The Bee: A Natural History

Description

Eyes with more than 6,000 separate lenses; bodies so hairy that they attract pollen by static; the ability to communicate by dancing... bee stats are endlessly engrossing. And the bee is as important to the production of human food as any machine; without the bees to pollinate them, most of our crops would be dead in the field. So how did this furry little workaholic come to be so crucial to the planet? The Bee: A Natural History answers that question and many more, looking at bee development from 65 million years ago to today, when over 20,000 bee species have been identified and beekeeping is enjoying a surge in popularity. Exploring evolution, anatomy, society, behaviour, and the human factor, and presenting a visual directory of 40 bee breeds alongside practical fact panels, this is the book that will become a buzz word for every keeper, student, or lover of bees.

Author description

Noah Wilson-Rich is the author of fourteen scientific publications, a full-time faculty member in the Biology Department of Simmons College, Boston, and the Founder and Chief Scientific Officer of Best Bees Company. Norman Carreck has kept bees for nearly forty years, and spent the last twenty five years as a bee research scientist. He has lectured about bees on all continents where bees are kept, written many scientific papers, book chapters, conference contributions and popular articles. Norman is Science Director of the International Bee Research Association.