Adults

All the Buzz for Beekeeping Beginners

"The book oozes with bee facts and trivia....Bees do make good pets and this book is a gentle introduction to the world of backyard bee keeping." --Patsy Bell Hobson, writer and master gardener emeritus

#1 New Release in Entomology and Insects & Spiders

What happens when a writer sets up a backyard beehive? You get a beekeeping book full of fun and fascinating facts about honey bees and our other favorite pollinators.

A nature guide book for beekeeping beginners. Full of trivia, tips, legends, and lore--this quirky bee book swarms with interesting information, so you can have fun, learn stuff, grow your farm, or just relax. Writer and beekeeper Jack Mingo lives with half a million bees, and has picked up a thing or two at his bee farm. In this collection of humorous and often unusual observations, Mingo shows us a glimpse of the mystical and matriarchal world of bees.

The save the bees sign you've been looking for. How many legs do bees have? Enough not to crowd your bed at night. They don't track mud or bugs into your house, and they won't bark and whine. They even greet you with raw honey and beeswax. And these are just some of the reasons bees make the best pets of all. Whether you're a beekeeping beginner, looking to save the bees, or interested in fun nature facts about bugs and insects, there's something here for every nature lover.

Step into Mingo's hive for tidbits like:

• Fun and interesting tips and tricks for beekeeping beginners
• Knowledge about the color, quality, and benefits of local honey
• The history and legendary stories of bees, like the role they played in the Civil War and the Legend of the Caroling Bees

If you liked Beekeeping for Dummies, The Beekeeper's Handbook, or Beekeeping for Beginners, you'll love Bees Make the Best Pets.

The Bee Book shows you step-by-step how to create a bee-friendly garden, get started in beekeeping, and harness the power of honey for well-being.

Fully illustrated with full-color photographs throughout, this beautiful guide covers everything you need to know to start your own backyard hive, from setup to harvest. Practical beekeeping techniques are explained with clear step-by-step sequences, photos, and diagrams so you'll be prepared to establish your own colony, deal with diseases, collect a swarm, and much more.

A comprehensive gardening chapter features planting plans to fill container and border gardens, bee "hotel" and habitat projects, and an at-a-glance flower gallery of bees' favorite plants. The Bee Book also shows you how to harvest honey, beeswax, and propolis from the hive and use these ingredients in 38 recipes for home remedies, beauty treatments, and candle-making.

Discover the wonder of bees in nature, in your garden, and in the hive with The Bee Book, lavishly bound in a beautiful gold-foil and texture cover and perfect for gift giving.

Save the Bees with Natural, Chemical-Free Beekeeping

Rob and Chelsea McFarland first started caring for bees, then founded the nonprofit HoneyLove, to meet a need often heard today - we've got to save the bees. For more than two decades, honeybee colonies have steadily declined around the world. Bees and other pollinators are one of the most critical components of our food supply - if they disappear, so do we. You can make a difference by becoming a natural, treatment-free beekeeper right in your backyard. Save the Bees offers different, easy and healthier ways to keep your own hive!

Rob and Chelsea share all the wisdom from this ancient practice in a way that is fresh, modern and easy for anyone to do. Along the way, they bust up some common bee myths:

- You don't need to spend thousands of dollars on equipment. They tell you the most essential tools you need to get started and what you can make yourself.
- You don't need any chemicals, pesticides or supplements to keep your bees healthy. Rob and Chelsea tell you how to recognize and maintain a healthy hive and how to save a failing one. The treatment-free way is not just a way to keep bees; it's the best way - good for you, the bees and the world.

Save the Bees breaks down the complexity of beekeeping so you can learn step-by-step how to acquire a colony, care for it and reap the reward - that incredibly delicious, all-natural, chemical-free, unprocessed, sweet, sweet honey. Not to mention you'll be welcomed into the quirky, amazing and fun family of beekeepers around the world. So get on board and let's save some bees.

Featuring over 40 DIY projects that illustrate how to transform one of the world’s most natural ingredients into tangible creations, Beeswax Alchemy is the perfect amalgamation of recipe craft book and beekeepers’ guide.

Considered the miracle of the beehive and used by humans for 8,000 years, beeswax remains a vital ingredient to society and is still used as the foundation for many household products in the twenty-first century. Learn from apiarist and entrepreneur Petra Ahnert about the history of beeswax, as well as tips and techniques on how to mold it into beautiful, reusable creations.
 
An introduction details the different ways in which beeswax has been used throughout history, as well as the products that contain it today. You’ll also find an explanation of the different types of beeswax, as well as insider tips on working with beeswax, followed by step-by-step instructions for making candles, balms, salves, creams, scrubs, soaps, ornaments, art, and more out of beeswax (either your own or store-bought). Color photos illustrate the processes and show finished results throughout. Among the useful and beautiful things you’ll learn to make out of beeswax:

• Hand-Dipped Birthday Candles
• Lip Balm with Cocoa Butter
• Rosebud Salve
• Solid Natural Perfumes
• Honey, Oats, and Beeswax Soap
• Beeswax Luminaries

Whether you are an expert beekeeper or experimental crafter, Beeswax Alchemy is the best guide for anyone aspiring to make wellness-boosting treasures to keep or gift to friends and family.

