Beginners Resources
I Googled the word “beekeeping” today, which came back with 39 million results — far too many for most of us to read!
The other issue is that with the advent of the Internet, those with strong opinions are free to upload their thoughts, without anyone first checking them for supportive evidence. And in beekeeping, there has never been a lack of strong opinions.
So here’s a list of resources for the beginner that I feel are both readable and informative.
Of course, I’d start with one of my own: http://scientificbeekeeping.com/first-year-care-for-your-nuc/
Then there are beginning texts:
First Lessons in Beekeeping, Dadant
The Beekeeper’s Handbook by Diana Sammataro & Alfonse Avitabile
Storey’s Guide to Keeping Honey Bees, 2nd Edition. Malcolm T. Sanford, Richard E. Bonney
Beekeeping Basics This used to be a freebie from Penn State.Homegrown Honey Bees by Alethea Morrison
Beekeeping for Dummies. Howland Blackiston
Honey Bee Hobbyist by Norm Gary—good overall understanding, rather than how-to-do-it.
Beautiful prose: A Book of Bees, Hubble. This is the book to share with your family to help them understand your passion.
Let me know if there are others that I should add to the above list!
References
The Biology of the Honey Bee, Winston. As the title says — relatively short and to the point reference book, nicely written by an expert.
The next two are the go-to textbooks:
The Hive and the Honey Bee, Dadant
ABC and XYZ of Bee Culture, Root