Beekeeping Books

[riverbee]

i have an extensive library of books and materials on keeping bees. share your list of favorite reads, or what you would recommend for others to read, or what helped and benefited you. also, feel free to comment on any book you have that might help others.

there are two books i recommend or give away to beekeepers i mentor,  especially those starting out:

*The Beekeeper's Handbook ~ Diana Sammataro , Alphonse Avitabile .

*The Biology of The Honey Bee ~ Mark L. Winston

i think most of us have one or all 3 of these:

Langstroth's Hive and The Honey Bee  ~ L. L. Langstroth
The ABC XYZ of Bee Culture ~ A.I. Root Company
(i have a number of older editions of this, the earliest is from 1908.  someday my grandchildren are going to inherit a big box of books, and they are    going to go through it thinking, geez, grandma must have really liked bees, and was losing her mind, she has 50 copies of the same book.... )
Hive And The Honey Bee ~ Dadant & Sons

some others of a specific nature:

Honey Plants of North America ~ John H. Lovell
Honey In The Comb ~ Eugene Killion
Natural Beekeeping Organic Approaches to Modern Apiculture ~ Ross Conrad
Increase Essentials ~ Lawrence John Connor
Queen Management Growing, Caring and Feeding The Most Important Honey Bee ~ A.I. Root Company.
this little paperback book is only 49 pages, but it is very informative for anyone starting out and packed full of info on queens.
The Wisdom of the Hive The Social Physiology of Honey Bee Colonies ~ Thomas D. Seeley
excellent read.  i like anything written by Seeley, he also has Honey Bee Democracy

Queen rearing, a couple:

Queen Rearing and Bee Breeding ~ Harry H. Laidlaw, Robert E. Page
Breeding Super Bees ~ Steve Taber

[Perry]

Better Beekeeping   Flottom
Beekeeping for Dummies
The Honey Bee - A guide for Beekeepers    Vickery  (good local NS author)
Honey Bee Democracy    Seeley
The Comb Honey Book     Taylor
Beekeeping in Western Canada  (great photos)
ABC XYZ
The Hive and Honey Bee
Beekeepers Lament

and if I looked around I could probably find another dozen I bet.

[Bakersdozen]

Here is some from my library that I have found helpful:
A Field Guide to Honey Bees and their Maladies  Penn State Publication.  You can read this online for free.  I like to keep my copy in my tool box.
Honey Bee Biology and Beekeeping Dr. Dewey M. Caron  Text book Dr. Caron wrote and used to teach from at the University of Delaware.
Natural Beekeeping Ross Conrad
The Practical Beekeeper Michael Bush
First Lessons in Beekeeping  Keith Delaplane  I got this book as a door prize, but it is great.  A must for new keeps.
Beekeeping in the Midwest  Elbert Jaycox
ABC and XYZ of Bee Culture Root
The Beekeeper's Handbook Diana Sammataro and Alphonse Avitabile
Super Formulas Arts & Crafts  Elaine C. White   A book I borrowed from club library.  I will be purchasing this for myself.

[robo]

Nothing against modern beekeeping books,  but the books I learn from, enjoy, and most represent my beekeeping practices go back in time.   My favorites are:

Constructive Beekeeping – Ed Clark
Beekeeping For All – Abbé Warré
At the Hive Entrance – H. Storch
Better Queens / Queen Rearing Simplified - Jay Smith
New Observations on the Natural History of Bees - François Huber

[Bakersdozen]

Robo,   Thanks for the links.  The Storch book sound very interesting and I look forward to reading that.

[riverbee]

"Honey Bee Biology and Beekeeping Dr. Dewey M. Caron  Text book Dr. Caron wrote and used to teach from at the University of Delaware."

bakersdozen, i often thought of purchasing this book......what's one more book?....
your thoughts on it?

thanks robo for posting the links. the first link does not work for me? (constructive beekeeping -ed clark). 
i have read jay smith's material.  enjoyed.

[robo]

the first link does not work for me? (constructive beekeeping -ed clark). 