As seen on PBS's American Spring LIVE, the award-winning author of The Triumph of Seeds and Feathers presents a natural and cultural history of bees: the buzzing wee beasties that make the world go round.
Bees are like oxygen: ubiquitous, essential, and, for the most part, unseen. While we might overlook them, they lie at the heart of relationships that bind the human and natural worlds. In Buzz, the beloved Thor Hanson takes us on a journey that begins 125 million years ago, when a wasp first dared to feed pollen to its young. From honeybees and bumbles to lesser-known diggers, miners, leafcutters, and masons, bees have long been central to our harvests, our mythologies, and our very existence. They've given us sweetness and light, the beauty of flowers, and as much as a third of the foodstuffs we eat. And, alarmingly, they are at risk of disappearing.
As informative and enchanting as the waggle dance of a honeybee, Buzz shows us why all bees are wonders to celebrate and protect. Read this book and you'll never overlook them again.
 

This trusted handbook is a must-have for novice and seasoned beekeepers alike. Now totally redesigned and featuring color photos and graphics, the second edition also includes up-to-date information on honey bee health. The go-to reference presents comprehensive yet accessible information on everything from planning hives and installing a colony to preventing disease and managing productive hives that will bear bountiful honey harvests year after year.

“A successful and funny book that is sure to swell the ranks of the world’s beekeepers.”
—New York Times 

A fascinating foray into the obsessions, friendships, scientific curiosity, misfortunes and rewards of suburban beekeeping—through the eyes of a Master Beekeeper . . .
 
Who wants to keep bees? And why? For the answers, Master Beekeeper Frank Mortimer invites readers on an eye-opening journey into the secret world of bees, and the singular world of his fellow bee-keepers. There’s the Badger, who introduces Frank to the world of bees; Rusty, a one-eyed septuagenarian bee sting therapist certain that honey will be the currency of the future after the governments fail; Scooby the “dude” who gets a meditative high off the awesome vibes of his psychedelia-painted hives; and the Berserker, a honeybee hitman who teaches Frank a rafter-raising lesson in staving off the harmful influences of an evil queen: “Squash her, mash her, kill, kill, kill!” 
 
Frank also crosses paths with those he calls the Surgeons (precise and protected), the Cowboys (improvisational and unguarded) and the Poseurs, ex-corporate cogs, YouTube-informed and ill-prepared for the stinging reality of their new lives. In connecting with this club of disparate but kindred spirits, Frank discovers the centuries-old history of the trade; the practicality of maintaining it; what bees see, think, and feel (emotionless but sometimes a little defensive); how they talk to each other and socialize; and what can be done to combat their biggest threats, both human (anti-apiarist extremists) and mite (the Varroa Destructor). 
 
With a swarm of offbeat characters and fascinating facts (did that bee just waggle or festoon?), Frank the Bee Man delivers an informative, funny, and galvanizing book about the symbiotic relationship between flower and bee, and bee and the beekeepers who are determined to protect the existence of one of the most beguiling and invaluable creatures on earth.

“A very entertaining book.” 
—American Bee Journal 
 
“A playful storyteller… A compelling memoir.” 
—Foreword Reviews 
 
“A useful how-to guide as well as an affectionate ode to nature’s pollinators and honey makers.” 
—Publishers Weekly 
 
“This book includes great humor and a use of allegory that reveals tremendous background knowledge.” 
—San Francisco Book Review 
  
“Frank’s personal stories of his beekeeping journey are entertaining, well written, and will quickly have you happily lost in the world of bees.” 
—Paleo Magazine 
  
"Bee People and the Bugs They Love is the bee's knees and getting a ton of buzz. Bee smart, people, and read this un-BEE-lievably interesting look at the quirky world of beekeeping." 
—Harlan Coben, #1 New York Times bestselling author

“A delightful portrayal for non-beekeepers of what life is like for those of us who are always thinking about bees.” 
—Tom Seeley, author of The Lives of Bees
  
“A fun and exciting tale of the wonder-filled world of beginner beekeeping.” 
—Noah Wilson-Rich, author of Bee: A Natural History , and CEO and partner The Best Bees Company

A year in the life of New York City's premier beekeeper, who chronicles his adventures and the quirky personalities he encounters while spreading his infinite knowledge of and passion for the remarkable honey bee

"Coté's charming and poignant essay collection delivers the entertainment and smarts required to make real change in how we look at our planet, and ourselves."--Andrew Zimmern

From the humble drone to the fittingly named worker to the queen herself--who is more a slave than a monarch--the hive world, Andrew Coté reveals, is full of strivers and slackers, givers and takers, and even some insect promiscuity (startlingly similar to the prickly human variety). Written with Coté's trademark humor, acumen, and a healthy dose of charm, Honey and Venom illuminates the obscure culture of New York City "beeks" and the biology of the bees themselves for both casual readers and bee enthusiasts.

