Helpful Resources
Helpful resources for beginners:
Books
Your local beekeeping association will be a good source of loaner books, magazines and other resources, but if you’d like to add some good books to your personal library, here is a start:
Ontario Beekeeping Manual, IPM for Beekeeping in Ontario Manual & Queen Rearing Manual By OBA Tech-Transfer
Beekeeping for Dummies
By Howland Blackistan
The Beekeeper’s Handbook
By Diana Sammataro
The Backyard Beekeeper
By Kim Flottum
Natural Beekeeping
By Ross Conrad
The Practical Beekeeper: Beginning Beekeeping
By Michael Bush
Courses/ Conferences
Taking a course or attending a conference is highly recommended. Here are a few excellent resources in Ontario and nearby U.S.
The Ontario Beekeeper’s Association (OBA) provides courses on various topics in various locations in Ontario. The OBA also has bi-annual meetings where you can meet other beekeepers and catch up on the latest research and thinking. Check out the Calendar on the Home Page and the Tech-Transfer Workshop Page of this website.
The Honey Bee Research Centre at the University of Guelph offers a very popular Introductory Beekeeping weekend course for beginner and established beekeepers seeking more in-depth knowledge about bees and the beekeeping industry. The registration process starts strictly in January. For further information please refer to their webpage: UoG Workshops
The Eastern Apiculture Society (EAS) puts on a terrific annual conference for beginners to experts.
Dalhousie University This course is designed for new farmers and existing producers with (at least 3 hives), who want to gain production skills and grow their business into a viable agricultural business..
Check with your local beekeeper’s association as well for courses run by local beekeepers.
On-line resources
The Internet is loaded with information and advice about beekeeping and it’s fun to wander through, picking and choosing what to explore. But, as with any other topic, you will find the whole range from excellent, research-based information to really terrible advice. And even the good advisors will have different points of view, which can be confusing. Your challenge as a new beekeeper is to develop your own beekeeping style and values and to balance that with an open mind and a commitment to learning. Here are some good resources you can trust to get you started.
OBA Wander through this site for practical, research-based advice and information.
Ohio State Beekeepers Association: A web-based Introductory Beekeeping Training Program. Terrific 34 module video training program for beginners.
Ontario Ministry of Agriculture Search ‘beekeeping’ and find regulations for Ontario beekeepers and excellent factsheets on issues related to the well-being of bees.
The Australian Government’s (very helpful) Biosecurity Plan for Beekeepers and an on-line training program.
Mid-Atlantic Apiculture Research and Extension Consortium Chock full of credible helpful and detailed information for beginners.
Kalamazoo Bee Club Practical information for apitherapy.
The Xerces Society is a highly regarded conservation association specializing in invertebrates. Fantastic learning about pollinators.
North Carolina State has some helpful extension courses and webinars
The Bee Informed Partnership. A nice straightforward blog supported by beekeeping ‘heavy hitters’ ensuring its accuracy. This link has some great photos for assessing health of hive.
Beesource Forum Lots of lively points of view on many beekeeping topics. Keep an open mind, but don’t believe everything you read...
Miscellaneous
Mid Atlantic Apicultural Research and Extension: Swarming Control
University of Florida: Swarm Control for Managed Beehives
