Dead Bees Don't Make Honey: 10 Tips for Healthy Productive Bees

by Theresa J. Martin

Are you a beekeeper who desires higher colony survival and more honey?On average, U.S. beekeepers lose nearly half of their honey bee colonies each year. Conventional beekeeping methods no longer adequately support the health of managed colonies in the age of deadly Varroa destructor, pesticide exposure, and diminishing natural forage. The bees themselves reveal the solution to this crisis. Recent science explains how wild bees survive, despite experiencing similar pressures and without human help.Incorporating the survival strategies of wild bees, Martin shares 10 tips that combine to create a holistic approach that strengthens managed colonies and increases honey production. She also provides 10 real-life examples showing how BroodMinder temperature sensors detect problems, so issues can be resolved before the colony dies. Finally, Martin tackles treatment-free, summarizing the pathology, obstacles, and opportunities so beekeepers can make better decisions on how to handle the significant Varroa threat.Theresa Martin has achieved 99% colony survival with 20–25 colonies, producing a honey crop that is above the local average. Martin demonstrates a beekeeping methodology that places bee health as the highest priority and optimal pathway to productivity. By adapting the methods described in this book to match your own objectives and local environment, you can improve colony survival, increase honey production, and find more enjoyment working with healthy, thriving bees.

Genres: Nonfiction

266 pages, Paperback

Published March 15, 2024

Reviews

[Troy Sloyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best comprehensive books on beekeeping I’ve read. Martin outlines practical beekeeping for those that are not large scale industrial beekeepers. She avoids the repetition of topics found in 90% of your average beekeeping books while giving you real (wild bee organic) application to keeping bees alive. More importantly she has found a way to bridge the gap and controversy between the commercial and treatment free beekeeping camps!

She uses a science based approach with modern tech to improve her outcomes.

If you’re a industrial or commercial beekeeper or a Natural beekeeper…. You will likely not completely agree with her, BUT it would be hard to deny that her methods are a much needed road to change and compromise in American beekeeping.

Prepare yourself for an introduction to something new and out of the box….. Treatment-Less Beekeeping!

[Natashia Kleiber · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very interesting & informative book on beekeeping. I’m going on my third year of beekeeping and this might be the best book I’ve read so far. It’s very well written & laid out in the perfect manner to understand and improve beekeeping practices.