My review: Honey Bee Biology and Beekeeping

Title: Honey Bee Biology and Beekeeping, Revised Edition

Authors: Dewey M. Caron and Lawrence John Connor

Editor: Robert G. Muir

Publisher: Wicwas Press

Publication Date: June 28, 2013

Language: English

About the Book:

“Honey Bee Biology and Beekeeping, Revised Edition” is a comprehensive guide that serves as a standard textbook for teaching college students and beekeepers about the science and practice of bees and beekeeping. It is a valuable source of beekeeping information for both new and informed beekeepers.

Content:

The book focuses on the ‘why’, ‘how’, and ‘when’ of beekeeping. It explains bee basics in a manner that is meaningful to people who lack an intensive background in biology. It does not oversimplify, ensuring that readers gain a deep understanding of the subject matter. The book covers a vast array of topics related to bee biology and colony management, making it a complete resource for anyone interested in the field.

Revised Edition Features:

The Revised Edition of this book features full-color illustrations throughout, providing a visually engaging learning experience. The photography and artwork have been extensively revised, and the materials have been thoroughly updated to ensure the content is current and relevant.

Physical Details:

The book is 368 pages long and has dimensions of 9 x 2 x 11 inches. It is a hardcover edition, ensuring durability and longevity.

ISBN-10: 1878075292

ISBN-13: 978-1878075291

My Opinion

This work has, for over 20 years now, been a standard introductory textbook to the biological science, theory, and practice behind bees and beekeeping.

Published in a revised edition in 2013, the book’s republication pays testament to its popularity – somewhat surprising for a nominal textbook. The secret of its success almost certainly lies in the fact that it brings to bear the heft of detail on a prose style that is actually admirably straightforward. To be clear, this book is not for absolute beginners, but you do not require an ounce of specialist knowledge to find value in it.

The book covers the expected topics (and offers some practical advice) but is encyclopedic in its scope. There are no step by step chapters on the most rudimentary beekeeping procedures, but by looking up the issue facing you in your beekeeping among the 360 odd pages of this physically large volume, you’ll arrive at pretty much all of the information you need – and then some.

The work is indeed clearly written and accessible, but the sheer amount of information could lead to readers scanning and skipping. This is not necessarily a criticism – we should be glad to have such a readable repository of beekeeping knowledge – but it might not be the most wieldy beekeeping guidebook, especially for beginners.

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