Which beekeeping book would you recommend?

[rachann]

One week to go before I start an 'Introduction to beekeeping' course. I have read a couple of books already so they should make sense when I get some hands-on practice.

But I was wondering, if you were to recommend one book for beginners what book would it be?

 

[garlicpickle]

I like the Ted Hooper "Guide to Bees and Honey", it covers pretty well everything, although a lot of it will make much more sense once you actually get to see and handle a colony.

 

[alldigging]

The haynes manual one is very clear with lots of pictures. The Ted Hooper is more wordy. Depends what you want from a book.

I assume you have read what your local library has to offer?

 

[enrico]

Bees at the bottom of the garden by Alan campion
Easy to read in bed!

 

[theeggman]

I like the Ted Hooper "Guide to Bees and Honey", it covers pretty well everything, although a lot of it will make much more sense once you actually get to see and handle a colony.

I found Hooper much easier to understand than David Cramp's 'Practical Manual of Beekeeping'

I would get the revised Hooper which includes some on varroa, there are still copies of the older version on sale, normally at a higher price than the revised edition.

 

[Illo]

Practical Beekeeping by Clive de Bruyn. Good introduction, and a little more 'readable' for the beginner than Hooper.

The 'Haynes Manual' has good pix.

Keeping Healthy Honey Bees by David Aston and Sally Bucknall. Good plain speaking text on health and husbandry.

LJ

 

[ianorsven]

I like the Ted Hooper "Guide to Bees and Honey", it covers pretty well everything, although a lot of it will make much more sense once you actually get to see and handle a colony.

I agree . Goes that bit further than "Bees at the Bottom of your Garden" (which I occasionally still refer back to!).

 

[Jimmys Mum]

A thumbs up here for the Haynes manual, simple but non patronising text with clear illustrations and pictures. Great for a complete beginner like I was last year!
For a second book I would have to say Ted Hooper. Much more detailed but still well written and easy to follow.

 

[rachann]

I found Hooper much easier to understand than David Cramp's 'Practical Manual of Beekeeping'.

That is the one I'm reading at the moment.

 

[blackie]

jay smith better queens. old school books are best because nowdays we think we no it all (including me)

 

[REDWOOD]

http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/ is probably the best book on beekeeping I have ever read, and quite amusing at times even at my own expense in the early days but a person that doesn't make mistakes doesn't do anything

 

[alldigging]

http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/ is probably the best book on beekeeping I have ever read, and quite amusing at times

+1

This thread in particular is worth ploughing through.

http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=8543

 

[Dusty Rhodes]

Hooper.

Dusty

 

[REDWOOD]

It was the first book I read, I remember it well frame in one hand and book in other

 

[BeeJayBee]

I think, for beginning beekeeping, the Haynes manual is better than Hooper. It's very well illustrated, pictures offer so much more information in an instant than half a page of text.

Hooper's good for more in depth information, but unfortunately the one I've got has a slightly broken index. I think they may have forgotten to fully update it when more information was added, so it's quite difficult to look some things up.

The one thing I would say is to try to make sure you get a UK-based book, otherwise you'll get more than a bit confused with some of the terminology.

Use the internet too. There's Dave Cushman's site, this forum and several others, quite a few blogs that are worth browsing and youtube - you'll soon work out which sites good and which are less so.

Find a good UK-based glossary (there are one or two in blogs, can't link to bl0gsp0t from the forum) and learn to recognise and name the different parts of a hive.

 

[Arfermo]

Hooper every time.

 

[CraigPeterkin]

I am also a newbee beekeeper and have invested in dozens of books on various subjects relating to beekeeping which I have been reading for about 12 months prior to obtaining a hive or bees. However, in honesty, I have learnt more from just three hands on practicals with a mentor working with a real hive and live bees than I have learnt from any book. Sometimes the info in the books was so overwhelming to me that I thought that I would not continue which would have been a great shame indeed.
So my advice to any new beekeeper is to join a local association, grab any available mentors and sign up to some introductory beekeeping courses which by the sounds of it you have done already. The latter I have not done myself! I am so glad that I got my bees now though and am thoroughly enjoying the journey. Enjoy and good luck!

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Hooper

 

[itma]

...
But I was wondering, if you were to recommend one book for beginners what book would it be?

Haynes manual.

And after you have done your intro course, maybe then buy Hooper. Or wait another few months ...

 

[ugcheleuce]

I like the Ted Hooper "Guide to Bees and Honey"...

With a bit of googling you can download the 1998 edition off the web. My question to those of you who probably have the latest edition: it is much, much better than the 1998 edition?