Few books deal so effectively with both the hands-on art of queen rearing and the scientific aspects of bee breeding as does this text. Professors Laidlaw and Page of the University of California, Davis, have prepared a comprehensive yet understandable book for both the beekeeper and the scientist.
Laidlaw, born in 1907, made important discoveries about breeding methods using instrumental insemination during the 1940s. He spent his professional life at the U. of California, Davis, perfecting II technology to the point where it is widely used in bee breeding techniques. Moreover, he worked with commercial queen producers and developed reliable methods for producing quality queen bees for either natural or instrumental mating.
Page has developed modern bee breeding concepts using computer methodology. His closed population breeding and mass selection techniques are widely used by bee breeders.
If you are a beekeeper interested in producing queen bees for your operation, this is an excellent book for your study. If you are a scientist interested in techniques used in bee breeding, this book is also for you.
The book is designed as a work-book textbook, with ample white space for notes and post-its. The twelve chapters cover history of bee breeding to a delightful 'Whimsy' section, and includes 'Song of the Queen Bee.'
There are many excellent photographs and illustrations to help you understand complex ideas.
The first printing sold out quickly, and the book has been reprinted and is again available.
