Keeping Bees in Horizontal Hives: A Complete Guide to Apiculture

by Georges de Layens, Gaston Bonnier, Mark Pettus (Translator)

Learn natural beekeeping from Europe's foremost beekeeping authority. Georges de Layens, inventor of the world's most popular horizontal hive, shares a lifetime of experience on how to: get started in simplified beekeeping; choose the best hive model for you and your bees; manage your hives with just two visits per year; take advantage of horizontal hives and deep frames; avoid unnecessary complications and procedures; increase an apiary with natural or artificial swarms; transfer bees from one hive model to another; enhance bees' health drug-free; do without requeening, feeding, and other chores; understand honey plants and honeyflows; make award-winning mead (foolproof formula); use foundationless frames, make wax foundation; handle traditional hives (skeps, log hives, etc.); keep bees sustainably using local strains; and MUCH more. Layens' simple beekeeping boasts over 100 years of successful use, with 1 million hives in use today. Bee-friendly, productive, and fun, keeping bees can be easier than you ever imagined! "This is a delightful book full of wonderfully audacious ideas for U.S. beekeepers. I certainly look forward to building and trying out a horizontal movable-frame hive, inspired and guided by reading this fascinating book." - Dr. Tom Seeley, author of Honeybee Democracy

373 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1897

Reviews

[Kafl · Rating 3 out of 5]

In parts quite interesting but a lot of it deals with skep hives and the plans for beekeepers to transfer their hives from the fixed frame skeps to moveable frame hives. I would love to say the book gave me ideas how to transfer my vertical hives to horizontal hives but i can't say it did. But still an interesting read with some new aspects.

[Melinda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Worthwhile book to read. I am not keeping a topbar hive, but the reasons to have one are worth learning about. Wish there was a bit more about how to keep horizontal hives that are NOT only top-bar, I think there are many ways to manage this.... but will keep reading.