This is a comprehensive and attractive lifestyle guide to beekeeping - from finding your bees to getting them home, housing them, collecting honey and using their produce.It includes a detailed look at the history of bees and beekeeping, and an extensive introduction to help you to fully understand your bees and keep them happy.Whether you have a tiny balcony or acres of land; live in the middle of a city or in the countryside surrounded by flowers, this book caters for every situation, discussing the different types of hive available for every eventuality.It features a detailed section on gardening for bees, as well as comprehensive advice on how to safely collect your honey and wax, with recipes and ideas on how to use them."Bees" fuses contemporary lifestyle design and an authoritative text, to appeal not only to those who already have bees, but to those who are thinking of having them or even just like the idea of having them - it will 'sell the dream'.

Table of Contents

Introduction; Understanding Bees; What to Consider; Housing your Bees; Where & When to Get your Bees; Getting your Bees Home; Gardening for Bees; All About Honey; Bees in Winter; The Second Year; Bee Products; Recipes; Glossary; Acknowledgments; Index.

About the Author

Alison Benjamin is a Guardian journalist. She writes on environmental issues and social affairs and currently edits The Guardian's environment website. Brian McCallum is a designer, builder and yachtsman. She and Brian - who now studies apiculture - have many hives in different locations across London. Their blog, www.urbanbees.co.uk provides a fascinating insight into beekeeping in the city.