Not sure what happened to the link, so I attached the PDF.

[riverbee]

thank you!

[Bakersdozen]

"Honey Bee Biology and Beekeeping Dr. Dewey M. Caron  Text book Dr. Caron wrote and used to teach from at the University of Delaware."

bakersdozen, i often thought of purchasing this book......what's one more book?....
your thoughts on it?

It's written in text book style which makes it organized and easy to look up a topic.  There are lots of pictures and diagrams.  There is a new edition out published in 2013.  It's my understand that the new revised edition covers topics like colony collapse disorder.  I have a slightly older version that I purchased at a bee club event.  I paid $35 for a hardback.  (I bet the book store at the University of Delaware charges a lot more! )
This spring, for our bee club's beginning beekeeping class, all participants will get a copy of the latest edition as well as a work book.  Should a participant already own the book, there will be an alternate provided.  It is my understanding, participants will basically be getting the book half price.  Heck of a deal!
Out of curiosity, I looked at Amazon to see what they charge. http://www.amazon.com/Honey-Biology-Beekeeping-Revised-Edition/dp/1878075292.

[apisbees]

Our club hosted the annual Provincial beekeeping meeting in October and one of the guest speakers was Lawrence Connor. He had a table set up with all his books and ones he publishes. The Club last hosted the convention 10 years ago and made a $ 2500.00 profit that has sat in a bank account and none has been spent. So I suggested that the club should take advantage of having the books readily available to us, and we should spend some of the profits on buying books to start a club library. Guess who became the club librarian? I guess that is what happens when you come up with good ideas.
So the club has as a start Bee Club Books.

Bee Sex Essentials                  Lawrence John Connor
Beeswax                             William L. Coggshell and Roger A. Morse
Beekeeping at Buckfast Abbey             Brother Adam
Bee Equipment Essentials               Ed Simon
Honey Bee Biology and Beekeeping          Dewey M. Caron, Lawrence John Connor
Increase Essentials                   Lawrence John Connor
Langstroth's Hive and the Honey-Bee         L.  L. Langstroth
Queen Rearing Essentials                Lawrence John Connor
Queen Rearing and Bee Breeding            Harry H. Laidlaw, Jr.; Robert E. Page, Jr.
Scientific Queen-Rearing               G.  M. Doolittle
Year's Work in an  Out-Apiary             G. M. Doolittle
A World Without Bees                            Alison Benjamin, Brian McCallum

Books I have acquired for myself and for the bee Display at the IPE

Langstroth's Hive and the Honey-Bee         L. L. Langstroth
ABC-XYZ of Bee Culture                A I Root Company
Contemporary Queen Rearing            Harry H. Laidlaw JR.
Instrumental Insemination of Honey Bee Queens   Harry   H. Laidlaw JR.
First Lesson in Beekeeping               C.P. Dadant
Beekeeping The Gentle Craft            John F. Adams      
A Book Of Honey                  Dr Eva Crane
Honey Plants of Harvey B Lovell             Lawrence R. Goltz, Gleenings in Bee Culture
Pollination with Mason Bees               Gr. Margriet Dagteram
Lighten up with Candles               Cindy Rothwell
Plants for Beekeeping in Canada & Northern USA.    Jane Ramsay
The Bee (A great kids popup book)            Dr Beth Norden, Biruta Akerbergs Harisen
One Hundred Years of Beekeeping in BC 1858-1958   W.H. Turnbull
A History of Beekeeping in BC from 1950-2000      Doug McCutcheon
Honey for Health                           Cecil Tonsley

other go to bee related reference books
Bugs of British Columbia               John Acorn, Ian Sheldon
Roadside Wild Flowers of the Northwest      J.E. (Ted) Underhill
Upland Field & Forest Wildflowers            J.E. (Ted) Underhill
Common Wildflowers of  British Columbia      J. Duane Sept
Northwest Dryland Wildflowers            Visalli, Lockwood, Ditchburn
Pruning: Achieving the best results from plants   David Squire.
Wild Berries of British Columbia            Fiona Hamersley Chambers

[riverbee]

thanks bakersdozen, i may have to put that on a gift list for a birthday present. 

apis, i was hoping you would stumble across this thread, great list!

anyone else?  what would you recommend for new keeps to read?

