Bee Keeping Pathfinder

Welcome to a Bee Keeping Pathfinder

2008-04-21T17:08:00.000-07:00

This resource is for a beginning bee keeper who would like to find resources (books, websites, suppliers) for their hives.
If you visit your local library, you may find many of the same books available or perhaps new ones. Some subject searches that may lead you to good results in a public library are: bee keeping, honey, honey production, honeybee and bee culture.

While the bee is one of the most studied insects in the world, this pathfinder is focused on bee keeping, rather than more technical or scientific information.
There are many important issues that are facing bees currently, so it may be important to visit many of the websites to see what the latest information is or what local issues are happening in your area.

To navigate this site, each item is tagged by the type of resource it is (i.e.: websites). The list is on the right hand column. For example, if you are looking for just books, click on that tag and only the books will be listed.

I welcome your comments! Are there resources that were helpful to you? Others not as much? Do you have a suggestion for something to add? Leave a comment and I'll look into it.

Website: UC Davis Department of Entomology Apiculture News

2008-04-20T17:52:00.000-07:00

This website is a topical newsletter is available by PDF from the most current issue and includes the archives through 1994. The archives are organized by date. It also is indexed by topic.
http://entomology.ucdavis.edu/faculty/mussen/news.cfm

Website: APIS Information Resource Center

2008-04-20T17:46:00.000-07:00

This website is a Squidoo Lens that is connected to the APIS Information Resource Center (http://apis.shorturl.com/). Both sites have information for the all types of bee keepers, as well as scientific information.

Website: Ohio State Bees and Pollination

2008-04-20T17:31:00.000-07:00

This website maintained by Ohio State University's Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center is very complete. The site has links for a wide range of bee keepers, from beginners to more experienced bee keepers. There is also a link for contacting an expert to ask a question. Some of the link categories include: blogs, discussion groups, articles, government resources and much more.
http://www.oardc.ohio-state.edu/agnic/bee/Default.htm

Website: Colony Collapse Disorder, Ohio State University

2008-04-20T17:27:00.000-07:00

This website is maintained by Ohio State University's Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center. It has extensive, current links to a variety of other websites that have information about colony collapse disorder.
http://www.oardc.ohio-state.edu/agnic/bee/ccd.htm

Website: Colony Collapse Disorder

2008-04-20T17:06:00.000-07:00

This website maintained by the Mid-Atlantic Apiculture Research and Extension Consortium at Pennsylvania State University 2007 has detailed information about Colony Collapse Disorder. The various sections of the site are updated often with current links. There is a collection of powerpoints, podcasts, articles, and press releases. While the primary reason to include this link was for information about CCD, there are several other helpful links included in the site about beginning beekeeping, equipment, honey bee biology, hive and honey management, disease and pests, and pollination.
http://maarec.cas.psu.edu/ColonyCollapseDisorder.html

Suppliers: Brushy Mountain Bee Farm

2008-04-12T19:45:00.000-07:00

Brushy Mountain Bee Farm
This supplier of equipment and bees has a FAQ section may prove helpful for some questions.
http://www.brushymountainbeefarm.com/

Suppliers: Betterbee

2008-04-12T19:37:00.001-07:00

Betterbee
This retailer is based in upstate New York. The website sells supplies, bees and has a section of resources.
http://www.betterbee.com/

Suppliers: Dadant and Sons

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Dadant and Sons
This retailer is one of the oldest bee suppliers. They publish books and journals. They have branch locations that also sell supplies.
http://www.dadant.com

Website: Who’s who in North American Beekeeping

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Who’s who in North American Beekeeping
Maintained by Bee Culture Magazine, this state/providence listing of regional, county or state-wide beekeeping associations. If available, address, phone, email, website and contact person information is shared.
http://www.beeculture.com/content/whoswho/

Website: Bee Master

2008-04-12T19:16:00.001-07:00

Bee Master
This website has two main features, a collection of YouTube tutorials (http://www.beemaster.com/honeybee/beehome.htm) and the BeeMaster International Forum/Message Board (http://forum.beemaster.com/index.php). 2500+ members of the board support others in a variety of subject areas.
http://www.beemaster.com/

Websites: American Beekeeping Federation

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American Beekeeping Federation
This group support more of the needs of larger scale or commercial beekeepers, including issues related to legislation, importing of bees, queen bees and much more. Information for non-beekeepers and 4-H groups is also available via their website.

