Beekeeping for Dummies is a pretty good source, too. Pretty cheap on Amazon, too, when you buy a used copy.
I've been pretty lucky with the bees I've kept. They have all been pretty calm queens for the most part. Even last summer's Russian bees, and they are supposed to be a hotter bee than the Italian queens I had before. (It's the queen that gives the orders and sets the tone in the hive.)
There is something wonderful sitting in a lotus position in front of your hive in the evening with a tablespoon of honey in each palm. Rather quickly a bee finds the honey and fills up. Moments after leaving, she comes back with 5 sisters. When they are loaded, each of those comes back with 5 more. In a matter of a few brief minutes your palms will be slicked clean. If you think they have left any behind, lick your palms. All you will taste will be your own sweat!
DO NOT DO THAT IF YOUR NEIGHBORS HAVE HIVES IN THE AREA! Several of their bees might get in on the "robbing" and decide to come back in full force to attack your hive. But it's a great way to get the idea out of your head that your bees want to sting you. Generally they will only sting if they get pinched in a fold of clothing or if you open the hive without smoking. Ramping up to attack uses very valuable hive resources and they are in the business of making honey, not spending it.
