I’m a book guy…it’s the feel of the paper (good quality in this case) the clarity of the print and the SMELL! Yep…with a library of over 16,000 books and over 450 years of historical record…the SMELL of the ink and paper and history of THAT book..EACH book…as an individual…becomes part of the whole experience…
But I digress….
THIS BOOK…is good quality, brand new, packed well and sent quickly, but better than all those things….It is filled with great knowledge on beekeeping that can be used now and referenced during the off times when you just want to pursue and check you facts or consider a new trend or idea against the older established knowledge. This book is a wealth of information that can benefit beekeepers of every track, hive type and process…whether you run naked through swarms of bees or suit up for nuclear mutant bees from Hell (that’s me!). This covers everything from basic hive parts and construction, repairs and purposes for each thing to varied styles of feeding, keeping and handling.
This is a good book. It is a great starting point for NEWBIES LIKE ME! I think those that have been in the beesness for a long time can benefit from the straightforward reminders of important information that we all sometimes allow to slip from our cognition.
I highly recommend this book as “CRITICAL TO BEEKEEPER SURVIVAL AND GOOD PRACTICE”. There are books that exist simply because paper and ink were cheap and available and someone with a printer was bored…or broke… THIS is NOT THE CASE here! This book is methodical, interesting, logical and critical in every aspect of beekeeping. I’m learning things that I NEVER HEARD ON YOUTUBE! (Horrors!….GASP!…giggle….). Diana Sammataro is OFFICIALLY my Bee Guru! I present her to the bee gods in my prayers for bee-lessings for writing and sharing this book! Put it somewhere handy (wash and dry your hands before picking it up…you’re gonna need this for many years to come!)
Hand drawn diagrams (This is cool because if you understand modern printing….this is a complicated add)
Constantly updated Research regarding the health and behaviors of bees in different habitats.
Information on how to identify, treat and prevent the introduction of Varroa destuctor mints…and other harmful intruders… (Okay..the last three sentences I copied right off the back of the book…BUT YOU GET IT RIGHT!?!?
Here’s some more: Diana Sammataro is a retired bee scientist who has been writing about and teaching beekeeping for over twenty years. She is coauthor of “The New Starting Right with Bees.”-book-
Alphonse Avitabile (co-author) is a beekeeper, a bee researcher and Professor Emeritus of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Connecticut, Waterbury. his published articles are in scientific journals and in the American Bee Journal and Bee Culture. (Copyrighted Material from the back cover of ‘The Beekeeper’s Handbook, Fifth Edition by Diana Sammataro and Alphonse Avitabile)

Bottom Line (literally): But This Book! You probably CAN muddle through your first few years without it and do an adequate job of keeping your bees alive just watching YouTube videos and such….BUT WHY! When there is this INCREDIBLE WEALTH and over 70 YEARS of EXPERIENCE & KNOWLEDGE about Beekeeping!!!!?
The price is incredible! The Book is BETTER than the price….and all of this is coming to you from a dedicatedly CHEA…..er….Thrifty….sheep farmer who doesn’t abide nonsense nor fools and WILL NOT SPEND A DIME THAT I DON’T ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO!
I will build my own hives, make my own feeders, figure out my own tools and stands but KNOWLEDGE Must be EARNED! And these authors have put in the time, sweat and stings necessary to EARN the title GURU!
Just buy the book.

Brand	N/A
Rating	4.8 (445 ratings)
Price	$23.99
Category	Agricultural Sciences

The Beekeeper's Handbook