Specialist and publisher of apicultural literature
Latest Publications
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.
This book will help beekeepers understand the fundamentals of beekeeping science. Written in plain and accessible language by actual researchers. it should be part of every beekeeper’s library. The respective chapters not only present raw data; they also explain how to read and understand the most common figures. With topics ranging from honeybee nutrition to strains of Varroa resistant bees, from the effects of pesticide chemicals to understanding diseases, and including a discussion of venom allergies, the book provides essential “knowhow” that beekeepers will benefit from every time they inspect their hives. Further, each chapter ends with the author explaining how beekeepers can (or cannot) directly utilise the information to enhance their beekeeping operation.
The text is structured to facilitate ease of use, with each author addressing the same four issues: 1) What are the specific purposes or goals of these experiments? Or more simply: what have these studies taught us? 2) How should a non-scientist read the data generated? 3) What are the key points in relation to practicing beekeepers’ goals? 4) How can the data or techniques discussed be applied by beekeepers in their own apiaries? This approach allows readers to look up specific information quickly, understand it and even put it to use without having to read entire chapters. Further, the chapters are highly readable and concise. As such, the book offers a valuable guide and faithful companion for all beekeepers. one they can use day in and day out.
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.
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.
The author suggests that Top Bar hives offer a gentler way of practicing the craft. “We have a duty to our bees and as beekeepers we must be in the forefront of change for nature, not mere puppets in some commercial enterprise”.
This volume gives advice on managing colonies in top bar hives and provides notes and illustrations for the construction of a top bar hive.
The purpose of this text is to introduce beekeepers, people considering keeping bees and those interested in processing and marketing, to the large diversity of products this can be derived from beekeeping for income generation. The publication describes each category of products (Including cosmetics) derived from basic bee products such as honey, pollen, wax, propolis, royal jelly, venom and adult and larval honeybees; for each category it provides information about history, product quality and marketing and a few selected recipes. A detailed bibliography, a list of equipment suppliers, equivalents for conversion of weights and Codex Allimentarius standards for honey are given In the annexes.
This Bumblebee Conservation Trust book introduces this charismatic species to a wider audience. Written by Trust staff, it covers bumblebee biology, their decline and conservation and what you can do to help them in your garden and beyond. It also has an essential identification guide to all UK bumblebee species, packed with over 250 colour photographs.
In this work, the author explains his own use of a particular pattern of long hives which he has made to his own design, but which is derived from standard lines. The hives have been in use for ten years, which some bee keepers will say is not long enough to prove its efficiency. However, many different systems have been advocated and explained to bee keepers over the years, and how many of those systems, however long in use, have proved 100% efficient? Bees, like many things in nature, are compelled to adapt to their behaviour greatly to suit the varying climate year by year.
This book has been published to make bee keepers think, and I believe it may do just that.
- A simple-to-use identification guide for garden bumblebees with notes to this and some of the similar species.
- More accurate colour identification icons on the species spreads.
- Updated distribution maps with the very latest data.
- Species Icons Quick Guide (featured at the back of the book and the latest addition).
This book contains a vast quantity of precious data about plants and bees and it is marvellous to see it in print again and available to new generations. Best of all would be if people selecting trees become aware of this useful information and consult it to inform their choice: nowadays we need whenever possible to choose species and cultivars with value to bees and other insect pollinators.
This is the charming story of how gardener Alys Fowler learned to keep bees, and urban beekeeper Steve Benbow learned to plant a pollinator-friendly garden. It is a rule-breaking, wildlife-friendly, honey-dripping record of the trials and joys of working with – rather than against – nature.
Professor Clarence Collison has performed the meticulous scholarship so desperately needed by beekeepers and scientists alike. He has reviewed the vast body of research: the biology, physiology, biochemistry and behaviour of Apis mellifera and presented it in an concise and objective manner. This book will be required reading of all serious bee scientists, and on the desk of every beekeeper for fact-checking and scientific clarification. (Lawrence John Connor)