hive]

Please do yourselves a major favour and throw out/sell the Dummies book.

Please.

PH

 

[JonS]

I have the 'standard' Hooper book, but have Celia Davis' 'Honey Bee: Inside and Out' and 'Around and About', partly since she is coming to talk at the Cookhill Garden Club next month, and I will try to get her to autograph them.

Both are a bit 'advanced' for my experience yet, but I guess I should study for the exams....