Cheat Sheet” in the Search box.
For Dummies online videos are available at www.dummies.com/go/beekeepingfd5e. You can see everything from installing your bees to lighting a smoker. Watching me perform these tasks is an invaluable help to new and seasoned beekeepers.
And, although this book includes information about different beehives, I give you much more information in Building Beehives For Dummies (Wiley).
Where to Go from Here
You can start anywhere with For Dummies books, but there’s a logic to beginning at the beginning. If that’s not in your personality, consider starting with Chapter 5 to see what equipment you’ll need to get started. Then move over to Chapter 6 to determine what kind of honey bee is right for you and what to do the day your “girls” arrive at your home.
You may have some apprehension about working around bees, such as stings and whether your neighbors will be comfortable with your new hobby. Check out Chapter 3 to get some ideas on how to win over your neighbors with information and jars of delicious honey.
Colony collapse disorder has been in the news over the last few years. Chapter 11 takes an in-depth look at this problem and answers common questions. Chapter 8 gives you info and advice about inspecting your hives and your bees, and Chapters 12 and 13 tell you what to do if you find mites or other potentially fatal problems with your bees.
Chapter 15 is all about honey. Sweet, sticky, golden honey. You learn about the health benefits as well as a little about the history and the medicinal benefits. You find out how to gather and process your honey in Chapters 16 and 17. And after all the work is done and you have pounds of the sweet stuff, Chapters 18 and 20 give you directions for everything from brewing your own mead (honey wine) to making your own lip balm, along with lots of yummy honey-inspired recipes.
My advice is to not hurry through this book. There’s a lot of information here, and all of it will help you be a better beekeeper. Whether you’re in the country, in a subdivision, or you’re planning on an urban rooftop beehive, there’s something here for you.
Part 1
Taking Flight with Beekeeping
IN THIS PART …
Discover the role honey bees have played in history, and find out about the many benefits of beekeeping today. Understand the honey bees’ vital role in nature and what they contribute to our agricultural economy.
Decide whether becoming a beekeeper is the right decision for you. How much work is involved? Do you have what it takes? What will your neighbors say?
See what makes honey bees tick. Understand how they communicate with each other, and find out about their different roles and responsibilities as members of a fascinating society.
Find out about other stinging insects that are often confused with the gentle honey bee and as a result give them a bad rap.
Chapter 1
To Bee, or Not to Bee?
IN THIS CHAPTER
I’ve been keeping bees in my backyard since 1983, and I have a confession to make — I really love my bees. That may sound weird to you if you aren’t a beekeeper (yet!), but virtually all individuals who keep bees will tell you the same thing and speak with affection about “their girls.” They can’t wait until their next opportunity to visit their hives. They experience a true emotional loss when their bees don’t make it through a bad winter. Beekeepers, without a doubt, develop a special bond with their bees.
Since becoming a backyard beekeeper, I’ve grown to deeply admire the remarkable qualities of these endearing creatures. As a gardener, I’ve witnessed firsthand the dramatic contribution they provide to flowering plants of all kinds. With honey bees in my garden, its bounty has increased by leaps and bounds. And then there’s that wonderful bonus that they generously give me: a yearly harvest of sweet liquid gold.
After you get to know more about bees’ value and remarkable social skills, you’ll fall in love with them, too. They’re simply wonderful little creatures. Interacting with them is a joy and a privilege. People who love nature in its purest form will love bees and beekeeping.
That being said, in this chapter, I help you better understand the remarkable and bountiful little honey bee by looking at its history and the value it brings to our lives. I also discuss the benefits of beekeeping and why you should consider it as a hobby — or even a small business venture. This chapter outlines the benefits of keeping bees, offers an overview of what is required to keep bees, and explains the various approaches you can take to keep your bees healthy.
THE PREHISTORIC BEE
Bees have been around for a long, long time, gathering nectar and pollinating flowers. They haven’t changed much since the time of the dinosaurs. The insect shown in the following figure is definitely recognizable as a bee. It was caught in a flow of pine sap 30 million to 40 million years ago and is forever preserved in amber.
Courtesy of Mario Espinola
Discovering the Benefits of Beekeeping
Why has mankind been so interested in beekeeping over the centuries? I’m sure that the first motivator was honey. After all, for many years and long before cane sugar, honey was the primary sweetener in use. I’m also sure that honey remains the principal draw for many backyard beekeepers. Chapters 15 through 17
