# new to bio beekeeping



## diane41 (Sep 27, 2005)

Can anyone recommend a book or other info source for bio beekeeping for a newbee?? How to shift over, the basics, etc. 

thanx
diane41


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

I don't know of any books.

Here is probably more depth than you wanted, but it's very detailed useful info:
http://www.beesource.com/pov/lusby/index.htm

Read it twice. It will make much more sense the second time.

And this is useful:
http://www.beesource.com/pov/simon/10principles.htm

And here are pictures of many things including top bar hives and foundationless frames:
http://www.bushfarms.com/bees.htm

This forum has been the most useful for me. One of the problems is there are many possible choices that will still work. Things like how deep (deep or medium) and wide the boxes are (ten frame or eight frame) what you use for comb building (small cell or foundationless). What you use for a comb guide if you do foundationless (blank starter strips, small cell starter strips, wooden starter strips, beveled etc.). You can do standard hives with frames or Top Bar hives.

IMO the crux of the matter is the bees need to build their own comb of the appropriate size. You can LET them, by not using foundation, or you can encourage them by using small cell foundation. If you want to LET them build their own cell sizes, then you need to do something for a comb guide (so they don't look like this: http://www.beesource.com/pov/simon/comb.jpg ). Otherwise, you need to buy small cell foundation and learn to wire and embed. http://www.beesource.com/eob/wire_embedder/index.htm

AND you need to get all the chemicals, in particular Apistan and Checkmite, out of your hives. These are mostly in the wax so if you don't buy foundation you should be ok.

I'd still learn to monitor Varroa mites so you can tell if what you are doing is working.


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## diane41 (Sep 27, 2005)

Thanx for the info, i have my research work cut out for me!!

diane


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