Journal: American Bee Journal

2008-04-12T19:15:00.001-07:00

American Bee Journal
This journal printed by the Dadant company is the oldest English language publication on the subject of bees. Available via the website is the table of contents and magazine index for the previous year.
http://www.dadant.com/journal/

Journals: Bee Craft

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Bee Craft
This publication is from the British Beekeeping Association. It has dedicated sections for beginning and expert bee keepers, as well as research primarly focused on Europe.
http://www.bee-craft.com/

Library Classfication

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In case you need more information, it may help to try these subject headings.

Library of Congress Classification
Bee Keeping -- SF523
Honey -- SF539

Dewy Classification
Bee Keeping –638
Bees –595
Honey – 641

Book: Natural beekeeping: Organic approaches to modern apiculture

2008-04-12T13:02:00.000-07:00

Conrad, R. (2007). Natural beekeeping: Organic approaches to modern apiculture. White River Junction, VT: Chelse Green Publishing.

Rationale
This book is both for the experienced and beginning bee keeper looking for ways to practice integrated pest management or organic bee keeping. Detailed plans for various mite controls are shared with pictures and diagrams. Information of how to repair and improve premade bee keeping equipment is given.

Chapter topics include: Why organic beekeeping; working with the hive; hive management; genetics and breeding; parasitic mites; other insect pests; four legged and feathered pests; environmental and human threats; hive diseases; the honey harvest; organics and the evolution of bee keeping; afterward (which discusses colony collapse disorder).

Features include:
· Photographs
· Diagrams
· Glossary
· Resources
· Index

Website: Who’s who in North American Beekeeping

2008-04-09T17:34:00.001-07:00

Who’s who in North American Beekeeping
Maintained by Bee Culture Magazine, this website provides a state/providence listing of regional, county or state-wide beekeeping associations. If available, address, phone, email, website and contact person information is shared.
http://www.beeculture.com/content/whoswho/

Book: Beekeeping: An illustrated handbook

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Stelley, D. G. (1983). Beekeeping: An illustrated handbook. Blue Ridge Summit, PA: TAB Books.

Rationale
This book covers getting started with beekeeping through commercial opportunities. It also details how to build much of the equipment yourself, with detailed instructions and drawings.

Chapter topics include: Historical highlights; getting to know bees; finding a place for your hive; getting your gear; obtaining bees and establishing a colony; seasonal management; diseases, pests and pesticides; honey harvesting; honey; marketing your honey; cooking with honey; other honeybee products; do-it-yourself equipment.

Features include:
Photographs
Illustrations, graphs and diagrams
References
Index
Glossary
Appendix
State Universities, Extension Services and Inspectors
Organizations and Service Groups
Government Agencies
Bee Literature Collections
First Aid for Bee Stings

Book: A book of bees

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Hubbell, S. (1988). A book of bees. New York: Random House.

Rationale
This book takes the reader through a year of keeping bees by season. This book will be most helpful for a beginning bee keeper. It is written in narrative format.

Features include:
Illustrations
Glossary
Index

Book: The backyard beekeeper: An absolute beginner’s guide to keeping bees in your yard and garden

2008-04-09T17:32:00.001-07:00

Flottum, K. (2005). The backyard beekeeper: An absolute beginner’s guide to keeping bees in your yard and garden. Gloucester, MA: Quarry Books.

Rationale
This full-color book is geared towards the beginner or small-scale beekeeper. The photographs help beekeepers know what to look for or what certain issues look like. Recipes for cooking and body products are included. The book has side bar tips throughout.

Chapter topics include: In the beginning; about bees; about beekeeping; about bees wax; about honey

Features include:
Full-color photographs
Glossary
Resources
Index

Book: The hive: The story of the honeybee and us

2008-04-09T17:31:00.002-07:00

Watson, B. (2004). The hive: The story of the honeybee and us. New York: Thomas Dunne Books.

