Product Description

Beekeeping is a hobby any interested amateur could explore - that is the message of this work which aims to take the mystique out of keeping bees. Alan Campion uses his own experiences to describe in plain terms how to go about setting up a hive, and what to expect from your bees.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #8332 in Books
• Published on: 2001-09-06
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 112 pages

Customer Reviews

Bees at the bottom of the garden
Bees at the bottom of the garden By Alan Campion, illustrated by Gay Hodgson

If I were asked to recommend one book for the novice beekeeper this would be it. Campion has distilled a large amount of information and presented it in an easy to understand manner. The drawings by Gay Hodgson bring the text to life.
Campion begins with an introduction to the honeybee and the equipment needed to keep them successfully. Choice of hive, siting of the colony and relevant aspects of bee biology are described succinctly.
He then goes on to describe the management of the colony throughout the year and what management steps need to be taken. His description of swarm control with diagrams is very easy to understand.
Diseases of bees are covered briefly but enough information is given for the beginner to understand, and gives guidance on seeking expert help.
I particularly liked his breakdown of the beekeeping year, which shows what the bees, and beekeeper can be expected to do throughout the season.
In my opinion this is an ideal book for the beginner and anyone interested in beekeeping
Mike Bain North Shropshire Beekeepers Association
msbain@globalnet.co.uk

The most helpful book for beginners
As a new beekeeper, one becomes overwhelmed by conflicting information from all the other beekeepers with whom one comes in contact. This book is sensible, realistic, and humorous, and doesn't assume that everyone wants at first to know all the amazing science stuff! If you only buy one beekeeping book,(which you won't) make this the one! It will tell you all you need to know to start. Don't forget the bees have been doing it longer than you!

Buzz buzz buzz
Having thought about bee keeping for the last couple of years I decided to look into the realities of it slightly more than the occasional internet search. Several of the beekeeping equipment suppliers sell this book and also include it in their 'starters pack' so I decided it must be a good introduction to the subject. The book gives a good overview to the fascinating world of beekeeping and will lead onto reading more advanced books in the future. It has definitely given me a greater understanding of what I am actually seeing whilst at apiary meetings and looking inside the hives. Definitely recommended reading for a bee-ginner!