Beekeeping For Dummies
by Howland Blackiston
List Price:
Our Price: $8.99
You Save: $11.00 (55%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $8.09 (click here)
Category: Book
See more book details and other editions
Book Summary Information
Author: Howland BlackistonForeword: Kim Flottum
Edition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2009-03-16
ISBN: 0470430656
Number of pages: 392
Publisher: For Dummies
Product features:
- ISBN13: 9780470430651
- Condition: New
- Notes: BRAND NEW FROM PUBLISHER! 100% Satisfaction Guarantee. Tracking provided on most orders. Buy with Confidence! Millions of books sold!
Book Reviews of Beekeeping For Dummies
Book Review: Beekeeping Spelled out REALLY well
Summary: 5 Stars
"Beekeeping For Dummies"
by Howland Blackiston
Book Review by Jay Gilbertson
Though I would hardly suggest that if you are indeed a beekeeper, that you're a dummy, for me this wonderful book was just the right place to begin a new (and really sticky) hobby. Since author Howland Blackiston has been an actual beekeeper for over 20 years, I felt that alone was enough proof that the guy knows his bees. Boy does he!
The layout of this particular beekeeping guide was the real deal-clincher when trying to find the one-and-only. There's an enormous collection to choose from and since this is truly my first stab at beekeeping, this book laid out a practical foundation. Blackiston takes you through the process from picking up your bees, to setting up a bee apiary (or bee yard), observing your hive from spring through summer, to fall honey harvesting and wintertime's slumber. Of course, Blackiston reminds you, that though the bees rarely leave the hive in the winter, the worker bees are working like crazy to keep the queen warm and make sure her every need is met.
One of the many great surprises about Blackiston's approach was that throughout the book he tosses in a great deal of history as well as oodles of useful hints and advice from just where to put your hive, to different methods of harvesting honey, to properly tucking in your hive(s) for winter. Some of the more interesting facts are that beekeeping has been around for at least 5 thousand years, yet not until October 30, 1851 did the actual practice of beekeeping become a more standardized, and thus teachable, trade/hobby due to a fellow named Langstroth. Reverend Landstroth was the one responsible for devising the interchangeable hives that are still in use today.
As with any all-inclusive guide such as this, there are a few things that disappointed. The main issue I have is that Blackiston doesn't suggest many alternatives to drugs for disease management. I have always been leery of jumping on the medication train especially since I have learned (from local Beekeeping expert; Bee-Bob-Wright) that there are some really successful techniques available. Such as using powdered sugar to rid your bees of the pesky Varroa Mites instead of the more aggressive approach using chemicals such as fluvalinate or coumaphos. With names like that, wouldn't you be a bit apprehensive seeing as everything that goes into your hive, ends up in the honey?
One aspect of beekeeping that Blackiston does really hammer home is the need for more of us (hint, hint) to consider becoming beekeepers. The reason we need more hives is the mysterious onset of the yet-to-be solved issue of CCD or Colony Collapse Disorder. In short, CCD is the strange phenomenon of an entire hive of bees simply--one day for no apparent reason--disappearing. A literal army of apiculture extension specialists, researchers, and government officials has come together to work on CCD.
Here are some numbers to consider as to how dang important bees are to us as gardeners and farmers:
* Apple tree without bees--25 apples/tree--with honey bees--1,200 apples
* Alfalfa without bees--62 lbs. seed/acre--with honey bees--220 lbs. seed/acre
Beekeeping isn't just for dummies, and I don't know about you, but I can't imagine a summer without them.
For more information on CCD research: [...] or [...]
Wisconsin Bee-formation: [...]
Summary of Beekeeping For Dummies
Now updated ? your guide to becoming a successful backyard beekeeper
Interested in raising honey bees? This friendly, practical guide presents a step-by-step approach to starting your own beehive, along with expert tips for maintaining a healthy colony. You get the latest on honey bee medication and treatments, harvesting and marketing your honey, and the impact the sudden disappearance of the honey bee has on our environment and economy.
To bee or not to bee? ? understand the benefits of beekeeping and whether it's right for you
Build your first hive ? gather the right equipment, obtain your bees, and transfer them safely to their new home
Get up-close and personal ? see how to open and close the hive, inspect your bees at the right times, and know what to look for
Handle common problems ? from swarming to robbing to pesticide poisoning, find simple solutions
Understand Colony Collapse Syndrome ? learn what you can do to help save the honey bees
Gear up for the golden harvest ? use the tools of the trade to extract honey, store it, and sell it
Praise for Beekeeping For Dummies
"The information a beginner needs to keep bees with confidence."
? Kim Flottum, Bee Culture Magazine
"A reader-friendly guide to beekeeping for novices or beginners."
