Apprentice Master Beekeeper Additional Reading
Link update 05/12/2025
Most links used in the Apprentice Master Beekeeper Certification Classes (2008 – 2020)
(NOTE: As of 2017, antibiotic use (other than Fumigillin) requires veterinary feed directive (View article (website))
(As of 2020, “Certan”, B402, now available in the U.S. for wax moth management (View article (website))
- A Practical Manual of Beekeeping (webpage/pdf) – An excellent British manual by David Cramp. Contains advanced topics. 304 pp.
- Beekeeping Basics (pdf) – MAARAC
- 4-H Beekeeping Series – Free downloads .
- Advice for New-Bees – from Master Beekeeper Janet Wilson, B.C. Be sure to check out the Menu in the upper right for the other sections.
- Beginning Beekeeping for Kentuckians (webpage/pdf)
- Beginning Beekeeping Short Course Powerpoint Presentations – Virginia Cooperative Extension Classes (large downloads)
- Beekeeping Fact Sheets – MAARAC (also Honey Bee Biology and Educational Resources at the top of the page)
- Beginning Beekeeping Videos – Iowa State University . A 13-part series
- First Year Beekeeping – Randy Oliver, Scientificbeekeeping.com
- University of Guelph Beekeeping Videos – Excellent series of how beekeeping is done in Ontario.
- Ohio State University Beekeeping Webinar Archive – Archived programs linked at the bottom of page.
- Pollination and Protecting Pollinators (video) – WSU video, including recent WA survey of neonics in beehives. Also includes info on the WSU Honey Bee Breeding Program. ~1hr.
- Bee Hive Inspections for Beginners (video) – An interactive exercise by “Carolina Honeybees”
- USDA Honey Bee Diagnosis – Submitting samples
- Honey Bee Veterinary Consortium – Find a vet for antibiotic bee disease treatment
- Honey Bees and Beekeeping: A Year in the Life of an Apiary – Of special interest to beginners is this video collection.
- A Field Guide to Honey Bees and Their Maladies (pdf) – Penn State and MAAREC. Great color pictures
- Diagnosis of Honeybee Diseases (pdf) – Ag Handbook 690
- Integrated Hive Management for Colorado Beekeepers (webpage/pdf) – Mostly good general information (remember that all beekeeping is local!)
- Wax Moth IPM – Clemson University, S.C. Wm. Michael Hood. Complete information.
- Insect and Mite Pests in Food, an Illustrated Key – Vol. 1 (pdf)-Agriculture Handbook 655. Excellent keys to wax moth species. 10+ mB
- Honey Bee Diseases and Pests: A Practical Guide (pdf) – Ag and Food Engineering Tech Report 4
- Identify American Foulbrood in 90 Sec. – Great video from B.C.
- Holst Milk Test for American Foulbrood– Dave Cushman’s Beekeeping Website
- Holst Milk Test– Randy Oliver, Scientific Beekeeping
- Making a Plan for Varroa (pdf) – Meghan Milbrath, Sandhill Bees
- Tools for Varroa Management-A Guide to Effective Varroa Sampling & Control (pdf) – READ THIS ONE! Honey Bee Health Coalition. Includes demonstration videos, guide and spreadsheet
- Varroa-Treat Packages and Swarms – NY Bee Wellness
- Varroa Management – Scientificbeekeeping.com
- Varroa Sampling and Thresholds – Scientificbeekeeping.com
- Varroa Mites-a step-by-step guide to monitoring (pdf) – Cornell U.
- Varroa Calculator (pdf) – U.K. Bee Base. “Your results may vary”. (All Beekeeping is Local!)
- Mite Calculator – For beekeepers using vaporized oxalic acid. A possible method.
- Varroa biology, detection, management, etc.– U. of Florida
- Bee Mite Identification Tool – USDA & University of Michigan
- Honey Bee Viruses, the Deadly Varroa Mite Associates – Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, the University of Tennessee
- Pesticides Approved in Washington State to Control/Suppress Tracheal and/or Varroa Mites (webpage/pdf) – (Note: enter VARROA MITE in the “pest” box) Washington State Dept. of Ag (Apivar (amitraz) added 01/13; Oxalic acid dihydrate (oxalic acid) added 2015)
- Oxalic Acid for Varroa Management – Tips from Scientific Beekeeping
- Oxalic Acid Vaporization Q & A (pdf) – Dadant
- Small Hive Beetle (pdf) – B.C. Ministry of Ag
- The Small Hive Beetle: A Potential Pest in Honey Bee Colonies in Oregon – Oregon State U.
- Small Hive Beetle ID Card – Oregon State U.
- How to Reduce Bee Poisoning from Pesticides – PNW0591. Download PDF
- Protecting Honey Bees Against Yellow Jackets (pdf) – Oregon State U. Fact Sheet FS017E
- Vertebrate Pests of Beekeeping (webpage/pdf) – (NOTE: POISONS & BODY/LEG-GRIPPING TRAPS MENTIONED ARE ILLEGAL TO USE IN WA!) U. of Nebraska
- Bear Fencing (pdf) – Randy Oliver’s bear fencing
- Tracheal mite biology, detection, etc. – U. of Florida
- An Easy Dissection Technique For Finding the Tracheal Mite (pdf) – Dianna Summataro (O.S.U.video clip)
- Preventing Robbing (pdf) – U.C. Davis, Dr. E. Mussen. Good for yellowjackets, too. (PDF)
- Why Did My Honey Bees Die? – Michigan State U.
- The Snelgrove Method of Swarm Control – also good for making splits & rearing queens. Barnsley Beekeepers, U.K.
