Honey Bee Hobbyist, 2nd Edition: The Care and Keeping of Bees

by Norman Gary

Overview

Practical, comprehensive introduction to beekeeping. Well illustrated, solid how-to book. Author is a world-renowned honey bee expert and enthusiast. More than 100 fascinating color photographs. Expert tips and tricks for beekeeping success.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781620083154
Publisher:	Fox Chapel Publishing
Publication date:	12/11/2018
Edition description:	New
Pages:	224
Product dimensions:	7.00(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.60(d)

About the Author

Norman Gary received his PhD degree in Apiculture (the scientific study and management of honeybees), a very rare degree in the field of Entomology. After 3 years of postdoctoral research at Cornell, he joined the faculty at the University of California (Davis Campus) in 1962 as a professor and research scientist, a career that would last 32 years. Norman has published over 100 scientific papers and chapters in 4 books. Beginning in the ‘60s, he developed a secondary career in the entertainment world as a “bee wrangler,” training his favorite insect to perform in action scenes in movies, television shows, and commercials. He did bee scenes in 18 movies, working with about 40 well-known movie stars, appeared as a guest in more than 70 television shows, did 6 commercials with bees. Norman is also an accomplished musician, playing professionally for 45 years, including his own Dixieland band, the Beez Kneez Jazz Band. He holds two Guinness world records for bee stunts, invented a patented bee apparatus and developed the “Thriller Bee Show” that was performed at fairs, festivals, and other events. He was a member of the Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Radio and Television Artists, and 10 other professional organizations. Norman is currently retired, after raising two children with his wife in Citrus Heights, CA.

Table of Contents

Chapter one – To BEEkeep or not to BEEkeep

Bees as pets

The fear of stings

Getting help from other beekeepers

Where to keep your hives

When to start a new colony

Ordinances that regulate beekeeping

Chapter two - The world of honey bees

The honey bee society

Nose-to-nose with a honey bee

The head

The thorax

The abdomen

Inside the bee

The alimentary canal

Chapter three – The bee’s home

Hive structure

Nest architecture

Components of the hive

Chapter four – Getting started

Hive equipment you need

Tools and protective clothing

Buying bees for your hive

Borrowing bees from a friend

Catching a swarm

Buying an established colony

When to expand hive size

Chapter five – Reproduction

The queen

Reproduction within colonies

Production of new colonies

Life Expectancy

Chapter six – Activities inside the hive

Temperature control

Grooming behavior

Nest cleaning

Comb building

Communication and food sharing

Bee Dances

Feeding larvae

Food processing and storage

Drone activities

Division of labor

Chapter 7 – Activities outside the hive

Plants that yield pollen and nectar

Dynamics of foraging

Nectar foraging

Weather effects on foraging

Moving hives to the honey flow

Water foraging

Propolis foraging

Pollen foraging

Chapter 8 - Colony defense and sting prevention

Bee stings

Causes of colony defense

How to BEEhave near the hive

Magic Smoke

How to use the bee smoker

Opening the hive safely

How a sting works

Defusing the sting

Reactions to stings

Africanized Bees

Chapter 9 – How to manage bee colonies

Seasonal cycles in colonies

Winter

Spring

Summer

Fall

Monitoring hive conditions

Protecting bees from themselves

Brood pattern

Food stores

Worker bee population

Adequate comb space

Threat of spring swarming

How to prevent swarming

How to move hives

Dividing colonies

How to introduce queens

Feeding bee colonies

Producing high quality combs

Pollen feeding

Diseases of bees

Parasites of bees

Pests of bees

Pesticide threats

Benefits of honey bee pollination

Potential problems with neighbors

Arrangement of hives in apiary

Chapter 10 – Harvestable products from the hive

Composition of honey

Granulation of honey

Fermentation of honey

Hygroscopic properties

Harvesting honey from the hive

Extracting honey from the combs

Processing and storing honey

Eating honey in the comb

Pollen as human food

Propolis

Bee venom

Appendix A – Fun things to do with bees

Glossary

Resources

Index

About the author

Interviews

As practical as it is engaging, Honey Bee Hobbyist by University of California, Davis, entomologist Norman Gary can help you decide if backyard beekeeping is for you and how to go about it. Learn all about these important pollinators, including the intricacies of bee reproduction and society, how to use surplus honey, and why most people shouldn’t be overly afraid of a bee’s sting.

California Bountiful Magazine

Editorial Reviews

As practical as it is engaging, Honey Bee Hobbyist by University of California, Davis, entomologist Norman Gary can help you decide if backyard beekeeping is for you and how to go about it. Learn all about these important pollinators, including the intricacies of bee reproduction and society, how to use surplus honey, and why most people shouldn’t be overly afraid of a bee’s sting. California Bountiful Magazine

California Bountiful Magazine