Keeping bees is fun and fascinating and stocks your pantry with liquid gold. Who could ask more of a hobby? With practical instruction and personal observations, Alethea Morrison guides you in choosing equipment and managing healthy colonies through every season. Profiles of urban beekeepers offer advice on keeping hives in cities, and Mars Vilaubi's up-close photography reveals the inner workings of a busy hive, the anatomy of a honey bee, and much more. This beginner's guide offers practical instructions and personal observations on all aspects of beekeeping.

Why bees? -- What am I getting into? -- Bee life 101 -- How do I get started? -- The gear -- The first month -- The first season -- The first harvest -- Congratulations or condolences?.