Plight of the honey bee is subject of Addingham man's new book (From Ilkley Gazette)

Plight of the honey bee is subject of Addingham man's new book

7:20am Wednesday 4th November 2009

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A book about the plight of the honeybee is about to go on sale, written by Wharfedale man Ken Pickles.

Ken, 70, from Addingham, featured in Wharfedale Newspapers last month giving advice to local bee-keepers about how best to care for the insects.

He has now written a book on the subject, called ‘Buckets of Honey from Boxes of Bees’ in a bid to improve the lot of the insects in the area.

The book is about to be released at the National Honey Show, Weybridge, Surrey.

Ken said: “The writing of this book was prompted by the current interest in beekeeping.

“Its fundamental aim is to try to improve the lot of the honey bees by beekeepers of the present day and those who aspire to become the next generation.

“It will also help non-beekeepers to appreciate this marvellous insect, its lifestyle and immense benefit to mankind.”

The book, says Ken, is controversial, dealing with the fashionable change over from straw-skep hives in Victorian times to wooden hives.

According to Ken, everything that has been done since those times has been done for the bee-keeper and not the actual bees, which may have caused some of their ills.

Ken, formerly a game-keeper, served in the Gordon Highlanders be-fore joining the West Riding Constabulary.

In his early twenties he became the assistant editor of the White Rose – a force’s journal, which sparked his writing career of short stories and poetry.

He served as the village constable at Addingham or nearly 20 years where he still lives.

The book is available from Amazon or Northern Bee books at Hebden Bridge on 01422 882751.

It should be available from local shops later this month.

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