Which type of beekeeper, or even beewatcher, do you want to be? A Practical Manual of Beekeeping explains step by step how you can start beekeeping as a rewarding hobby and how, if you wish, you can progress to running a lucrative beekeeping business. David Cramp has gathered together a huge amount of knowledge and information, with particular emphasis on presenting it practically and free from myths, to show that, with commitment, anyone can learn how to keep bees. Discover the history of beekeeping; the intricacies of the honey-bee colony and its inhabitants; producing, collecting and harvesting the products of the hive and bees; obtaining equipment and bees; caring for the colony through the seasons; dealing with problems and diseases; rearing and breeding, and essential help on how to stay organic. This is a fascinating insight into the life of the honey-bee, the traditional and modern ways of preserving the ancient symbiotic relationship between bees, flowers and man, and what it takes to protect their finely balanced existence.
320pp, 170mm x 208mm, illus. in b&w, softback, 2008