[Jen]

Wow! what an amazing library on this thread! 

Riverbee- ""anyone else? what would you recommend for new keeps to read?""

[Bakersdozen]

apisbees- Great suggestion and nice of you to fill the librarian role.  My beekeeping club also has a library.  We have videos as well.  It's a great asset to the club.  Folks can "try it before you buy it".  Long time beekeepers could donate books they no longer need to the library.

[apisbees]

Long list of books from Dr Eva Crane. Professor and bee researcher, founder of International Bee Research Association.
And many more. She published over 800 papers, books, & articles. All because of receiving a hive as a wedding gift.

Bees and Beekeeping: Science Practice and World Resources by Eva Crane (May 1, 1990)
Honey: A Comprehensive Survey by MSc; PhD Eva Crane (Jul 16, 1975)
The World History of Beekeeping and Honey Hunting by Eva Crane (Oct 13, 1999)
Book of Honey by Ethel Eva Crane (Aug 21, 1980)
Bee Hives Of The Ancient World by Eva Crane (1985)
THE SCOPE OF TROPICAL APICULTURE. by Eva. Crane (1980)
All This Heavenly Glory (Paperback) - Common by By (author) Ethel Eva Crane (2006)
El libro de la miel (Spanish Edition) by Crane and Eva (Jan 1, 1985)
The Archaeology of Beekeeping by Eva Crane (Jan 1984)
Dottor miele. Tutto sul miele: storia, leggenda, cucina, bellezza, longevità... e altro ancora by Eva Crane (Jan 1, 2013)
The Worshipful Company of Wax Chandlers by Eva Crane (1961)
Bibliography of Tropical Apiculture. (Satellite Bibliographies). by Eva Crane (1978)
Dictionary of Beekeeping Terms: v. 9 by Ethel Eva Crane (Dec 1985)
World list of bee research workers by Eva Crane (1953)
Evidence on Welsh beekeeping in the past by Eva Crane (1985)
Pollination of seed crops;: A summary of research reported in Agricultural Abstracts 1959-1971, by Eva E Crane (1972)
The economic status of bees in the tropics by Eva E Crane (1965)
Bee Research Association, 1949-74: A History of the First Twenty-five Years by Ethel Eva Crane (Jan 1975)
Apiculture in Tropical Climates: International Conference Proceedings: 1st by Ethel Eva Crane (Mar 1977)
Bibliography of Tropical Apiculture: Present and Past Names of Countries and Regions in Relevant Areas Pt. 23 by Ethel Eva Crane (Nov 1978)
Bibliography of Tropical Apiculture: Beekeeping in Africa South of the Sahara Pt. 2 by Ethel Eva Crane (Dec 1978)
Bibliography of Tropical Apiculture: Beekeeping in the Indian Subcontinent (with Afghanistan and Iran) Pt. 3 by Ethel Eva Crane (Dec 1978)
Bibliography of Tropical Apiculture: Beekeeping in Northern Latin America Pt. 5 by Ethel Eva Crane (Dec 1978)
Bibliography of Tropical Apiculture: Apis Mellifera Native to Africa Pt. 9 by Ethel Eva Crane (Dec 1978)
Bibliography of Tropical Apiculture: Beekeeping Management and Equipment in the Tropics Pt. 16 by Ethel Eva Crane (Dec 1978)
Bibliography of Tropical Apiculture: Bee Diseases, Enemies and Poisoning in the Tropics Pt. 18 by Ethel Eva Crane (Dec 1978)
Bibliography of Tropical Apiculture: Bees for Pollination in the Tropics Pt. 22 by Ethel Eva Crane (Dec 1978)
Bibliography of Tropical Apiculture: Miscellaneous, Indexes, Acknowledgements, Etc Pt. 24 by Ethel Eva Crane (Dec 1978)
English Alphabetical Subject Index to Universal Decimal Classification Numbers Used by the International Bee Research... by Ethel Eva Crane (Dec 1979)
Directory of the World's Beekeeping Museums by Ethel Eva Crane (Apr 1979)
Bibliography of Tropical Apiculture: Beekeeping and Bee Research in Egypt - Satellite Bibliography to Pt.1 Pt.... by Ethel Eva Crane (Mar 1980)
Bibliography of Tropical Apiculture: Beekeeping and Bee Research in Argentina - Satellite Bibliography to Pt.6... by Ethel Eva Crane (Mar 1980)
Bibliography of Tropical Apiculture: Asiatic Hive Bee, Apis Cerana: Laboratory Studies - Satellite Bibliography... by Ethel Eva Crane (Mar 1980)
Bibliography of Tropical Apiculture: Biology of Stingless Bees (Meliponinae) - Satellite Bibliography to Pt.14... by Ethel Eva Crane (Mar 1980)
Bibliography of Tropical Apiculture: Bee Forage in Specific Regions in the Tropics - Satellite Bibliography to... by Ethel Eva Crane (Mar 1980)
Frameless Movable Comb Hives in Beekeeping Development Programmes by Ethel Eva Crane (Nov 1971)
Honey Sources of Some Tropical and Subtropical Countries (Reprints / Bee Research Association) by Ethel Eva Crane (Dec 1973)
Bee Research Association Library (Reprints / Bee Research Association) by Ethel Eva Crane (Feb 1975)
World Beekeeping by Ethel Eva Crane (Feb 1975)
World List of Current Beekeeping Journals Known to the International Bee Research Association by Ethel Eva Crane (Mar 1976)
Pollen and Its Harvesting by ETHEL EVA CRANE (1976)
Educational Resources on Bees and Beekeeping by Ethel Eva Crane (Mar 1977)
Shape, Construction and Identification of Traditional Hives by Ethel Eva Crane (Sep 1977)
Bee research directory: a world guide to bee research workers and institutions; by Eva, Bee Research Association Crane (1966)
Canadian Bee Journey by Ethel Eva Crane (Dec 1966)
Bee Research Directory by Ethel Eva Crane (Dec 1966)
Plane geometry (Revised) by Claude Irwin Taylor, Daniel Pomeroy, ; Farnum, Eva Crane, Palmer (1924)

