Where to Start with Diana Sammataro
Diana Sammataro is a retired bee scientist who spent over two decades writing and teaching beekeeping. Together with Alphonse Avitabile, Professor Emeritus of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Connecticut, she created “The Beekeeper’s Handbook,” which has been the most widely used single-volume guide to beekeeping since its first edition in 1973. The book has been recommended by the Eastern Apiculture Society and assigned by beekeeping courses across the United States, earning its reputation through clarity, accuracy, and a genuine respect for both the science and the craft of keeping bees.
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The Beekeeper's Handbook
Diana Sammataro · 368 pages · 2021 · Easy
Themes: beekeeping, hive management, bee health, honey harvesting, colony maintenance
The definitive single-volume guide to beekeeping, now in its fifth edition. Diana Sammataro and Alphonse Avitabile built this book to serve as both a first introduction and a lifelong reference, and it succeeds at both.
Why Start Here
This is not just the best book by Sammataro; it is the best first beekeeping book, period. The fifth edition (2021) covers everything from choosing a hive location and assembling equipment to managing colonies through all seasons, controlling Varroa mites, and harvesting honey. The hand-drawn diagrams are exceptionally clear, and the tone is practical without being dry. Beekeeping courses across America use this as their primary text, and experienced beekeepers still recommend it first.
What to Expect
A comprehensive, well-organized reference at 368 pages. Covers bee biology, seasonal management, pest and disease control, queen management, honey extraction, and beeswax processing. The kind of book you read once before getting bees, then keep next to your hive tools for years.