Raising Resilient Bees: Heritage Techniques to Mitigate Mites, Preserve Locally Adapted Genetics, and Grow Your Apiary

by Eric and Joy McEwen, 272 pages, 7x10, softcover. There’s no denying that raising bees is hard these days. Our pollinators are suffering from loss of habitat and forage, the spread of lethal parasites, the effects of toxic industrial farming practices, and climate change. It’s bleak. We need dedicated folks like the McEwens, who have spent 25 years committed to developing hive-management practices based on observation, experimentation and intuition. Honest about their successes and failures, they present their best techniques to date, with the understanding that “bee stewardship is a lifetime journey.” Their philosophy is to “assist colonies under pressure with minimalistic interventions at appropriate times before catastrophe.” With their belief that to achieve long-term health the hives must evolve and adapt to challenges, they leave a lot up to the bees. Not a hands-off approach, but as a natural and respectful one, with its foundation in a system they call Natural Nesting. This book will be invaluable for the serious beekeeper, regardless of apiary size. Not one for dabblers. -EB