Book Recommendations for the Beginner

[aboyette312]

Any good book recommendations for the beginner beekeeper.

[The15thMember]

My go to book is The Beekeeper's Handbook by Diana Sammataro and Alphonse Avitabile.  I have the fourth edition.  It really covers all the basics: hive operations, hive management, pests, etc.  It has decent illustrations, although no actual photographs.  Thorough, but not unnecessarily detailed, and very well organized.  A good read cover to cover, and also easy to use as a reference book.  That is my #1 recommended book on actually keeping bees. 

If you are looking for an good introductory book, I like DK's The Bee Book by Fergus Chadwick, Steve Alton, Emma Sarah Tennant, Bill Fitzmaurice, and Judy Earl.  It's a great overview of bees and beekeeping, although it doesn't really cover hive management in depth.  It has lots of great photographs and diagrams like most DK books.  It's a good book if you are thinking about getting into bees or learning all the very basic information, but it won't get you very far into actually keeping your bees alive and happy. 



 

[Michael Bush]

You can buy mine if you like but you can read it for free: bushfarms.com/bees.htm

Beginner info:
http://bushfarms.com/beesbasics.htm
http://bushfarms.com/beesnewbees.htm
http://bushfarms.com/beesoptions.htm
http://bushfarms.com/beesspace.htm
http://bushfarms.com/beesexpectations.htm
http://bushfarms.com/beespackages.htm
http://bushfarms.com/beesfaqs.htm
http://bushfarms.com/beescontrary.htm

[CoolBees]

You can buy mine if you like but you can read it for free: bushfarms.com/bees.htm

Beginner info:
http://bushfarms.com/beesbasics.htm
http://bushfarms.com/beesnewbees.htm
http://bushfarms.com/beesoptions.htm
http://bushfarms.com/beesspace.htm
http://bushfarms.com/beesexpectations.htm
http://bushfarms.com/beespackages.htm
http://bushfarms.com/beesfaqs.htm
http://bushfarms.com/beescontrary.htm

+1 for Mr Bush's book. I like the way he thinks.

[jalentour]

Read M. Bush web site  All you need to know.
Ask questions on this site for others experiences. 
No question is too dumb, most of us used to be beginners too.
Except Iiddee, he was born before bees.
Enjoy your bees.

[StraferX]

I have gleened a life time of knowledge from Mr Bush's site and easy to follow. Right now I am reading At the hive entrance by H. Storch and it is a good read. One thing I have found is that there are a lot of books, videos and sites and it gets thick and confusing. Following one reliable source is a great plan, That is why I like Mr Bush site, it follows my logic and has been working well.

[Anonimo22]

Some state beekeeping organizations have links to free online books that you can read. And there are sizable collections if you don't mind that a lot of them were written over 50 years ago. (But its free!)

There's nothing wrong with buying some good quality recent stuff.

[FatherMichael]

THE LIVES OF BEES ... by dr. Thomas Seely:  https://www.amazon.com/Lives-Bees-Untold-Story-Honey/dp/0691166765/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1KYZOM43WMWKP&keywords=the+lives+of+bees&qid=1566510633&s=gateway&sprefix=the+li+es+of+bees%2Caps%2C190&sr=8-1