|
Honey Bee Vet: the adventures of a veterinarian seeking to doctor one of the world’s most important animals has been written by Dr Tracy Farone to share her journey into beekeeping, and knowledge of bee biology, diseases, and treatment from a veterinarian perspective. Farone has been a vet for over 24 years, and a beekeeper since 2019. She is a professor of biology at Grove City College in the US.
The book consists of eight chapters (Farone calls them “frames”) on honey bee biology, anatomy and physiology, behaviour, management, medicine, diseases, humans and public health. There are many interesting photographs throughout the book which are mostly the work of the author. Included is a useful list of resources and references.
The strongest parts of this book are the honey bee diseases and medicines chapters. Attention is given to unusual pests such as the pygmy shrew which can cause colony weakness or collapse in the US. We learn that a visibly pronounced tracheae in a developing larva can be a sign of European foulbrood. We discover the latest information on the tropilaelaps mite and the small hive beetle and we find out the most humane way to euthanise a colony of honey bees.
Farone is an expert on ticks and tick-borne diseases having spent time researching this arachnid. This is one of the most useful parts of the book, which offers beekeepers excellent information and advice on the potentially serious threats that ticks pose.
On the topic of swarming, Farone says, “Personally, I believe that swarming is an overdone topic in beekeeping literature. Many have opined on the subject to the point of ad nauseum per my appetite”. This will resonates with a lot of us. She likens the subject to weight loss; everybody looks for a magical cure when they already know what to do. It just needs a consistent plan and the realisation that swarm control will sometimes fail.
Bee Vet is full of useful information, but my enjoyment was marred by the weak points of this book, some of which would have been avoided by careful editing. Farone misspells the surname of a well-renowned professor whom she discusses, and the thoughtless comments she makes about him sound patronising. It was disappointing to read words out of context; nobody dons a beard unless they are going out in disguise.
The writing style is casual and informal, which may appeal more to younger readers for whom I think this book has been written. Some of the humour is an acquired taste for grownups, especially around the name of Scotland’s famous vet school in Edinburgh.
However, the content would make a series of good blog posts which might reach a wider UK audience than I suspect this book will. The biology chapter reads like articles have been pulled together and condensed to give information on topics as varied as hexagons, microscopes, and artificial intelligence for beekeepers. Some of this book doesn’t flow along easily.
Does this book achieve its goal? I think that the purpose is mostly achieved. However, as a semi-autobiographical recollection of a journey of a veterinarian into the unexpected world of apiculture, there is little sense of what it felt like becoming a beekeeper and transferring skills to another important area of expertise.
|
