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Author Topic: Honeybee Democracy  (Read 5404 times)

Offline hjon71

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Honeybee Democracy
« on: March 02, 2014, 02:12:15 am »
I have borrowed this book from a friend locally who is interested in beekeeping. I lent him my copy of Beekeeping for Dummies, which my wife bought as a joke for me. The joke is on her though because I've read it through twice so far.

Honeybee Democracy, is just as good. The author T.D. Steely takes a scientific approach to study how and why swarms choose new homes. Highly recommend picking this one up.
Quite difficult matters can be explained even to a slow-witted man, if only he has not already adopted a wrong opinion about them; but the simplest things cannot be made clear even to a very intelligent man if he is firmly persuaded that he already knows, and knows indubitably, the truth of the matter under consideration. -Leo Tolstoy

Offline Billy B

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Re: Honeybee Democracy
« Reply #1 on: March 02, 2014, 10:23:15 am »
+1

I originally picked up the book because I thought the quality of the book itself was good, cover art was good, and so therefore the content must be good right?   I mean, how can an entire book about swarming not keep you on the edge of your seat?    Actually, the book is really fascinating and while obviously very much a book about the science and research results it is written and presented in a highly consumable way without ever getting too bogged down.    Highly recommended.

Offline Dallasbeek

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Re: Honeybee Democracy
« Reply #2 on: October 18, 2014, 09:51:07 pm »
Fascinating.  This guy has spent his life researching bees.  How can we not love it?
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Offline Michael Bush

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Re: Honeybee Democracy
« Reply #3 on: October 20, 2014, 10:20:10 am »
Seeley is not only smart, he is a good communicator (writing or speaking).  He makes what he has to say plain and understanable while not dumbing it down.  This is a great book if you want to understand details of what a swarm does.  I think the details help us in understanding other things about how a colony communicates and makes decisions...

Wisdom of the Hive isn't in print anymore, I think.  But that's a great one by him as well.   There is a little overlap but it is a different book with a broader topic.
My website:  bushfarms.com/bees.htm en espanol: bushfarms.com/es_bees.htm  auf deutsche: bushfarms.com/de_bees.htm  em portugues:  bushfarms.com/pt_bees.htm
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Offline Eric Bosworth

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Re: Honeybee Democracy
« Reply #4 on: December 09, 2014, 08:07:58 am »
I just started reading this. Very interesting. Especially living about an hour from Ithaca. I will say that in 1975 there were a lot more feral bees than there are now however.
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Offline .30WCF

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Re: Honeybee Democracy
« Reply #5 on: June 07, 2021, 11:19:03 pm »
Seeley is not only smart, he is a good communicator (writing or speaking).  He makes what he has to say plain and understanable while not dumbing it down.  This is a great book if you want to understand details of what a swarm does.  I think the details help us in understanding other things about how a colony communicates and makes decisions...

Wisdom of the Hive isn't in print anymore, I think.  But that's a great one by him as well.   There is a little overlap but it is a different book with a broader topic.
I just ordered Honeybee Democracy the other day. I want a few good bee books around.
I just found this thread. Is Wisdom of the Hive $120 worth of reading. I?m looking for good bee books that are not the standard ?how to? books. I flip through the pages of the ?how to? books when I see them. They generally don?t offer past very beginner info.


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Offline Michael Bush

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Re: Honeybee Democracy
« Reply #6 on: June 18, 2021, 07:28:29 pm »
>Is Wisdom of the Hive $120 worth of reading

I did enjoy it... but a lot of it is in Honeybee Democracy...
My website:  bushfarms.com/bees.htm en espanol: bushfarms.com/es_bees.htm  auf deutsche: bushfarms.com/de_bees.htm  em portugues:  bushfarms.com/pt_bees.htm
My book:  ThePracticalBeekeeper.com
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Offline Ben Framed

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Re: Honeybee Democracy
« Reply #7 on: June 18, 2021, 08:43:49 pm »
I have borrowed this book from a friend locally who is interested in beekeeping. I lent him my copy of Beekeeping for Dummies, which my wife bought as a joke for me. The joke is on her though because I've read it through twice so far.

Honeybee Democracy, is just as good. The author T.D. Steely takes a scientific approach to study how and why swarms choose new homes. Highly recommend picking this one up.

