Beekeeping in Harmony With Nature: The Evolutionary Solution to the Varroa Problem

We often forget that honeybees have been surviving millions of years before humans started to manage them. During that time they would have faced and overcome countless pests and pathogens without any help from us. The semi-domestication, global expansion and their exploitation for economic gain have no doubt accelerated the threats faced by honeybees, but our attempts to fix these problem often neglects the honeybees amazing adaptably. This timely book ‘Beekeeping in Harmony with Nature’ tries to redress the balance by showing that more ‘nature-based solution’ can provide a long-term solutions to various pests and diseases, particularly to the Varroa problem, that continues to plague beekeepers, especially in the Northern Hemisphere. This is a hefty tome containing almost 400 beautifully illustrated pages. It contains six main chapters, covering Bee Health, Natural Bee Hives, Beekeeping Without Foundation, My Apiary, Bees and People, and Beekeeping without toxic substances. It is written by a beekeeper for beekeepers, and is very well researched. Even the most knowledgeable beekeepers will learn something new, such is the depth and breadth of the information provided. The clever use of almost 400 footnotes and bibliography allows the reader to go deeper into a subject, if they wish, without disrupting the flow of the main text. The book will appeal to anyone thinking of trying to move away from using varroa miticides as the book contains lots of practical advice, along with the supporting science. It will also be of interest to beekeepers wanting to keep their bees in a more natural way. Bartłomiej Maleta (born 1979) a lawyer by education; once a policeman and instructor of Chinese martial arts, today a beekeeper and promoter of the principle of sustainable development and co-operation in the selection of varroa-resistant honey bees. Co-founder of beekeeping groups, including the "Bee Brotherhood" and the "Fort Knox" project, as well as forums bringing together enthusiasts of nature-based beekeeping. Advocate of the method of running an apiary in accordance with the biology of bees shaped during their evolution and the need to rebuild wild-living populations of honey bees. Publishes in the pages of 'Pszczelarstwo' (Polish Beekeeping Magazine).