Bee-Skep Making by Chris Park

Try your hand a t traditional beekeeping by crafting skeps (basketwork hives) with this beautifully illustrated step-by-step guide. • Learn to use straw and lapping to create coiled lipwork skeps, incorporating bee entrances and spleets that help support natural honeycomb formations. • Find out how to make protective thatch cones - or hackles - to place over your skeps. • Follow the instructions for settling a swarm into your skep, checking on hive health and helping your bees through a successful season. • Discover ways to harvest your honey, brew your own mead and produce your own beeswax candles. As well as teaching these craft and bee husbandry skills, the long history of skep beekeeping, its folklore and heritage is woven into the narrative, offering up a wealth of ancient knowledge as you work your way round your first skeps. CHRIS PARK is a leading expert on bee skeps and teaches skep making for the British Beekeeping Association, the National Honey Show and special interest groups. He is also a skep beekeeper, apitherapist and writer with a wider interest in arts and crafts, ancient technologies, eco-building and folk music.