? Dewey M. Caron, Professor of Entomology, University of Delaware
Open the book and find:
The various types of honey bees and the role each plays in a colony
Hands-on instruction in building a hive
How to keep bees healthier and more productive
Guidelines for all phases of honey production
New information on raising your own queens
Plenty of helpful, illustrative pictures to guide you
The safest ways to inspect and enjoy your bees
A Beekeeper's Calendar organized by climate zones
Animal Care & Pets Books
Book Subjects
- Arts & Photography
- Biographies & Memoirs
- Business & Investing
- Children's Books
- Comics & Graphic Novels
- Computers & Internet
- Cooking, Food & Wine
- Entertainment
- Gay & Lesbian
- Health, Mind & Body
- History
- Home & Garden
- Horror
- Law
- Literature & Fiction
- Mystery & Thrillers
- Nonfiction
- Outdoors & Nature
- Parenting & Families
- Professional & Technical
- Reference
- Religion & Spirituality
- Romance
- Science
- Science Fiction & Fantasy
- Sports
- Teens
- Travel
Most talked about in Animal Care & Pets Books
Boxer (Collins Dog Owner's Guides)by Peter Neville
Collins; Published: 1996-11-04; Paperback; Book
Shy Boy: The Horse Who Came in from the Wildby Monty Roberts
HarperCollins Publishers Ltd; Published: 2000-03-05; Hardcover; Book
Animal ER : Extraordinary Stories of Hope and Healing from One of the World's Leading Veterinary Hospitalsby Vicki Croke
Dutton Adult; Published: 1999-11-01; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $0.16
Price in other shops:
Dog Owner's Home Veterinary Handbookby Debra M. Eldredge DVM, Liisa D. Carlson DVM, Delbert G. Carlson DVM, James M. Giffin MD
Howell Book House; Published: 2007-08-27; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $19.90
Price in other shops:
Garfield Fat Cat Three Pack Volume I (No. 1)by Jim Davis
Ballantine Books; Published: 1993-03-16; Paperback; Book
Best price: $12.02
The Cat and the Curmudgeonby Cleveland Amory
Back Bay Books; Published: 2002-10; Paperback; Book
Best price: $2.43
Price in other shops:
All Things Wise and Wonderfulby James Herriot
St. Martin's Griffin; Published: 2004-11-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $6.99
Price in other shops:
The Soul of a Horse: Life Lessons from the Herdby Joe Camp
Crown; Published: 2008-04-29; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $12.45
Price in other shops:
A Three Dog Lifeby Abigail Thomas
Mariner Books; Published: 2007-09-15; Paperback; Book
Best price: $0.01
Price in other shops:
Cat Peopleby Michael Korda, Margaret Korda
Harper; Published: 2005-10-25; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $0.01
Price in other shops:
Similar Books and other products
The ABC & XYZ of Bee Culture: An Encyclopedia Pertaining to the Scientific and Practical Culture of Honey Beesby Amos Ives Root, Ann Harman, Dr. Hachiro Shimanuki, Kim Flottum
A I Root Co; Published: 2007-05-01; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $34.06
Price in other shops:
The Beekeeper's Bible: Bees, Honey, Recipes & Other Home Usesby Richard A. Jones, Sharon Sweeney-Lynch
Stewart, Tabori & Chang; Published: 2011-04-01; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $22.37
Price in other shops:
The Practical Beekeeper Volume I, II & III Beekeeping Naturallyby Michael Bush
X-STAR PUBLISHING COMPANY; Published: 2011-06-16; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $49.00
The Complete Idiot's Guide to Beekeepingby Dean Stiglitz, Laurie Herboldsheimer
Alpha; Published: 2010-05-04; Paperback; Book
Best price: $6.17
Price in other shops:
Natural Beekeeping: Organic Approaches to Modern Apicultureby Ross Conrad
Chelsea Green Publishing; Published: 2007-06-13; Paperback; Book
Best price: $21.95
Price in other shops:
Raising Chickens For Dummiesby Kimberley Willis, Rob Ludlow
For Dummies; Published: 2009-08-03; Paperback; Book
Best price: $10.42
Price in other shops:
Honey Bee Hobbyist: The Care and Keeping of Bees (Hobby Farm)by Norman Gary
Hobby Farm Press; Published: 2010-12-21; Paperback; Book
Best price: $9.05
Price in other shops:
Homemade Living: Keeping Bees with Ashley English: All You Need to Know to Tend Hives, Harvest Honey & Moreby Ashley English
Lark Crafts; Published: 2011-03-01; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $11.33
Price in other shops:
The Backyard Beekeeper - Revised and Updated: An Absolute Beginner's Guide to Keeping Bees in Your Yard and Gardenby Kim Flottum
Quarry Books; Published: 2010-02-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $15.25
Price in other shops:
The Beekeeper's Handbook, Fourth Editionby Diana Sammataro, Alphonse Avitabile, Dewey M. Caron (Foreword)
Cornell University Press; Published: 2011-05-13; Paperback; Book
Best price: $17.79
Price in other shops: