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This history is designed to cover American beekeeping down to the time of the World War. In some cases it has been necessary to cover events since that date in order to complete the story of subjects initiated prior to that time .. The World War brought great changes to American beekeeping with emphasis on production and marketing of honey, rather than on beekeeping as an interesting diversion, as it long had been. With the high prices which came with the postwar boom, expansion became the rule, and the rank and file of beemen became honey producers rather than beekeepers as of old .. This change came suddenly, which uprooted so many human institutions, and closed that period sometimes spoken of as “The Golden Age of Beekeeping.”
Frank Chapman Pellett, Hamilton, Illinois, January 26, 1938.
“The Dancing Bee will surely become a classic in the literature on the history of biology in the twentieth century. It is the definitive account of the intellectual development of Karl von Frisch and of his discoveries about the ability of the honeybees to communicate with the waggle dance. Perhaps most fascinating is what Munz has uncovered about how von Frisch – declared a ‘Quarter Jew’ by the Nazis – was able to navigate a feigning political landscape in war-torn Germany, suffer the destruction of his Zoological Institute during the bombing of Munich, and still continue conducting experiments that revolutionised our thinking about animal communication. This book also provides intriguing insights into what von Frisch though and felt during the heated debates about the meaning of the waggle dance in the 1960s and 1970s.”
Thomas D. Seeley, author of Honeybee Democracy
BOOK & CD: Pollen ID for Beekeepers + An Illustrated Key. Rex Sawyer, an authority on pollen has written a most useful manual for those lucky enough to possess a microscope. Awarded a Bronze Medal at the Apimondia 1983 Budapest Conference.
This item includes both the book Pollen ID for Beekeepers (Sawyer) and the CD An Illustrated Key (Chandler & Rennison).
CD by John Chandler and Dave Rennison (Harrogate and Ripon BKA): An illustrated Key to accompany Rex Sawyer’s book
This item is the CD An Illustrated Key (Chandler & Rennison) only.
Buy the book Pollen ID for Beekeepers (Sawyer)
Buy both the book Pollen ID for Beekeepers (Sawyer) and the CD
The internationally acclaimed honeybee photographer Eric Tourneret spent fifteen years traveling the world to capture the awe-instilling diversity of bees and beekeeping traditions on six continents. His fascination with the bees and the richness of human culture led to the creation of the most stunning collection of bee photography ever produced, complemented by the writing of his spouse Sylla de Saint Pierre.
Shot in 23 countries, Honey From the Earth is an enchanted journey to discover the sweetness and beauty of our planet, and a powerful plea to protect and restore Mother Earth.
Pollen is fascinating material for anyone interested in looking down a microscope, or discovering where their bees have been foraging. The variety of sizes and shapes gives clues as to the ingenious ways plants utilise the weather and insect behaviour to deliver pollen to its intended destination.
This second edition of the book shares techniques on successful microscopy accompanied by many more illustrations of Norman’s pollen drawings and their source.
This is the remarkable story of Mary Bumby who was the first person to take honeybees to New Zealand. When, in 1838, her brother, John, was appointed as superintendent missionary at the Mangungu Mission House in New Zealand she decided to accompany him to look after him and act as his housekeeper.
Because John liked honey Mary took with her two skeps of bees on the fivemonth long voyage, arriving in New Zealand in March 1839.
Both Mary and John were devout Wesleyan Methodists and their faith must have helped them through the many trials and tribulations they suffered during the years at the Mission House.
This book provides a general description of honey bee nutrition in temperate/ continental climate of the northern hemisphere. The text is based on a substantial body of contemporary research taken from the subject literature (over 1350 references) and the author’s own experience gathered over 40 years of working with bees.
Following on from the work “Beekeeping in Victorian Nottinghamshire” which covered the reign of Queen Victoria from her accession in 1837 until her death in 1901, this work covers the half-century from then to the death in 1952 of King George VI. (During the period of this work Britain was ruled by ruled by three kings plus one who relinquished the crown – hence the title.)
Decades in the making, this comprehensive full colour handbook is a once-in-a-generation identification guide to British bee fauna.
Now in its 35th year of publication, the Annual is the longest running Annual in the history of British beekeeping. It serves as a reference source, a diary, a hive record resource which will prove invaluable throughout the year and a set of articles guaranteed to entertain and amuse. The perfect stocking filler for the enthusiastic beekeeper.
The BKQ is an international English language beekeeping journal which has been published by Northern Bee Books since 1984 and edited by John Phipps. 60+ pages, full colour, available both in print and online.
A strong team of correspondents from all over the world report regularly on beekeeping topics of local and global importance. Whilst its contents are directed mainly to beekeeping, the magazine also looks at the wider issues which have an impact on the craft especially as regards to the environment, farming, conservation and global warming.
Our contributors have specialised knowledge on particular aspects of beekeeping, drawn largely from their own experiences, and include both amateur and commercial beekeepers, scientists, and representatives of organisations that have an interest in beekeeping as a craft or industry. The editor is always pleased to receive contributions for possible inclusion in the magazine and to hear from beekeepers in areas of the world where we have no regular correspondents.
