The Beekeeper's Handbook - Beekeeping Supplies Protective Clothing Beekeeping Equipment

Paperback, 190 pages
Diana Sammataro and
Alphonse Avitabile

For those who want to learn more ...
This excellent educational and reference resource is a must-have item for every beekeeper's library. The book contains the following chapters and appendices:

Chapters

Understanding Bees
Colony Activities
Beekeeping Equipment
Obtaining and Preparing for Bees
Working Bees
Package Bees
Feeding Bees
Winter/Spring Management
Summer/Fall Management
Queens and Queen Rearing
Special Management Problems
Products of the Hive
Bee Pests and Diseases
Pollination and Bee Plants

Appendices

Anatomy of the Honey Bee
Pheromones
Bee Sting Reaction Physiology
Preserving Woodenware
Metric Conversions
Fun Facts about Bees
Africanized Bees
Rearing Wax Moths
Glossary
Index

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Species of Bees	Understanding Bees This chapter discusses the basics of honeybees, covering issues such as: Honeybee history and taxonomy Social Structure Races of Bees Honeybee Anatomy Honeybee Castes Developmental Stages
Colony Activities	Colony Activities It is important to understand the activities of the honeybee colony. This chapter discusses: Division of Labor Nest Cleaning Tending to the Queen and Brood Comb Building Food Exchange, Handling, and Hive Odor Ventilation Guarding the Colony Orientation Flights Foraging Flights Robbing Flights Cleansing Flights Foraging and Communications Washboard Movement Nest Homeostasis
Bee Space & Frame Sizes	Beekeeping Equipment This section discusses the basic and most common types of beekeeping woodenware and equipment, and includes the following sections: Basic Hive Parts Slatted (brood) rack Frame Grip Bee Brush Veil Helmet Bee Suit Gloves Hive Tools Smoker
Ideal Apiary Site	Obtaining and Preparing for Bees Understanding the options and preparation required for starting an apiary determines your initial success. This chapter covers the following topics: Packages Nucleus and Established Hives The Apiary Basic Hive Woodenware Hive Orientation Record Keeping
Examining a Colony	Working Bees One of the biggest areas of Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt (the FUD factor) is working directly with the bees inside the hive. This chapter details the entire process, including: When to examine a hive Before Going to the Apiary Hive Diary Dressing for the Job Smoking Examining a Colony Reading the Frames Working Strong Colonies What to Look For Finding the Queen Bee Temperament Unexpected Occurrences Treatment of Bee Stings
Installing Bee Packages	Package Bees Bees are most often obtained by ordering a package. This chapter details everything you need to know about working with packages, including: Package Descriptions Ordering Packages When the Packages Arrive Installing Packages Reasons for Package Failures
Winter/Spring Management Honey Harvesting	Hive Management Successful beekeeping depends on your following the correct procedures and schedule for managing the health and productivity of your colonies. This chapter covers these issues, including the topics: General Rules Winter Management Preparing for the Next Season Late-Winter Maintenance Spring Maintenance Ventilation, Temperature and Humidity Control Food Requirements Moving Hives Wintering in Warm Climates Summer Management Honeyflow and Supering Harvesting the Honey Fall Management
Uniting Colonies Swarm Control	Special Management Problems Various problems naturally arise during the management of honeybee colonies. Knowing how to deal with these problems properly and promptly can make the difference between a productive and a weak, useless or dying colony. This chapter covers the following topics: Uniting Weak Colonies Moving and Established Colony Robbing Swarming Prevention and Control of Swarming Collecting and Hiving a Swarm Queen Supersedure Laying Workers
Treatment Sequences	Bee Pests and Diseases One of the most critical topics you need to understand as a beekeeper is how to keep your honeybees healthy. Proper prevention and treatment of bee pests and diseases is absolutely critical to your hive's productivity, your costs in time and money, and your own enjoyment. This chapter details how to deal with these pests and diseases in the following sections: Nosema Disease Amoeba Dysentery Septicemia Pesticides American Foulbrood European Foulbrood Foulbrood Disease Chemotherapy Chalkbrood & Stonebrood Sacbrood Tracheal Mites Varroa Mites Bee Parasitic Mite Syndrome Small Hive Beetle Wax Moth Africanized Bees Animal Pests