Coté takes readers with him on his daily apiary adventures over the course of a year, in the city and across the globe. In Manhattan, among his many duties, he is called to capture swarms that have clustered on fire hydrants, air-conditioning units, or street-vendor umbrellas. Beyond maneuvering within a metropolitan populace as frenzied as the bees', Coté is able to escape from the hive mind and the rigors of city dwelling with his philanthropic, international approach to apiculture. Annually, he travels to regions across the world with his organization, Bees Without Borders, where he teaches beekeepers how to increase their honey yield and income via beekeeping endeavors. For Coté, a fourth-generation beekeeper, this is a family tradition, and this personal significance pervades his celebration of the romance and mystery of bees, their honey, and the beekeepers whose lives revolve around these most magical creatures.

Guess what: Bees are incredible. If you don't think so, you're wrong; but you're also in luck! Extreme bee enthusiast and bestselling author Matt Kracht is here to set the record straight with this helpful guidebook to all things bees.

Are you ready for the ultimate bee book? With lighthearted watercolor and ink drawings, humorous quips, lists, and musings, OMFG, BEES! will show you just how important these esteemed bee-list celebrities really are. (Hint: We can't live without them.)

Delving into various bee topics, from distinguishing between bees and not bees (very crucial), to exploring the absolute wonder that is bee behavior (they do a coded dance directing their bee friends to food, for crying out loud!), to divulging the mind-blowing bee-magic behind honey making (within some extremely intricate and precisely constructed hexagonal honeycomb, no big deal), and more, Kracht's ode to bees paints a charming and enthusiastic picture of our favorite pollinators.

Bee-autiful full-color illustrations fill these pages that playfully and earnestly examine different kinds of bees, from the honeybee to the teddy bear bee, providing unbelievably cool facts about bees and reasons why they deserve a lot more credit as well as our appreciation and advocacy. Because omfg, BEES!!

BESTSELLING AUTHOR: Matt Kracht is the author of the bestselling Field Guide to Dumb Birds series: The Field Guide to Dumb Birds of North America, The Field Guide to Dumb Birds of the Whole Stupid World, and The Big Dumb Bird Journal. Now, Kracht offers something special for the more insect-inclined audience with OMFG, BEES!, an enthusiastic celebration in the same vein as Dumb Birds, with a little less fowl language and a bit more earnestness.

A FRESH TAKE FOR BEE LOVERS: Most books on bees are serious in tone and highly academic. OMFG, BEES! is the first of its kind: a celebratory, funny, and lighthearted illustrated compendium honoring the little guys that preserve humanity as we know it!

A HIGHLY GIFTABLE, QUALITY BOOK: This 5 x 7 inch, 4-color, compact book is packed with both information and humor, making it the perfect gift for novice bee enthusiasts to full-on bee experts.

BEES ARE IMPORTANT, FOR GOOD REASON: Without bees, Earth wouldn't be the same! We need bees. With an active Save the Bees movement erupting in the last few years, people are adamant about bee justice. According to Greenpeace, bees are responsible for one in every three bites of food humans consume--spreading this awareness and knowledge is ample reason to celebrate them!

Perfect for:

• An informative and insanely fun option for anyone seeking books about bees for adults
• A great resource for general bee enthusiasts, Save the Bees advocates, environmentalists, and beekeepers
• Fans of animal humor books and nature shows
• Followers of #BeeTok and popular bee Instagram accounts
• A buzz-worthy gift for students, aspiring entomologists, gardeners, urban farmers, hikers, and all who want to learn about bees without the academic feel
• Pairing with honey-related gifts for sweet birthday, anniversary, holiday, housewarming, or hostess gift giving

The Insect Artist offers a complete course in illustration and lifelike artwork.

The 15 projects are designed to build on one another, beginning with techniques that strengthen drawing and acrylic painting skills. More advanced projects focus on design principals, realistic environments, and creative challenges. Clear instructions and visual demonstrations describe each step of the process and reference photos show the anatomy and coloration of each insect. Short outdoor exercises are included as lessons on actively observing the nature. This is a book for artists of all levels and anyone interested in rediscovering the natural world through artistic expression.


Packed with creative tips:* Achieve rich colours, surface textures, and spatial depth
* Measure proportions accurately
* Simplify tricky forms and patterns
* Establish an inspiring and supportive art practice

"Art and science collide beautifully in this must-have book for insect and nature lovers everywhere... Prepare to be amazed at the artworks you create!" -Lila Higgins, the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, co-author of Wild LA