Honey has been an important food for people for thousands of years. Their desire for it led to the, domestication of bees, through crafting artificial beehives and manipulating the bees' food sources. But quite apart from the harvests of honey and wax, the life-giving role of bees in pollinating many plants that people rely on for food, has made them the stuff of legend, mystery, worship and, nowadays, also controversy. Although some people believe that our reliance on bees for the cultivation of food crops is much exaggerated (as some major staples like rice, wheat and even potatoes don't nee... View More...
UPDATED REPRINT 2016 Did you know that to collect a kilo of honey, bees need to visit one million plants? In going about their daily lives, bees provide plants with pollination necessary for reproduction and biodiversity, and they provide food for many species from ants to insects to birds. They are also an integral part of the self-sufficiency approach to sustainable production. The authors look after over 100 honey and native bee hives. They have run bee workshops in schools and colleges, mead-making workshops for grown ups and started successful bee clubs. This book contains the an... View More...
Transform miraculous beeswax into environmentally friendly household cleaners, personal care products, candles and crafts Features over 100 step-by-step recipes, this book presents easy-to-follow recipes that utilize the amazing flexibility of beeswax for crafting safe, highly effective home products. From lotions and salves to candles and cleaners, The Beeswax Workshop shows you how to make organic alternatives to chemically-laden store bought items. You will love stocking first aid kits with natural sunburn salve and antimicrobial ointment; making beeswax-based beauty products like lip balm,... View More...
Not so long ago, in a small island nation in the South Pacific, beekeepers produced a most peculiar honey. It was much darker than the clover honey everyone put on their toast in the morning, and it tasted very different. In fact, the honey was a problem: it was hard to get out of the combs, and even harder for beekeepers to sell. Today that honey, manuka from New Zealand, is known around the world. It fetches high prices, and beekeepers do everything in their power to produce as much of it as possible. Wound dressings containing manuka honey are used in leading hospitals, and it has saved ... View More...
Everything you need to know to keep bees on your rooftop, balcony or in your backyard. Just about anyone can keep bees. All you need is a bit of space in your backyard (or on your rooftop) and a little love for the creatures that pollinate the vegie patches of your neighbourhood. Once introduced to the charms of beekeeping and the taste of warm honeycomb direct from the hive, you'll be hooked. Backyard Bees is the ultimate guide to installing and maintaining a hive through the seasons. Learn how easy it is to keep happy, healthy bees, and how and when to harvest the liquid gold. Includin... View More...
A grower's handbook to attracting bees and other beneficial insects. Bees are our most important pollinators and they are in decline the world over. They love to live in urban environments, where it's a short flight path from one type of plant to the next. But conventional gardens that favour lawns and pesticides over flowers and edible plants are scaring the good bugs away. The Bee Friendly Garden is a guide for all gardeners great and small to encouraging bees and other good bugs to your green space. Includes: - How bees forage and why your garden needs them - A comprehensive plant ... View More...
An illustrated introduction to the estimated 2000 species of Australian bees.
Bees are often thought of as yellow and black striped insects that live in hives and produce honey. However, Australia’s abundant native bees are incredibly diverse in their appearance and habits. Some are yellow and black but others have blue stripes, are iridescent green or wasp-like. Some are social but most are solitary. Some do build nests with wax but others use silk or plant material, burrow in soil or use holes in wood and even gumnuts!
A Guide to Native Bees of Australia provides a detailed introduction ... View More...
Few insects are more important than bees, wasps, and ants. They maintain the garden's biological balance, fertilize vegetables, fruits, and flowers, and recycle nutrients within the soil. It's no exaggeration to say that a garden can't be understood without an understanding of its insects. "Bees, Wasps, and Ants" explores the importance of the Hymenoptera and explains how gardeners can encourage (or discourage) them in the garden. Part One includes a summary of their biology and a tour of what role they play in each part of the garden. Part Two takes a closer look at the individual groups wit... View More...
NOT IN STOCK - THIS IS A PRINT ON DEMAND TITLE WHICH TAKES 7-10 DAYS TO RECEIVE INTO STOCK - PLEASE TAKE THIS TIMEFRAME INTO ACCOUNT WHEN ORDERING. This definitive work by world-renowned bee authority Eva Crane offers a fascinating account of bees and their complex relations with both humans and animals. Comprehensive, absorbing, and lavishly illustrated, this scholarly, yet accessible volume explores how bees, honey and other bee products have been gathered and utilized throughout the world. Beginning with the rock paintings of the Mesolithic cave dwellers, readers will learn about the ... View More...
Excerpt from The Illustrated Australasian Bee Manual: And Complete Guide to Modern Bee Culture in the Southern Hemisphere So rapid is the present progress of commercial beekeeping, necessarily accompanied by frequent changes and modifications in apiary appliances and methods of management, that much of the practical instructions embodied in technical works on bee-culture published from time to time, soon become antiquated, and out of date. I realised this in the present case when commencing to revise the text matter of the last - in preparation for the new - Edition, and therefore I decided to... View More...
