The Bee Book: Beekeeping in Australia

Explore more than a century of Australian beekeeping research and experience with The Bee Book: Beekeeping in Australia, available from Hornsby Beekeeping Supplies.

Compiled by beekeepers from the Queensland Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries, the book has a distinctly Australian focus.

That matters because warm-climate beekeeping can differ significantly from management described in books written for colder parts of Europe or North America. In warm areas of Australia, colonies may continue breeding and producing honey through periods that would normally be considered winter elsewhere.

Understand the Honey Bee Colony

The book begins with introductions to bees, colony structure and beekeeping before moving into hive construction and preservation.

This creates a useful foundation for readers who want to understand both the insects and the equipment being managed.

General management, flora, feeding and watering are covered, helping connect colony health with the environment around the hive.

Queens, Packages & Swarming

Queen bees and package bees receive dedicated attention, along with swarming.

These topics are central to colony growth and apiary expansion.

Understanding why bees swarm, how queens influence colony behaviour and how package bees are managed can help both beginner and experienced beekeepers make better decisions during the active season.

Honey Harvesting & Machinery

The Bee Book also follows the crop beyond the hive.

Removing honey, extraction and useful machinery are all covered.

This makes the book relevant to beekeepers moving beyond their first few frames of honey and beginning to think about more organised harvesting and processing.

Products of the hive are discussed as well, broadening the subject beyond extracted honey alone.

Pollination, Pests & Disease

Pollination is included alongside pests, endemic honey bee diseases, chemical poisoning and exotic pests and diseases.

This gives the reader a broad reference for many of the practical and biological issues that can affect an Australian apiary.

Australian native bees are included too, providing additional context beyond European honey bees.

The third edition also includes updated material relating to palletisation for professional beekeepers and the impact of pesticides on bees.

With 137 black-and-white illustrations and 61 colour illustrations, the book combines detailed text with substantial visual reference material.

For someone who wants an Australian manual that moves from colony biology through equipment, honey production, pollination and bee health, The Bee Book provides impressive breadth.

Order The Bee Book: Beekeeping in Australia from Hornsby Beekeeping Supplies. For help choosing Australian beekeeping books or apiary equipment, contact us on 02 9477 5569 or info@hornsby-beekeeping.com.