Good book for beginners - recommendations please.

[BBG]

Hunter, Manual of beekeeping is very readable.

But very many of us like Guide to Bees and Honey by Ted Hooper.

If you want him to keep relatively sane, warn him that this Forum is likely to play with his head!

Dusty.

Yes, it is evident many are on medication and 'One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest' is not too far from reality.

 

[helenjoebutler]

Thanks

Thank you everyone for all the suggestions, lots for us to look at, will go to our local Works shop and also put a request in at the library for some of the other books suggested.

Thanks again.

Helen

 

[BeeJayBee]

Our local library has a fairly good selection of beekeeping books. They all tend to say the same sort of thing, in different styles, some of them are quite 'light' and are very quick to read which can be a good thing for a newcomer, but it makes them less useful as a reference.

I've kept renewing David Cramp's "Practical Manual of Beekeeping", it's easy to read/scan through to find what you're looking for. It's also available as a download.

I've bought the Ted Hooper's "Guide to Bees and Honey". It's well referenced so it's easy to find what you're looking for, but I haven't read it from beginning to end.

 

[victor meldrew]

Yes, it is evident many are on medication and 'One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest' is not too far from reality.

Overdosing on Epinephrine no doubt
VM

 

[Rosti]

Our local library has a fairly good selection of beekeeping books. They all tend to say the same sort of thing, in different styles, some of them are quite 'light' and are very quick to read which can be a good thing for a newcomer, but it makes them less useful as a reference.

I've kept renewing David Cramp's "Practical Manual of Beekeeping", it's easy to read/scan through to find what you're looking for. It's also available as a download.

I've bought the Ted Hooper's "Guide to Bees and Honey". It's well referenced so it's easy to find what you're looking for, but I haven't read it from beginning to end.

Cramp is an excellent starter read, Hooper is a superb general reference but his style can be pompus and he assumes a level of experience that a new starter simply doesn't have. That said if you have got as far as Hooper then there is a wealth of knowledge out there in many good books. I am sure there are as many forum threads on literary resources as there are books! - worth a search.

 

[BeeJayBee]

Cramp is an excellent starter read, Hooper is a superb general reference but ... he assumes a level of experience that a new starter simply doesn't have.

I think it's good to read as much as you can, but it doesn't really prepare you for the reality of looking after bees on your own, in the same way as reading about driving a car and passing an online theory test doesn't prepare you for driving on a busy motorway. You do need the help of somebody with more experience, even if it's just to reassure you that everything's okay.

 

[BBG]

'The Wild Garden & The Honeybee' written by Michael Duncan

is simplest with least stress on the bees.

It is ideally aimed at all beekeepers who are keen to promulgate the species and have say less than 20 hives - not a one for bee farmers perhaps, and has well illustrated procedures.

Ideal for those who can follow simple instructions - nothing moves from the apiary and barely from the bench.

 

[BBG]

Overdosing on Epinephrine no doubt
VM

Please put your cheap comments on the toilet wall where they can be read by people who have that kind of mentality.

IOW don't soil a pleasant thread with your bile.

 

[Ross]

+1 for David Cramp, very easy book to read and it doesn't assume any prior knowledge, Hooper is more technical (if somewhat dated) more difficult to read and assumes a higher level of knowledge.

I read Cramps book in a couple of days cover to cover it is an easy read easy to understand and pretty comprehensive. Hooper is much more effort to read and I had to tackle it a chapter at a time, in some cases I had to take notes and refer back to check I had got it all, not a great first book but a useful reference. I also find some of the little details in Hooper great when I am giving presentations (to non beekeeping audiences), that little bit extra non-beekeeping detail on bee behaviour keeps more people interested in the subject.

Ross

 

[The Cumbrian]

+1 for David Cramp, very easy book to read and it doesn't assume any prior knowledge, Hooper is more technical (if somewhat dated) more difficult to read and assumes a higher level of knowledge.

 

[victor meldrew]

Please put your cheap comments on the toilet wall where they can be read by people who have that kind of mentality.

IOW don't soil a pleasant thread with your bile.

What a silly pompous man you are
The bile was in the 'One flew over the cuckoos nest' jibe ?
Mine was intended as humour , however I suspect you want the last word , so there! there! Have it! I've no wish to cause upset in the nursery
VM

 

[Monsieur Abeille]

What a silly pompous man you are

VM - methinks you risk offending further Ms BBG

 

[victor meldrew]

VM - methinks you risk offending further Ms BBG

Might have known
VM

 

[prana vallabha]

great book

this is a great book-'Keeping Bees' by Pam Gregory and Claire Waring...pam gregory really know's her stuff , and this book is so easy to follow and up todate with amazing picture's great from beginners to the advanced

 

[bbadger07]

Haynes

haynes bee manual, its stands now in first place next to my ted hoopers