INTRODUCTION TO BEEKEEPING

The rational breeding of honey bees, or beekeeping, is an agricultural activity that generates employment, income, and several products of economic and food interest to mankind. However, to prosper in this activity, it is essential to have knowledge about who these bees are, what they offer to man and the environment, how they are organized, and what techniques and equipment are involved in their breeding. Thus, this publication provides, in its initial chapters, information about the importance of bees for ecosystems and populations, the origin of bees, races, anatomy and physiology, and the communication system of honey bees(Apis mellifera). The reader is also provided with knowledge about the social life of these bees, presenting the colony with the types, function, and characteristics of the individuals that form it and what they do and how they behave inside and outside the nest. After the reader has become familiar with the world of bees, the final chapters deal with the general aspects of establishing a productive rational bee farm.