Some magazines are by subscription, others as part of your subscription to a Beekeeping Association. Occasionally they are both, where a non - member may purchase a magazine subscription. This could be useful if the BKA isn't in your area.

Magazines that are allied to a BKA may be in place of a newsletter, so there may be quite a bit of administration content, but remember it is a good way of getting information to members and they need to tell you about the future meeting - or the one you missed!

Magazines vary a great deal, with the content reflecting the ability of the Editor or editorial team and the amount of material available to them. Some larger circulation magazines may have regular contributors, but many rely heavily on copy from ordinary beekeepers, or perhaps government departments.

A good magazine will have something for everyone, as in general, the circulation figures are too low to justify a specialist magazine such as one for beginners. Some will have regular features with beginners or seasonal notes, disease, crop reports, etc, being fairly typical.

You will need to make your own mind up about the worth of any magazine. Most will send a sample copy and that is usually worthwhile. Perhaps a group of beekeepers can get together and share a subscription of several magazines and circulate them. This would be a way of reducing cost whilst getting the benefit of all of them, but you need to put the slow readers on the end of the list!

Below are a few notes on the magazines that can be accessed from the buttons on the top left. I have not seen all of them, so have used information that has been gleaned from elsewhere.

A useful facility with some publications is a digital version.

BeeCraft. A monthly British publication.

BBKA News. The monthly newsletter of the British Beekeepers Association carrying BBKA news and beekeeping articles. Free with BBKA membership.

Beekeepers Quarterly. Packed full of practical and theoretical articles.

Bee Improvement was the occasional magazine of BIBBA. Specialises in queen rearing and bee breeding/improvement. It has been replaced by the emailed "BIBBA Monthly". Past issues of BIM are available on the website for BIBBA members.

An Beachaire is the magazine of the Federation of Irish Beekeepers Associations, with 11 issues yearly.

The Scottish Beekeeper is the monthly magazine of the Scottish Beekeepers Association.

The Welsh Beekeeper is the quarterly magazine of the Welsh Beekeepers Association. A current and one past issue can be downloaded

Bee Culture is a monthly American magazine that was once called "Gleanings in Bee Culture". It is published by the A.I. Root company.

The American Bee Journal (ABJ) was established in 1861 and is the oldest English language beekeeping publication in the world. It is published monthly by Dadant and Sons.

The Australasian Beekeeper is an independant title covering both commercial and amateur beekeeping.

The New Zealand Beekeeper is the journal of The National Beekeepers' Association of New Zealand. 11 issues yearly.

Canadian Beekeeping. Little information available.

If you are aware of any others please Email me and I will try to include them.

Originally written by Dave Cushman. Edited and additions by Roger Patterson.

Page created pre-2011

Page updated 21/08/2022