Natural Beekeeping

"Orchardists in Japan depend on the army to hand-pollinate their fruit crop (and what a striking image that is!) due to a shortage of bees. But far better to support the insect pollinators in this world. Ross Conrad has created an intimate guide to beekeeping that clearly details holistic methods aimed at hive health. The honeybee faces many affronts to its immune system in these days of tracheal mites and pesticide overload. The so-called 'Colony Collapse Disorder' now facing industrial beekeepers makes it all the more imperative that local farmers and gardeners learn healthy ways to assist the honeybee. Ross has laid out the ground rules; the rest of us need to heed the buzz."

—Michael Phillips, author of The Apple Grower

Long-term solutions for healthy beehives.

The various chemicals used in beekeeping have, for the past decades, held Varroa Destructor, a mite, and other major pests at bay, but chemical resistance is building and evolution threatens to overtake the best that laboratory chemists have to offer. In fact, there is evidence that chemical treatments are making the problem worse. Natural Beekeeping flips the script on traditional approaches by proposing a program of selective breeding and natural hive management.

Conrad brings together the best organic and natural approaches to keeping honeybees healthy and productive. Readers will learn about nontoxic methods of controlling mites, eliminating American foulbrood disease (without the use of antibiotics), breeding strategies, and many other tips and techniques for maintaining healthy hives. Specific concepts and detailed management techniques are covered in a matter-of-fact, easy-to-implement way.

Natural Beekeeping describes opportunities for the seasoned professional to modify existing operations, increase profits, and eliminate the use of chemical treatments. Beginners will need no other book to guide them. Whether you are an experienced apiculturist looking for ideas to develop an integrated pest management approach or someone who wants to sell honey at a premium price, this is the book you've been waiting for.