Well-documented study of bees, hives, and beekeepers, along with rare illustrations as they appear in ancient paintings, sculpture, on coins, jewelry, and Mayan glyphs.

A Honeybee Heart Has Five Openings begins as Helen Jukes is entering her thirties and struggling to settle into her new job and home. Then friends gift her a colony of honeybees—a gift that, according to folklore, brings good luck—and Jukes embarks on the rewarding, perilous journey of becoming a beekeeper. Jukes writes about what it means to "keep" wild creatures and to live alongside beings whose laws of life are so different from our own. She delves into the history of beekeeping, exploring the ancient—and sometimes disturbing—relationship between keeper and bee, human and wild thing. And as her colony grows, the very act of beekeeping seems to open new perspectives, making her world come alive again. A beautifully wrought meditation on uncertainty and hope, feelings of restlessness and home, and how we might better know ourselves, A Honeybee Heart Has Five Openings shows us how to be alert to these small creatures flitting among us that are yet so vital a force for the continuation of life.

"In that glistening dollop, I could taste the sun and the water, the metallic minerals of the soil, the tang of the goldenrod and the wildflowers blooming around the meadow" Essential to the food, drink, religion, economics , medicine and arts of every civilisation since the Egyptians, honey - and the bees that make it - have been a vital part of the human record for millennia, appearing on cave paintings, wax tablets and papyrus scrolls. From the temples of the Nile to the hives behind the author's house, men and women have had a long, rapturous love affair with the beehive. ROBBING THE BEES is a biography, history, celebration and love letter to bees and their magical produce. Holley Bishop follows beekeeper Donald Smiley on his daily tasks then explores the lively science, culture and lore that surround each step of the process and each stage of lives of the bees and their honey. Throughout are the author's lyrical reflections on her own beekeeping experiences, the business and gastronomical world of honey, the myriad varieties of honey (as distinct as the provenance of wine), as well as recipes, illustrations and historical quotes. Combining passionate research, rich detail, and fascinating anecdote, ROBBING THE BEES is a sumptuous look at the oldest, most delectable food in the world.

"The Lore of the Honey-Bee" by Tickner Edwardes. Published by Good Press. Good Press publishes a wide range of titles that encompasses every genre. From well-known classics & literary fiction and non-fiction to forgotten−or yet undiscovered gems−of world literature, we issue the books that need to be read. Each Good Press edition has been meticulously edited and formatted to boost readability for all e-readers and devices. Our goal is to produce eBooks that are user-friendly and accessible to everyone in a high-quality digital format.

Originally published in 1908, this is one of the earliest books on bee keeping and the natural history of the honey bee, with information on its natural history, bee society, anatomy, bee keeping, and much more. Full of fascinating information and detailed explanations, this timeless volume will be of considerable utility to modern bee keepers, and would make for a valuable addition to collections of related literature. Contents include: “The Oldest Craft Under the Sun”, “The Ancients and the Honey-Bee”, “The Isle of Honey”, “Bee-Masters in the Middle Ages”, “At The City Gates”, “The Commonwealth of the Hive”, “Early Works in the Bee-City”, “The Genesis of the Queen”, The Bride-Widow”, “The Sovereign Worker-Bee”, and more. Many classic bee books such as this are becoming increasingly scarce and expensive. We are republishing this volume now in an affordable, high-quality edition complete with a specially commissioned new introduction on bee keeping.