Beekeeping for Dummies
by Howland Blackiston
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Book Reviews of Beekeeping for Dummies
Book Review: Pretty good resource, but not the bee all, end all...
Summary: 3 Stars
I used this book as my only reference for starting my career as a backyard beekeeper. I find it very helpful and it is a good reference but it's also rather incomplete. I got my bees in Nucs not boxes and there wasn't much that a beginner needed to understand the differences. Also, when I checked my hives for the first time, I realized that this book is lacking a lot of what looks normal and what doesn't; there are only a few photos, mostly not very useful. Why doesn't the book tell you to smoke yourself and the bees to help prevent stings? Why isn't there info about using sugar water in addition to smoke to help you when in the hive? Now that I'm started I wish that there was a volume II with more detail to help me at the next level.
Still, it was a valuable tool in getting me started on this adventure and I learned a lot. a lot of the reference material out there is too technical and not practical..I still reccomend this book to anyone getting started in beekeeping.
Book Review: Good for Dummies
Summary: 3 Stars
Keep in mind this book has a "dummies" slant. It's a great beginner book and I own a copy. I recommend it. Lots of conversational plain english, funny cartoons, photographs, etc. But, buy another book as well to round out your knowledge. For example, Howland doesn't explain *why* you need an inner cover... just says it's part of the hive. He only provides *one* technique for queen introduction (albeit a good one), when there are several others. Then he perpetuates the myth that you should scrape a bee's stinger away rather than pinch it away (Discover magazine, et. al., now dispute this), and when discussing *moving* a hive, he leaves out the "3 mile rule" and the "1 foot per day" approach, etc. He suggests using motor oil moats to prevent ants (works great), but doesn't mention that vegetable oil and Tanglefoot work great also. Like I say, great book, buy it, but get some others too.Book Review: A great survey of beginning "bee keeping"!!!
Summary: 5 Stars
Author Mr. Howland Blackiston does a GREAT job introducing the fascinating hobby of bee keeping. The book is broad and generalized and touches on just about everything, including some well-written in depth detail. Bravo! A "must have" for the begginer! It even has a COLOR inset! Mr. Blackiston promotes his website in his book on several occassions. That is okay though, it is a decent web site even thought the supplies are a bit over priced, sometimes more than a bit. I emailed Mr. Blackiston about this observation and, in his defense, he noted that you CAN get a few "hard-to-find" items there, so I'm sure they would be worth it. The book is a MUST have but shop around a bit before you buy dang near anything online from any site. I have just ordered my first hive kit and I am looking forward to putting Mr. Blackistons good advice to work!Book Review: I never knew...
Summary: 4 Stars
I have this romantic notion that one day I will retire from the Army, settle down somewhere nice, and tend my bee hives filled with gentle bees, reaping in gallons of sweet, liquid gold. Like I said, it's a romantic notion. What this book clearly states is that there is more to successfully operating an apiary than harvesting the honey a few times a year. It's science and agriculture. It's care and preservation. It's timing and careful planning. But this book didn't scare me away from my notions, rather it provided me with the critical information I'll need to successfully care for my own colony of bees. I get excited just thinking about the possibilities. The book is clearly laid out, informative, and comprehensive in scope. I recommend it for a beginner, like me, or someone who wants a good, well-rounded resource guide on beekeeping.Book Review: Detailed, Easy to Understand, Hopeful
Summary: 5 Stars
If you're thinking of raising bees, this is the book to get. I had purchased three other "recommended" books, but this one leaves them in the dust. EVERYTHING is included: a little bit of bee biology, the parts of the hive, advantages and disadvantages of equipment materials and types, techniques for caring for the bees, and reassurances that your fears are experienced by all new beekeepers. I had already decided what equipment to get and have now revised my purchase order based on the information in the book. I suspect the quality of the book is a tribute to the author and not the publisher. The author's web site is full of useful information also.