This is an introduction to beekeeping and is intended to act as a memory aid for use with children and novices. Its object is to describe how the bees live and how the beekeeper makes use of them.

INTRODUCTION: This is not a textbook in the ordinary sense of the word. It is an introduction to beekeeping and is intended to act as a memory aid for use with children and novices. Its object is to describe how the bees live and how the beekeeper makes use of them. 

With any course on beekeeping that a person joins there is the difficulty of formulating a book that fit either a bee calendar or any learning programme; for this reason there is not an exact point by point correlation between any course and order in which subjects are covered in this booklet. Additionally this booklet is designed to encourage people to become beekeepers. The intention is to familiarize new beekeepers with information whilst at the same time instilling confidence in such a way that whatever a person's background they become proficient beekeepers. In all matters relating to beekeeping an understanding of bees is paramount and a developed empathy with bees is essential. Misunderstanding bees and treating them badly is not acceptable. In order to become a competent beekeeper there is much to be learnt about how bees live and how they are handled. There are however, things to be learnt that are not in books, and some of these you can only learn by handling, helping others to keep or keeping bees yourself. If you can spend time just watching bees at work, you will discover for yourself things that no one else can tell you. This book will help you to understand what you see.