Well; Thanks for your insight on reading beekeeping for dummies twice! I was given this book and never opened it because of the title> i realize I may not be the sharpest tool in the shed but the title was just more suggestive than I could stomach. lol. Maybe I will do so now! :shocked: :cheesy: :wink:
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14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Offline Kathyp

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Re: Honeybee Democracy
« Reply #8 on: June 18, 2021, 11:52:06 pm »
Ben

https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/2683.For_Dummies_Series

The ones I have read have been very helpful  :grin:
Someone really ought to tell them that the world of Ayn Rand?s novel was not meant to be aspirational.

Offline Ben Framed

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Re: Honeybee Democracy
« Reply #9 on: June 19, 2021, 12:13:12 am »
Ben

https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/2683.For_Dummies_Series

The ones I have read have been very helpful  :grin:

Thanks Kathy!

I think, lol :grin:
2 Chronicles 7:14
14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Offline William Bagwell

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Re: Honeybee Democracy
« Reply #10 on: June 19, 2021, 12:17:02 pm »
 Agree Honeybee Democracy is a very good read! Would rather add one or two
of  Seeley's newer books to my collection than an expensive out of print
one. See The Lives of Bees: for $15.29 and Following the Wild Bees:
$16.95 on Amazon. Anyone recommend either? Or both?


Dummies verses Idiot's. Personally prefer The Complete Idiot's Guide to
Beekeeping: since it endorses treatment free rather than "Thou Shalt
Slather Thy Bees With Chemicals" Apparently Michael Bush agrees since I
see two copies of Idiot's on his shelf.  :wink:
http://bushfarms.com/images/BeeCamp2016/Library3.jpg


Pretty sure that other than the treatment verses TF the two books are similar in basic beginner information.

Offline .30WCF

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Re: Honeybee Democracy
« Reply #11 on: June 19, 2021, 01:41:07 pm »
I flipped through the pages of BK for Dummies. My brother has it. I?m pretty sure I saw a page where it says to inspect a hive 5-8x per year.  But there are all different kinds of camps in this bee topic.


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Offline The15thMember

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Re: Honeybee Democracy
« Reply #12 on: June 19, 2021, 02:55:51 pm »
Agree Honeybee Democracy is a very good read! Would rather add one or two
of  Seeley's newer books to my collection than an expensive out of print
one. See The Lives of Bees: for $15.29 and Following the Wild Bees:
$16.95 on Amazon. Anyone recommend either? Or both?
I read The Lives of Bees earlier this year.  It's the first full book of Seeley's I've read.  It's an overview of his ideas of "Darwinian beekeeping", looking at how wild colonies live to try and improve management practices for hived colonies.  It was very interesting, very data driven, although I found it to be very quantitative for a casual read, lots of numbers and tables.  I've never read Honeybee Democracy, although I plan to, so I can't compare or contrast it to that unfortunately.   
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Offline William Bagwell

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Re: Honeybee Democracy
« Reply #13 on: June 20, 2021, 09:37:31 pm »
I read The Lives of Bees earlier this year.  It's the first full book of Seeley's I've read.  It's an overview of his ideas of "Darwinian beekeeping", looking at how wild colonies live to try and improve management practices for hived colonies.  It was very interesting, very data driven, although I found it to be very quantitative for a casual read, lots of numbers and tables.  I've never read Honeybee Democracy, although I plan to, so I can't compare or contrast it to that unfortunately.   

Thanks, have it in the cart.

Offline Michael Bush

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Re: Honeybee Democracy
« Reply #14 on: June 24, 2021, 05:23:14 pm »
>Apparently Michael Bush agrees since I
see two copies of Idiot's on his shelf.  :wink:
http://bushfarms.com/images/BeeCamp2016/Library3.jpg

Yes.  I agree.  I noticed they dropped Dean and Ramona from the author slot in the latest version, so I'm not sure what is in it now...
My website:  bushfarms.com/bees.htm en espanol: bushfarms.com/es_bees.htm  auf deutsche: bushfarms.com/de_bees.htm  em portugues:  bushfarms.com/pt_bees.htm
My book:  ThePracticalBeekeeper.com
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Offline William Bagwell

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Re: Honeybee Democracy
« Reply #15 on: June 24, 2021, 09:50:39 pm »

Yes.  I agree.  I noticed they dropped Dean and Ramona from the author slot in the latest version, so I'm not sure what is in it now...

Not finding anything newer than the 2010 edition by Dean Stiglitz and Laurie Herboldsheimer. Other than one very odd ad on Amazon that claims a 2011 edition with the very same picture as the others...

Oh, my used copy was signed! Not to me of course :sad: