The designations employed and the presentation of material in this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.

M-24
ISBN 92-5-102794-3

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© FAO 1990

Contents

Foreword
Acknowledgements
Table of equivalencies
Chapter 1 Introduction
Chapter 2 Colony life and social organization

Organization of a bee colony
The queen
The drone
The worker
The annual biological cycle op the bee colony

Chapter 3 Anatomy of the honeybee
Chapter 4 Traditional and modern beehives and beekeeping equipment

Traditional hives
Modern rives
Advantages and disadvantages of frame and top-bar hives
Timber used for making beehives
Equipment required by the beekeeper

Chapter 5 Hive management - Part I

General
The apiary
Preparing the top-bar hive for installation
Installation of beehives
Colonization
Capturing a swarm
Some common practices in apiary management
Bee stings

Hive management - Part II

Using the Langstroth frame
How to unite bees
Robbing and its prevention
Feeding bees
Record-keeping

Chapter 6 Colony manipulation: honey and beeswax harvesting and extraction

Brood-nest control
Honey harvesting and what to look for
Honey and beeswax extraction
Some facts about honey

Chapter 7 The use of bees for pollination
Chapter 8 Adverse natural factors and pests

Natural conditions
Human activities
Natural enemies and posts
Bee friends

Chapter 9 Some bee diseases

Brood diseases
Adult bee diseases
Measures against spreading bee diseases

Chapter 10 Queen-rearing

Queen cells
Maintaining the cycle

Appendix: Some honeybee forage plants in the tropics and sub-tropics