Confessions of a Bad Beekeeper: What Not to Do When Keeping Bees (with Apologies to My Own)

“Hello. My name is Bill, and I’m a beekeeper. A really bad beekeeper.”

Bill Turnbull had no intention of becoming a beekeeper. But when he saw an ad for beekeeping classes–after a swarm of bees landed in his suburban backyard–it seemed to be a sign. Despite being stung on the head–twice–at his first hands-on beekeeping class, Turnbull found himself falling in love with the fascinating, infuriating honeybee.

As a new beekeeper, Turnbull misplaced equipment for months, got stung more times–and ...