[tecumseh]

I am pretty speechless at the list(s) here.  I am evidently in a well read crowd... and that is a good thing.

Richard Taylor name came up on the list and I seem to recall he wrote several books.  From what I can remember quite nicely written stuff and a good read for almost any age person that might be interest in honeybees.

[Marbees]

Richard Taylor is my favourite author. Casual style of writing, easy to read, and before you know - you learn something.

[riverbee]

"Riverbee- ""anyone else? what would you recommend for new keeps to read?""

the page isn't long enough to list the books in my library.......

[crazy8days]

Personally, I think a new beekeeper could not go wrong with "The Beekeeper's Handbook" from, Diana Sammataro & Alphonse Avitabile. This is an excellent book.  A good friend and awesome beekeeper gave me this book and I have put it to good use!

[Bakersdozen]

Personally, I think a new beekeeper could not go wrong with "The Beekeeper's Handbook" from, Diana Sammataro & Alphonse Avitabile. This is an excellent book.  A good friend and awesome beekeeper gave me this book and I have put it to good use!

That is a great book crazy8.
After reading Perry's thread about Richard Taylor, yesterday I ordered one of his books from Amazon.  The "affordable" one, The Joys of Beekeeping.  Taylor has a book that has been out of print for some time and it brings a hefty price, if you can find it.  I also ordered my own copy of Super Formulas by Elaine C. White.  I had been reading a copy from the bee club library and felt it deserved a permanent place on the book shelf. 

[Perry]

   What, you gonna let a price tag of over $300 deter you from a good read? 

PS, I don't have that one either!