Interested in keeping bees?
Beekeeping can be a fun and rewarding hobby, and it’s easier than you might think. These five beekeeping books for beginners will teach you everything you need to know to get started.
Once you’ve learned the basics, you can put your new skills into practice by starting your own hive. You’ll be able to enjoy the fruits of your labor as you collect honey from your very own bees.
How We Choose The 5 Best Beekeeping Books for Beginners for You
You want to learn about beekeeping, but you don't know where to start.
There are so many beekeeping books out there, it's hard to know which one is right for you.
We've done the research for you and we've chosen the 5 best beekeeping books for beginners.
Why We Love It
Beekeeping for Dummies is perfect for both beginners and experienced beekeepers alike. The book is packed with information and illustrations that provide easy-to-follow guidance on everything from choosing the right equipment to understanding colonies to maintaining healthy hives. There are also tips on honey production, swarm prevention and disease management that will help you keep your bees safe and healthy. Additionally, the book includes a quick reference section with summaries of key concepts so you can easily look up information when needed. With this great resource by your side, you'll be buzzing with excitement about starting your own beekeeping journey!
Encouraging Review
"Love this book, very informative and easy to understand." Amazon Review by Bonnie
Beekeeping for Beginners: The New Complete Guide to Raise a Healthy and Thriving Beehive
by Shawn Baxter
Why We Love It
The authors are passionate about their subject matter and provide valuable expertise that will benefit any beginner beekeeper. This book is well written with easy-to-understand language that encourages readers of all backgrounds to become involved in backyard beekeeping. The photos bring the concepts alive, making it fun and easy for anyone to learn the basics of successful bee management. Whether you are just starting out or want some tips on improving your existing colony health, this book is perfect for gaining knowledge!
Encouraging Review
"This book is great for someone that wants to start Beekeeping. There's alot of info on how to get it going . Things to look out for etc. This book is a Very Big Help . Thank you for taking the time for writing it . 5⭐🐝 book." Amazon Review by Papuni
Beekeeping for Beginners: How To Raise Your First Bee Colonies
by Amber Bradshaw
Why We Love It
Not only does it provide essential information on the basics of beekeeping and what you need to get started, but also offers helpful tips and strategies so that you can be successful in your endeavor. It breaks down each step in a straightforward manner so that even novice beekeepers can understand.
The book covers everything from the preparation of hives and harvesting honeycomb to dealing with pests, mites, and queens. Each topic is detailed with clear illustrations and concise descriptions so that readers can easily comprehend the topics presented. It also offers valuable insights into swarm management and handling techniques.
Encouraging Review
"I highly recommend this book for beginners, so much so that I purchased a second copy and shipped it to my dad. Unlike the other books I have seen this one comes with a glossary of the terms so you can read and understand what she is talking about without any research of basic terminology. It is already included for you! If you are interested in learning about beekeeping and don't know where to start here is the best, simplest read I have seen. It gives a chapter on how to find local organizations and apps to help you know what is appropriate for your climate. What sites to look up local laws to keep you on the right side of the law and so much information that helped me figure out where to start and improvements to make. Wish I had found this book the 1st time I tried beekeeping. Long story short it was a huge expensive failure that can only be chalked up to not doing enough research prior to buying and setting up. Lesson learned. This book walks you through step by step instructions and I feel better prepared for the next time I try to set up some hives." Amazon Review by Rayven
The Backyard Beekeeper, 4th Edition: An Absolute Beginner's Guide to Keeping Bees in Your Yard and Garden
by Kim Flottum
Why We Love It
What we especially love about this book is that it provides practical tips and advice on how to keep your bees healthy, happy and productive. For example, it contains detailed guidelines on choosing specific hive equipment that will give you optimal results in terms of honey production and colony health. Plus, the author shares innovative techniques like using essential oils or natural fungicides which can be used instead of chemical treatments if needed.
Overall, The Backyard Beekeeper is an excellent resource for anyone curious about beekeeping and wanting to start their own backyard beehive. With its simple language, clear diagrams and invaluable advice - this is definitely one book every aspiring beekeeper should put on their must-have list!
Encouraging Review
"I cannot imagine a better resource to start beekeeping with than this book. It is great quality, cheap, easy to read, has all information you will run into in your first year, has pictures with captions, etc. I’ve watched YouTube videos for months, thinking that would be enough - boy, was I wrong. This book has taught me so many things. It has such great linear pace, information, etc.
I saw other reviews harping on it that it talked about Varroa too much. I can tell you right now, those are not going to be good beekeepers. If a disease killed 90% of humans, I would not go to a doctor that got bored of a 200 page picture book that talked about it too much. I am on page 140 and there hasn’t been a dedicated section to Varroa yet, which I’m kind of bummed about.
Great read. Don’t know how it could be better." Amazon Review by Mitch
Why We Love It
The book is an essential guide for anyone interested in beekeeping, as it contains comprehensive information on every aspect of the process. From equipment recommendations to understanding the anatomy of bees and even advanced topics like disease management, this book covers it all!
The authors also include helpful checklists and tables to help readers keep track of their progress when managing a hive. This added feature makes the book incredibly user-friendly.
But what we truly love about this book is its attention to detail. Within each section, there are plenty of diagrams that illustrate key concepts and ideas -- a great way to break down complex topics into manageable chunks. Additionally, there are chapters dedicated solely to specific topics like queen rearing which enable readers to dive deep into individual areas without having to read through everything else first.
Overall, this Beekeeper’s Handbook is an incredible resource for anyone looking for detailed information about beekeeping or bee-related topics. We highly recommend this book as an excellent starting point or refresher on the subject matter!
Encouraging Review
"This book has been written in a logical manner and I have found it to be very helpful. It has large enough print and is also current and updated." Amazon Review by Henry
Which of the 5 Best Beekeeping Books for Beginners is Right for You?
So there you have it: the five best beekeeping books for beginners. Whether you’re into the therapeutic side of beekeeping and just want to observe your buzzing friends, the hands-on experience of tending an active hive and gathering harvest, or something in between – there’s a great book out there for you! Of course, nothing can compare to hands-on experience with a mentor in the field. Whenever possible, don’t forget to branch out from textbooks and actually get to know bees in their native home. In any case, stay safe and happy beekeeping!