Recommended Books, Websites & Other Resources
Books/Reading
The Backyard Beekeeper, by Kim Flottum. An excellent and thorough guide for the beginning beekeeper. Flottum covers everything from basic bee biology and colony dynamics, basic beekeeping equipment and practices, seasonal tasks, and much more. ​​
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The Beekeeper’s Handbook, by Diana Sammataro and Alphonse Avitabile. Another great resource for the beginner and more experienced beekeeper, going into all aspects of honey bee biology, hive maintenance, queen rearing, unique management problems, diseases and pests, etc. Highly recommended.
Honeybee Democracy, by Dr. Thomas D. Seeley (Department of Neurobiology and Behavior at Cornell University). Seeley researches the behavior and social life of honey bees. His work is summarized in four books: Honeybee Ecology (1985), The Wisdom of the Hive (1995), Honeybee Democracy (2010), and Piping Hot Bees and Boisterous Buzz-Runners: 20 Mysteries of Honey Bee Behavior Solved (2025). Just about anything Seeley has written will expand the beekeeper’s understanding and appreciation of the honey bee.
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Also by Seeley, this short brochure, Bait Hives for Honey Bees, is a concise guide to designing, building and using bait hives.
At the Hive Entrance, by H. Storch: “Inspecting our hives is a necessary and responsible part of beekeeping, but the health and status of a colony can also be ‘read’ by watching the bees come and go, hence the title ‘At the Hive Entrance.’ Just 67 pages, this book by Professor H. Storch may be short, but it is packed with wonderful insights. The content is separated into two columns: Observation and Explanation. Storch details dozens of observations that can be made throughout the seasons, then explains what this tells us about the inner workings of the hive.”
​Apiary Guide to Swarm Control 2nd Edition Wally Shaw (43 page booklet, downloadable here, also for purchase, published by Welsh Beekeepers’ Association, 2020). This is a concise resource for understanding and managing the complexities of hive reproduction (i.e., swarming). Shaw breaks up guidance into two categories: pre-emptive swarm control (before queen cells are produced) and reactive swarm control (after queen cells are present). As an alternative to his book, Shaw spoke to the Alameda County Beekeepers’ Association on March 19, 2024. You can watch the 2.5 hrs presentation here: Wally Shaw on Proactive and Reactive Swarm Prevention
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​The Hive and the Honey Bee, Dadant & Sons, edited by Joe M. Graham. The most recent edition of this classic (1992) has been completely rewritten, revised, and enlarged. It's divided into 22 chapters and includes the work of 33 world-famous authors along with hundreds of photos and drawings. It's worth getting for its special features alone: a new 52-page United States and Canadian honey plants table, updated African honey bee information, parasitic bee mites, pesticides, management, business practices, marketing, hive products, bee behavior, and more. Not necessarily your everyday go-to reference, but a valuable book to add to your collection at some point.
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Written by bee and botany experts, California Bees & Blooms is a fantastic resource. This book dives into Apis mellifera, as well as many of our native bees, provides plant profiles for “best bee attractors”, and plant lists for creating garden and outdoor spaces that are bee friendly and provide forage throughout the year, so important given the dearth that comes with our drier months. The authors even give guidelines for a “brown thumb garden” if you are wanting something easy and low maintenance. Published by Heydey Press in Berkeley.
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Websites/Online Resources
The California Master Beekeeper Program (CAMBP) is a U.C. Davis-affiliated program for new and seasoned beekeepers alike. CAMBP program offers certification for Ambassador, Apprentice, Journey, and Master level beekeepers so they can effectively communicate the importance of honey bees and other pollinators within their communities, serve as mentors for other beekeepers, and become the informational conduit between the beekeeping communities throughout the state and UCCE staff. Explore their Certifications Page for more information.
Randy Oliver of Scientific Beekeeping offers a remarkable resource for beekeepers. In his own words: “My goal is to provide any and all beekeepers with a resource of readable and straightforward information on how to practice good bee husbandry, and to exercise environmental and community responsibility… what I do offer is evidence-based and scientifically-verified explanations of the biological processes occurring in the hive, as well as the effects of various management options. I then leave it to each beekeeper to use that information in order to make their own better-informed practical management decisions.” Among many articles Randy provides are several focused on managing varroa.
University of Guelph Honey Bee Research Centre - YouTube Their series of excellent "How-To" beekeeping videos aim to aid beekeepers with a wide range of techniques from beginner to advanced skills - absolutely invaluable resource. UoG has provided apiculture education since 1894 and the tradition continues today, through university and public courses and demonstration activities for all levels of beekeeping.
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Dr. Sammy, aka Dr. Samuel Ramsey, is a pioneering bee researcher, focusing on honey bees and their associated parasites, specifically Varroa destructor and Tropilaelaps mites, the latter widely regarded as the next global threat to honey bee populations. We recommend this excellent 45” video in which Dr. Ramsey shares the current understanding about: Tropilaelaps: What Beekeepers Need to Know
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Apis Arborea was founded to preserve the life and resiliency of honeybees through ‘wilding’ (the restoration of natural nesting habitat) and the use of a holistic ecological framework in caring for bees. This non-profit organization conducts research, leads conservation projects and workshops, and delivers the fascinating Arboreal Apiculture Salon Podcast Series, often featuring cutting-edge research and insights into the world of the honey bee.
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