The Beekeeper's Guide: Fun and Simple Steps to Apiary Success and Self Sufficiency

I enjoyed reading this book as an introduction to beekeeping. The tone is a friendly, conversational, easy and entertaining read. I learned the basics and he gives references for further reading if you decide you want to get serious about bees. But this covered what I wanted to learn, and frankly, what we good for everybody to know about this amazing and essential insect.

While the conversational style of the author makes this an easy read, it's a disappointing book in that so much of the material is outdated and much current information is omitted. For example, when discussing some of the hybrid bees available, the author mentions the Starline and Midnight strains which were produced decades ago, but there's no mention of current Minnesota Hygienic or VSH bees. Perhaps the biggest omission is that there is no mention of Small Hive Beetle (SHB), which has caused significant changes in beekeeping techniques. Hence, many of the author's recommendations regarding hive placement, adding brood boxes and supers, feeding pollen patties, harvesting honey, etc., all fail to account for changes necessitated by SHB.Additionally, regarding treatment for pests and diseases, there is no mention of modern Integrated Pest Management (IPM). Instead, the author is very "old school" about applying regular preventative treatments for foulbrood and nosema. For varroa, instead of discussing the variety of treatment options available, the author simply declares use of fluvalinate - one of the harshest chemical treatments available - to be " the best". This runs counter to many new beekeepers who are looking for more natural and organic ways to keep bees.Lastly, the author makes some statements which just caused me to cringe. For example, he notes that an average colony will produce 100 lbs of surplus honey a year, which at $7 a pound, can produce a side-income of $7000 per year for someone with only 10 hives. Very unrealistic. According to trade magazines such as Bee Culture, average yields in the U.S. run mostly in the 40-50 lbs range. The author also makes comments about "unpasteurized honey", apparently unaware that honey is never pasteurized.In summary, if you were a beginning beekeeper in 1980, this wouldn't be a bad book, but in 2014, there are much better books available containing up-to-date information.

This was a fun and informative read. Always wanted to know a bit about bees and beekeeping and this book was just the ticket to answering lots of those type questions. Written in an easy to understand presentation, the book was fun and informational at the same time. Makes one appreciate the taste of honey that much more. If you want to casually learn and if you fit on the potential beekeeper's list, this is the book for you.

I have been thinking about getting my own beehive for a very long time. My whole family loves to have honey almost everyday. We especially love purchasing local honey for its medicinal value. After reading this book, I am excited about the prospect of having our own bees. I live next to an almond orchard and according to this book my home is a perfect location for a couple hives. The book is written so well it made it very easy to understand. It takes covers some history to what kinds of bees to get and common problems. It has given me the confidence to go forward with this exciting new and delicious hobby.

One of the best beekeeping books I've read for simple, straightforward information presented in an easy to follow format. Great for anyone getting started or figuring out where you went wrong the last time.

There's a lot of talk in our family about getting a beehive going. From the health benefits of honey, to the money-savings of producing our own, to the feeling that we'd be doing our part to preserve the bee population that's so crucial to agriculture - beekeeping has a lot of appeal. But also a lot of mystery. This is a great book that helped me sort out fact/fiction about beekeeping - I was also surprised with how much info it had about bees themselves - their colony, the queen. Great read and a perfect tutorial for getting started.

I just wanted to understand more about bees and this book was not only an easy, informative and interesting book but it was also very entertaining!! The author used some humor that helped to lighten the subject. It was well written and I feel like I understand more about bees and how important and intricate these creatures are. I think beekeepers, the general public, and even children alike could learn a lot about bees by reading this book as bees are such an important part of our world!

Finally, an easy to understand book about the art of beekeeping! Trevor explains beekeeping in a way that makes sense to the new beekeeper. He has the experience and the ability to explain what to do step by step. This book is great for the person that lives in a neighborhood and wants to raise bees. I enjoyed this book. I highly recommend it!

Informative!