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I have been given permission to have a bee hive on my allotment, something I have always wanted to do. However, I have not got the foggiest about bee keeping. Firstly, can anyone recommend a really good book for a beginner? Secondly, is there anyone in the Essex/Suffolk area who might be willing to give my friend and I some tuition and guidance please?

Fran, 1st stop your local bee-keeping association. They should have all the answers. Best Wishes.

The BioBees forum is supposed to be good Fran.

Thank you Oldjerry and Southeast-isher, will have a look at both those organisations xxx

Try the Essex Beekeeper's Association. They have, or had, nine or ten local sub-groups a few years back. The one at Romford was quite good with some very helpful people. I'd be surprised if the other sub-groups were different.

Hi Fran, try Ted Hooper's book - 'Guide to Bees & Honey'. As a beginner I found it really informative and the associations are a good place to meet people who might let you assist them with their hives, that's what I did with the guy who I bought my honey from. I don't know how helpful I was but he seemed happy for me to tag along and I learnt a lot.

If not your local bee keeping association some local agricultural colleges do courses. This is how Mr. QB and I learnt, we did a theoretical course in the winter and the practical course in the summer. One of our teachers was a young man who wanted to impress the ladies on the course so he used to open the hives while wearing shorts and no veil. We all thought this rather odd because if bees get under cloathing the go upwards! At the end of the course we caught him heavily smoking his hairy legs and under his shorts before opening the hive. Men are funny when they're trying to impress ladies.

Yes I too can recommend Ted Hoopers Guide to Bees & Honey.

I was given a beehive and the above book years ago but somehow never actually got round to getting the bees:oops: It now sits in our front garden as a kind of ornament.

Sue