Rationale
This book examines the roles of bees and honey has had in the lives of humans throughout history, in nearly all aspects of human life. A brief explanation of bees and bee characteristics will help get a non-beekeeper enough biological background information.

Chapter topics include: Work; sex; politics; food and drink; life and death; the beekeeper.

Features include:
Index
Bibliography

Book: The new complete guide to beekeeping

2008-04-09T17:31:00.001-07:00

Morse, R. A. (1994). The new complete guide to beekeeping. Woodstock, VT: The Countryman Press.

Rationale
This book is well suited for a beginning beekeeper. The first several chapters run through a typical year of beekeeping by season, including harvest time. Photographs throughout the text help to show issues a beekeeper may encounter.

Chapter topics include: Bees and beekeeping; how to get started in beekeeping; spring management; summer management; removing the honey crop; fall management; wintering honey bees; pests predators, diseases and pesticides; major and minor honey plants; pollination; special practices; honey bee biology; Africanized honey bees: history and prospects; sources of information.

Features include:
Photographs
Glossary
Index

Book: The hive and the honey bee

2008-04-09T17:30:00.000-07:00

Graham, J.M. (Ed.). (1992). The hive and the honey bee. Hamilton, Illinois: Dadant and Sons.

Rationale
This comprehensive book gives detailed information about all aspects of bees, beekeeping and honey production. This book is well suited for beekeepers at all levels. While written by experts in the field, this text is readable even for a beginning bee keeper. Each chapter has extensive references, photographs, graphs and diagrams.

Chapters include: The worlds beekeeping: past and present; honey bees of the world; the honey bee colony: life history; the anatomy of the honey bee; the physiology and social physiology of the honey bee; honey bee nutrition; honey bee genetics and breeding; activities and behavior of honey bees; honey bee pheromones; the production of nectar and pollen; bee forage of North America and the potential for planting for bees; bee keeping equipment; for the beginner; management for honey production; honey and wax: a consideration of production, processing and packaging techniques; the production of comb and bulk comb honey; business practices and profitability; surplus honey and the small beekeeper; marketing the crop of a commercial bee keeper; wintering productive hives; honey; other products of the hive; production of queens and package bees; crop pollination; diseases and pests of honey bees; injury to honey bees by poisoning; allergy to venomous insects.

Features include
Photographs
Diagrams and graphs
Author index
Index

Book: Letters from the hive: An intimate history of bees, honey, and humankind

2008-04-09T17:28:00.000-07:00

Buchman, S. & Repplier, B. (2005). Letters from the hive: An intimate history of bees, honey, and humankind. New York: Bantam Book.

Rationale
This book is an informative text written in a more narrative format. It details the history of humankind’s relationship with bees. This book is more historically informational rather than a how-to book.

Chapter topics include: prehistoric honey hunters; ancient rituals and modern day honey hunters; the beekeeper’s craft; a year in the life of a beekeeper; secrets of the bee; bees in myth, legend and ancient warfare; trading honey in the ancient and modern worlds; a taste of honey: sampling varieties from around the world; cooking with honey throughout the ages, mead, good for what ails you.

Features include:
Sources
Index
Appendix
· Glossary
· Bees of the world
· Other products of the hive
· Chemical composition of honey
· Resources

Book: Hive Management: A Seasonal Guide for Beekeepers

2008-04-03T18:36:00.001-07:00

Bonney, R.E. (1990). Hive management: A seasonal guide for beekeepers. Pownal, VT:Storey Communications.

Rationale
This book explains what to expect in a year of bee keeping, grouped by the seasons. The largest emphasize is on the spring season of getting ready for the nectar flow. There are photographs of hives in distress, which would be useful for any beekeeper trying to answer the question “What am I looking for if I think the bees are sick?”.
There is also a chapter issue related to swarming. What to look for, why it happens, what to do about it and how to capture them. Photographs are included, which may also be helpful to any beekeeper facing a swarm.

Features
· Index
· Appendix
o Disease, mites, Africanized bees
o Additional reading list