Discover the beauty and diversity of Australia's native bees. Bees are the darlings of the insect world. It is a great joy to see these tenacious insects hard at work, peacefully buzzing from flower to flower on warm and sunny days. Many people recognise the worth of bees, as well as that they face many threats. But very few know about the diversity and importance of our native bee species. There are an estimated 2000 to 3000 bee species in Australia, yet we know very little about the vast majority of these and there are many that are yet to be described. Bees of Australia introduces some of... View More...
Australian Stingless Bees: a guide to Sugarbag beekeeping by John Klumpp is a 120 page book packed with over 200 photos and illustrations. It is easy to read, whimsical, engaging, sometimes amusing, and is crammed with useful information. The topics covered are: catching the bug - John's personal perspective; the different species of native social stingless bees; differences in lifestyle between honey bees and native social stingless bees (particularly Tetragonula carbonaria formerly Trigona carbonaria; life and lifecycle in a colony; castes; locating colonies in bushland; some different ... View More...
As one of the most ancient of human beverages, mead arose in part because it was easy to make. Today' hobbyists rediscover the simplicity of making mead while revelling in the range of flavours that can result. In this book, veteran beverage hobbyist Ken Schramm introduces the novice to the wonders of mead. With easy-to-follow procedures and simple recipes, he shows how you can quickly and painlessly make your own mead at home. In later chapters, he introduces flavourful variations on the basic theme that lead to meads flavoured with spice, fruits, grapes and even malt. View More...
Luke Dixon argues the case for urban beekeeping and then tells the reader everything they need to know about how to do it. From siting hives and reassuring the neighbours, to combating interference from wind, artificial light and predators, this is a one-stop reference to take the urban beekeeper from set-up to first honey harvest. Advice on equipment, planting, swarm prevention and management, and selling honey are all included. In 2010, bee colonies in Britain grew by 50% and 31% of the growth is in urban areas An in-depth guide to everything you need to know about keeping bees in town Abo... View More...
Enjoy the sweet rewards of keeping your own honey bees. Learn how to plan a hive, acquire bees, install a colony, keep your bees healthy, and harvest honey. Full of practical advice on apiary equipment and tools, this comprehensive guide also includes an overview of colony life and honey bee anatomy. Whether you're just getting started or are managing dozens of hives, Storey's Guide to Keeping Honey Bees will help you successfully manage a thriving beekeeping operation. 244 pages. View More...
"If 70 percent of all cattle or 30 percent of all chickens were to die annually, states of emergency would be declared everywhere. The death of bees is at least that dramatic and with even more far-reaching consequences." More Than Honey, the book based on the award-winning documentary of the same name, takes us on a global tour of the world of bees, introducing us along the way to "killer bees," Frankenbees, beekeepers, and human pollinators. Markus Imhoof and Claus-Peter Lieckfeld examine both the history and current status of our relationship to and reliance on bees, and expose the human be... View More...
All the buzz on keeping backyard bees - an informative and inspirational handbook full of advice, experience and stories from experts and enthusiasts. With bees worldwide in deadly peril, Australians are keen to lend a helping hand. Keeping a hive or three has become a popular lifestyle trend - and it's more achievable than you might think.Whether you're in the inner city, suburbs or on acreage, keeping bees can be easy, low-fuss and fun for the whole family to get involved in - imagine bottling your very own honey! This lively guide features inspirational experiences and gorgeous photos from ... View More...
The bee book by Peter Warhurst and Roger Goebel has been written and compiled by beekeepers who are also apiary officers of the Dept of Primary Industries & Fisheries, Queensland. It draws on their personal experience and that of other beekeepers, as well as over 100 years of departmental research and experience. This practical, readable and comprehensive book contains detailed information on honeybees and on every aspect of responsible, successful beekeeping, whether as a hobby, a part-time occupation or a commercial operation. It also covers the special requirements of managing hives i... View More...
The book is aimed at both the novice and experienced beekeeper in Australia and explains in detail the steps required to manage colonies of bees. Supported by over 350 photographs and drawings, each action to be performed is explained in detail with photographs showing the steps as well as the final result. Many potential beekeepers are unclear about the equipment they need to buy and how to obtain their first colony of bees. The first chapters in the book explain in detail the equipment needed as well as equipment that may be useful later on as their confidence and experience grows. The chapt... View More...
Mead may have been "discovered," as some suggest, when one of our not-yet-upright forebears stuck their hand in a fermenting bee hive and came away with a honeycomb containing a little more than they bargained for. Whatever the truth, brewers have brought this beverage into the twenty-first century, and you can rest assured that The Complete Guide to Making Mead is a thoroughly up-to-date, modern, and authoritative guide to homemade mead. Best of all, it has something for everyone, from the stone-cold beginner to the seasoned veteran. ` Award-winning mead-maker Steve Piatz begins with a bri... View More...