Our gardens would be unrecognisable without the gentle buzz of the humble honeybee. Yet in recent years bee populations have suffered from the loss of green spaces and need our help.
Planting for Honeybees is a charmingly illustrated, practical guide on how to help attract these delightful pollinators – whether you only have a city window ledge or a whole country garden. With advice on the blooms to grow, and when and where to plant them, this book reveals the tips and tricks to creating a buzz and a better future for our
apian friends.
This title details the making and decorating of flat sheets of wax for petals and leaves; of roses, crocuses, and other wax foundation flowers. “I have been making wax flowers for a long time and I must say that I have really enjoyed it. I hope you will too ” Elizabeth Duffin
This book is a series of Articles compiled mainly from the articles in the Scottish Beekeeper magazine.
It is a book about practical beekeeping.
The vast majority of articles have been written by Ian Craig MBE, Eric McArthur; and Charles Irwin, who are members of the Glasgow and District Beekeepers’ Association and have made a huge contribution to Scottish beekeeping over the years. All three are Expert Beekeepers and if their experience was measured in beekeeping years (1 year for each year a beehive kept) it would amount to thousands. This book only covers the areas they have published, their knowledge is even more encompassing. Ian as Education Convener of the Scottish Beekeepers Association, helped educate at least 2 generations of beekeepers – through workshops on microscopy, honey and wax as well as through his Association talks. Eric and Charlie have mentored numerous people passing on their expertise. All 3 being involved in running the beginner classes on beekeeping in the Glasgow area.
This book, hopefully will not just be a book to mark the centenary of the Glasgow and District Beekeepers Association but also a book to mark the contribution these beekeepers have made as well as being a reference book and source of information regarding beekeeping.
This booklet is a translation from the Latin, by Frank Vernon of the thesis submitted in 1770 by J.F.E. Albrecht for his Doctorate examination.
Albrecht was born in 1752 at Slade in Hanover and practiced medicine in Estonia. He published a treatise on beekeeping in 1775 entitled ‘Anatomical and Physical discovery of the correct management of bees as well as the manner of their generation’ and this translation may well be the basis for the later work.
It will be of interest to all beekeepers as it shows that much of our present understand of bees and beekeeping is originally grounded in knowledge common over 300 years ago.
The thesis was dedicated to George III of Great Britain, then also elector of Brunswick, showing the historical ties between the UK and Europe.
A few years ago, I spoke to a group of ladies about beekeeping. They had listened with interest and at the end of the talk had asked several interesting and perceptive questions. It was mentioned that one lady who belonged to their group had chosen not to attend the meeting as she didn’t believe in the ethics of beekeeping. I was rather surprised at this. We beekeepers tend to think we are the good guys, that without beekeepers, honey bees could become an endangered species. Our bees are one of the most important pollinators of flowers, and they have enormous significance in the production of many foodstuffs.
This exchange lingered in my mind and the more I considered it, I realised how complicated and many faceted were the ethics of beekeeping. Beekeeping is beset by choices and choice by its very nature could involve, to a greater or lesser extent, ethics. This book is trying to clarify where, in beekeeping, there are ethical choices to be made.
The BKQ is an international English language beekeeping journal which has been published by Northern Bee Books since 1984 and edited by John Phipps. 60+ pages, full colour, available both in print and online.
A strong team of correspondents from all over the world report regularly on beekeeping topics of local and global importance. Whilst its contents are directed mainly to beekeeping, the magazine also looks at the wider issues which have an impact on the craft especially as regards to the environment, farming, conservation and global warming.
Our contributors have specialised knowledge on particular aspects of beekeeping, drawn largely from their own experiences, and include both amateur and commercial beekeepers, scientists, and representatives of organisations that have an interest in beekeeping as a craft or industry. The editor is always pleased to receive contributions for possible inclusion in the magazine and to hear from beekeepers in areas of the world where we have no regular correspondents.
This excellently researched book is not only of interest to Nottinghamshire beekeepers but to all who have an interest in the history of beekeeping. The long years of Queen Victoria’s reign was an important time in the development of the craft and its organisation.
The wide ranging contents are a mixture of longer extracts from contemporary sources complimented by shorter items which add much to this marvellous picture of Victorian beekeeping. For example the theft of hives were rewarded by jail terms, often with hard labour and solitary confinement. Would this deter the bee rustlers of today?
Beekeeping in Victorian Nottinghamshire joins David Charles title on Somerset beekeeping as a must read for all those interested in the development of the craft.
Sustainable, bee-centred, apicentric, sensitive & bee-friendly beekeeping:
This magazine will be of special interest to beekeepers who for have for many reasons moved away from keeping their colonies in conventional ways, or who prefer their bees to be kept in hives more suited to the bees’ needs rather than for the beekeeper’s ease of management. Such beekeepers allow the bees to live their lives with minimal interference. The bees build comb freely and swarm and reproduce with queens raised naturally rather than being propagated by the beekeeper via emergency queens. These beekeepers also refrain from using chemicals for the control of pests and diseases and strive to create an environment in their apiaries and gardens which will give the bees at least some year-round forage.