The most comprehensive beekeeping resource ever published.

This ultimate guide covers all the practical essentials and will teach you everything about caring for bees and safe hive management, with clear instructions and step-by-step illustrations. It also contains a wealth of information about the culinary, medicinal, cosmetic and domestic uses of honey, beeswax and pollen.

So much more than just a practical handbook, this beautiful almanac is also a fascinating read, overflowing with charming bee trivia, fascinating folklore, an engaging history of beekeeping and much more besides. Discover bees in literature, learn how to craft beeswax candles, preserve fine wood with your own home-made furniture polish, or indulge your skin with lavender and beeswax hand cream. Enjoy over 100 glorious honey recipes for cakes and breads, sauces and marinades, drinks and even flavoured spirits!

Fully illustrated with practical photography, stunning illustrations and unique etchings, this is an invaluable handbook as well as a beautiful addition to your coffee table, whether you're an active beekeeper with buzzing hives, or an armchair enthusiast who daydreams about harvesting your own honey.

The plight of the honeybee has been widely reported, as numbers fall at an alarming rate. But its vital role in crop pollination and global agricultural means that the survival of the honeybee is essential; if it is to endure into the next century, we must take it seriously now. The Collins Beekeeper's Bible does just that, bestowing readers with all there is to know about bees, in the hope that it will help secure the future of this fascinating insect.

CONTENTS INCLUDE
o History of honey and beekeeping
o Building a beehive & staying safe
o Caring for your bees - pests & diseases
o Growing flowers for bees
o Collecting your honey
o Household uses for honey and beeswax
o Homeopathic, medicinal and cosmetic uses for honey and pollen
o Home crafts
o Recipes for home-made food and drinks featuring honey

About the Author

Richard A. Jones: Writer, entomologist, ecologist and high-profile UK expert on insects. Contributor and scientific advisor to BBC Wildlife Magazine and New Scientist.

Sharon Sweeney-Lynch: Freelance writer for the Guardian, the Independent, The Times Higher Education Supplement and various consumer magazines.

Sally Bucknall

Claire Waring

Reviews

'This paving slab of a book should be on the shelf of every country person... detailed, well written and joyful to the eye' Country Life

'A beautiful and practical guide to the world of bees and beekeeping.' The Daily Telegraph's Gardening section

Book Information
ISBN 9780007279890
Format Hardback
Page Count 416
Imprint Collins
Publisher HarperCollins Publishers
Weight(grams) 1770g
Dimensions(mm) 252mm * 195mm * 39mm