- The Many Uses of the Snelgrove Board – Wally Shaw . Downloadable in several formats.
- How to Use a Snelgrove Board to Prevent Swarming – North Herts Beekeepers Association, U.K. Simple video showing one way to prevent swarming.
- The Demaree Method of Swarm Control – also good for rearing queens. Barnsley Beekeepers, U.K.
- Making Splits & Swarm Prevention – Bush Farms
- Simple Queen Rearing for the Hobbyist – Michael Bush, “The Practical Beekeeper”
- Simple Queen Rearing (pdf)– Three methods
- Graft-Free Queen Rearing (pdf) – Washington State Beekeepers Assoc.
- Queen Rearing via the “Cloake Board” Method -Includes plans for building a Cloake board.
- A Queen Manual (pdf) – Dana Stahlman for use in the Ohio Queen Project, 2007
- Using a Queen Introduction Board (double-screen board)
- Bait Hives for Honey Bees (pdf) – Cornell U. Extension Bulletin 187. 8 pp.
- Bait Hives (pdf) -1p., from MAARAC Fact Sheets
- Swarming – Control (pdf) – from MAARAC Fact Sheets
- Honey Bee Colony Removal From Structures– Clemson Cooperative Extension
- Bee Culture magazine
- American Bee Journal
- Free Newsletters/Publications List – Haywood Co. Beekeeper’s Assoc., N.C.
- Chapter 69.28 RCW Washington State Honey Act– Law regarding processing/selling honey
- “The Green Book” – WSDA. (incl. “Selling Honey” regulations (pdf)
- Apiary Registration and Laws -WSDA
- Resources for Adopting or Changing Beekeeping Ordinances In Washington State -Washington State Beekeeper’s Association
- WSDA Apiary – Includes links to miticides and WA laws
- Evaluating Honey Bee Colonies for Pollination (pdf) – PNW245 (2011 update)
- Extension Bee Health Website
- Washington State Beekeepers Assoc. – Info on all aspects of WA beekeeping. Includes Master Beekeeper info
- Oregon State Beekeepers Assoc.
- National Honey Board
- WSU Snohomish County General Beekeeping links– includes links to local Beekeeper’s Ass’n.s
- Establishing a Honey Bee Colony: Success in the First Year (pdf) – Meghan Milbrath, Sandhill Bees
- Residential Beekeeping (pdf) – Oregon State U. Specifically for Oregon but most info is good for anywhere. 17 pp.
- Keeping Bees in Populated Areas – Tips for Suburban Beekeepers (pdf) – Mid-Atlantic Apicultural Research and Extension Consortium
- Beekeeping Resources – Cornell U. Diseases, Varroa, etc.
- Youtube Videos on Types of Frames (video), Assembly, Frame & Hive Building, Queen Marking, etc.
- Types of Honey Bees – North Carolina Extension
- American Beekeeping Federation Links – Members only downloads
- Scientific Beekeeping – Randy Oliver’s web site
- BeeSource.com– Plans for equipment and lots of other info.
- The Biology of the Honeybee
- CalPoly “We Do Bees” (website)
- In the Beekeeper’s Workshop – Plans with videos. Michigan Beekeeper’s Assoc.
- Low Cost Foundation -From beesfordevelopment.org. PDF download. A test of using non-embossed wax sheets.
- Making Wax Sheets (video) – You-Tube video
- DIY beeswax foundation mould– collection of Youtube links for making foundation moulds
- Simple Single-Frame Extractor (video) – You-Tube Demo
- Honey Harvesting Tips– mostly good. Don’t out-feed wet cappings. Do it on top of inner cover to avoid robbing incident.
- Feeding Bees – Michael Bush, “The Practical Beekeeper”. Lots of other interesting, info, too.
- Considerations in Selecting Sugars for Feeding to Honey Bees – Beesource.com.American Bee Journal, February, 1977,by ROY J. BARKER
- Feeding Fall Colonies– Dr. Dewey Caron, PNW Honey Bee Survey
- “Web Links to the World”– From the “Bad Beekeeping Blog”. Good links from all over….
- Pollen Color Chart– Wikipedia
- Another Pollen Color Chart (pdf)
- Puget Sound Area Hive Management Calendar– West Sound Beekeepers
- National Honey Board
- Strathcona Beekeeper’s Library – Lots of plans and info on all aspects of beekeeping!
- Master Beekeeper George Imrie’s “Pink Papers” articles – Alphabetical list also available from THIS site
- Journeyman Notes, Wintering Biology, Inspection Sheets– E. Jefferson Beekeepers Assoc.
- Historical Beekeeping Literature – Cornell University
- Beekeeping in the United States (pdf) – 1980 (before mites…). U.S.D.A. Ag. Handbook 335.
- ABC and XYZ of Bee Culture, 1910 & 1920 editions downloadable
- Beekeeping for Dummies (pdf) – 2009 version, 2nd edition.
- Langstroth on the Hive and the Honey Bee – 1922. 21st edition
- American Honey Plants – Frank Pellett. 1920 edition downloadable
- Practical Queen Rearing – Frank Pellet. 1918 edition downloadable
- Flowers and Bees: All About Honey– Nice list of links on various bee and honey subjects
- Dave Cushman’s Beekeeping and Bee Breeding Website – Tons of information on all aspects of beekeeping.
- Swarming: Its Control and Prevention – PDF. 97 pp. L. E. Snelgrove (including Snelgrove board info)
- At the Hive Entrance – H. Storc. What bees are doing by watching them come and go. Downloadable in several formats.
Compiled by Dave Pehling, Zoologist, WSU Extension Snohomish County (ret.)
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