P.O. Box 2664,Kampala.Uganda16th December, 2008

Pam Gregory,Information Coordinator for Africa,Bees for DevelopmentP.O. Box 105, MonmouthNP25 9AA,UKDear Pam Gregory,

INTRODUCTION TO BEEKEEPING: MANUSCRIPT

In response to your advice via e-mail dated 2nd December, 2008 I am sending to you,hereby enclosed, a manuscript of the book I have prepared for beekeepers in general,and beginners in particular. As I mentioned in my earlier e-mail communication, I amseeking partnership with Bees for Development to have this book published.

I have checked with leading bookshops, secondary schools as well as higherinstitutions here for comprehensive, up-to-date literature in apiculture relevant forlocal and regional consumption, and found none. I am sure this book will fill thatvacuum, so that modern apiculture methods are adopted, not only for better and morehoney production, but also that protection and preservation of nature and environmentcan be enhanced.

Please don't hesitate to communicate to me your professional advice at your earliestconvenience.

Sincerely,

Rureebwa Deo TwineTel. +256 779 414984 / + 256 752 413589E-mail: ruretwin@yahoo.co.uk

INTRODUCTION TO BEEKEEPINGCreating Wealth with Bees

This manual is dedicated to all thosewho have tasted honeyand will do all it takes

to protect and preserve the environmentfor the bees to forageand pollinate crops

Rureebwa D. TwineHead, Training

THE UGANDA NATIONAL APICULTUREDEVELOPMENT ORGANISATION (TUNADO)

The National Apex Body for the Beekeeping Industry in Uganda

ACKNOWLEGEMENT

I thank Robert Kajobe, Apiculturalist at the National Livestock Resources Research Institute(NALIRRI / NARO) and Lecturer in the Faculty of Forestry and Nature Conservation, MakerereUniversity, for his professional and technical advice as well as boundless encouragement. ^I am indebted to Emmanuel Onega, former Vice Chairman of TUNADO, for his inspirational love \.,4bees and honey production. I am also grateful to staff of TUNADO Secretariat for their cooperation byproviding me with reading materials.Special gratitude is reserved for Bosco Okello of Uganda Export Promotion Board for facilitatingseveral upcountry trips which exposed me to further field work, and enabled me to interact with, andlearn from, beekeepers.

@ R.D.TwineAll rights reserved. No part of this manual may be reproduced, stored in

a retrievable system, or transcribed, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical,photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher

Table of Contents Page

Preface 4-

1. Advantages of Beekeeping £>2. Beekeeping Systems €~3. Occupants of the Hive *S4. Hive Products j"2-5. Beekeeping Equipment6. Apiary Siting7. Hive Placement8. Populating the Hive9. Principles of Beekeeping10. Absconding11. Dividing or Uniting a Colony12. Transferring Bees .? /13. Feeding Bees %£14. Hive Inspection ^=15. Bee Stings 3516. Bees and Pollination 3 ^17. Beekeepers' Enemies: Pests and Predators 3. /18. Honey Harvesting19. Marketing Honey20. Honey Packers' Tool Kit21. Record Keeping