Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read.

Start by marking “Bee Quest” as Want to Read:

Other editions

Enlarge cover

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Open Preview

Bee Quest

Dave Goulson

4.26 · Rating details · 366 ratings · 46 reviews

A hunt for the most elusive bees leads Dave Goulson from the Salisbury plains to the Sussex hedgerows, from Poland to Patagonia. Whether he is tracking great yellow bumblebees in the Hebrides or chasing orchid bees through the Ecuadorian jungle, Dave Goulson’s wit, humour and deep love of nature make him the ideal travelling companion.
This utterly charming book will also i ...more

Get A Copy

Hardcover, 272 pages

Published April 6th 2017 by Jonathan Cape

More Details... Edit Details

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Reader Q&A

To ask other readers questions about Bee Quest, please sign up.

Be the first to ask a question about Bee Quest

Lists with This Book

The Hidden Life of Trees by Peter Wohlleben

Environmental books I'd like to read

64 books — 7 voters

The Sixth Extinction by Elizabeth Kolbert

The Uninhabitable Earth by David Wallace-Wells

LitHub's 365 Books for Your Climate Change Library (Part 2)

98 books — 13 voters

More lists with this book...

Community Reviews

Showing 1-30

Average rating 4.26 ·

Rating details

· 366 ratings · 46 reviews

More filters

Sort order

Start your review of Bee Quest

Jun 27, 2017 Rebecca rated it really liked it

Shelves: environmentalist, nature, laugh-out-loud, memoirs, travel-books, newbury-library

Goulson grows more like Bill Bryson and Gerald Durrell with each book. You could hardly find better mentors for writing travel/nature narratives, after all. Although the topic of this third book is probably of the least personal interest to me, there are plenty of wonderful asides and pieces of trivia that make it worth journeying along with him everywhere from Poland to Ecuador in the search for rare bees.

For as close-up as his view often is, he also sees the big picture of environmental degrad ...more

flag 16 likes · Like · see review

Apr 22, 2017 Paul rated it it was amazing

Shelves: books-read-2017, natural-history

There is nothing better than sitting in the garden in summer sun with a glass of something cold, watching the bees buzz between flowers. The honey bee moves quickly collecting nectar, and then there are the bumble bees. They look like they shouldn’t be able to fly as they float lazily between the flowers. I thought that there were only one or two species of bumble bee, but it turns out there are many more than that. The question is how many are left, and how many could self-confessed insect nut, There is nothing better than sitting in the garden in summer sun with a glass of something cold, watching the bees buzz between flowers. The honey bee moves quickly collecting nectar, and then there are the bumble bees. They look like they shouldn’t be able to fly as they float lazily between the flowers. I thought that there were only one or two species of bumble bee, but it turns out there are many more than that. The question is how many are left, and how many could self-confessed insect nut, Dave Goulson, find?

Goulson begins at Salisbury Plain, a large patch of chalk downland in the south-west, which thanks to the British army, has remained untouched from modern industrial farming methods. Provided you remember to avoid the unexploded ordinance, this is one of the best places to find the shrill carder and other rarer bumble bees as well as many other invertebrates, pond shrimps and the fantastically named Great Bustard. The promise of finding a Yellow Armpit bee in Eastern Europe prompts a trip to Poland. The tiny island of Barra is surrounded by crystal clear blue seas and startlingly white beaches; the look is Caribbean, but as this is just off the west coast of Scotland, the temperatures didn’t really match, but this is where the Great Yellow is still left.

Trips further afield to Patagonia, Ecuador and California in search of orchid bees, the Franklin and Giant Golden add a touch of exotica to the search for the rear and unusual before Goulson is brought back to earth with two visits to a brownfield site on the Thames estuary, one official, and another that was, er, less official shall we say. Really enjoyed reading about the re-wilding of Knepp Castle. The changes that Sir Charles Burrell has made to his estate have been as dramatic as they have been beneficial for the local environment.

Goulson has written his best book yet, his writing keeps getting better and his Infectious enthusiasm for his furry subjects is catching. Not only is it a wonderful read, but it is a prescient warning of our meddling with the environment. Drenching the land in insecticides is fundamentally wrong; in California, Goulson saw that a small amount of land set aside for nature could actually improve yields, with none of the detrimental effects of chemical addition. Honeybees are thought to be the biggest pollinators, but it was found that bumble bees are equally good, you wouldn’t have tomatoes for example. If you are a fan of natural history book then this is a necessary addition. Only two minor flaws, it could have done with some photos, and it wasn’t long enough! ...more

flag 9 likes · Like · see review

Jun 17, 2017 Tanja Berg rated it really liked it

Shelves: ecology, science, non-fiction

This is a wonderful little book on Dave Goulson's favorit subject: bumblebees. Dave is fantastically knowledgable and also incredibly funny. Some of the subject matter here is quite sad, so it's a relief that it's lightened up along the way.

Dave is on the hunt for rare bumblebees. He discusses habitat losses and habitat finds in the UK. There are some surprising places left to wildlife still, although not many.

In South America, Dave looks for a large golden bumblebee. Sadly, the South American ...more

flag 7 likes · Like · see review

Jan 19, 2019 Ryan rated it really liked it

Shelves: science-and-nature

A very interesting and enjoyable piece of nature writing. The author has a very engaging style which makes this book easily readable and not at all dry, despite clearly being well backed by the scientific literature.

The book documents the author's travels as he seeks out various rare bee species. Many of these stories are centred around his home country, the UK, but he also goes further afield to look for species in South America. While I am a UK resident myself, there was still much I did not ...more

flag 2 likes · Like · see review

Apr 05, 2018 Margaret rated it really liked it

Shelves: natural-history

An excellent book on one man's quest to find rare and endangered bumblebees.

Like all natural history books, it's both heart warming and heart breaking.

Dave Goulson writes with a charm and quirky sense of humour that makes this book a sheer delight to read. A word of advice: read the footnotes. You must read the footnotes. Nine tenths of the quirky sense of humour appears in the footnotes.

As well as being entertaining I learned a lot about bumblebees. Including how they came to be in New Zealand ...more

flag 2 likes · Like · see review

Jan 11, 2018 Rik rated it it was amazing

Shelves: contempoary, non-fiction, funny

A really well written look at the state of the environment and the UK and various other countries around the world. I say 'the environment' as Dave Goulson, whilst his primary interest is bees, has an obvious interest in all wildlife, making this a fairly expansive view. The occasional bee fact or detail by no means overwhelms the general narrative, as Dave manages to intersperse it with excellent humour, and great story telling. The general plight of insects etc. covered in the book does make f ...more

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Oct 23, 2018 Rebecca rated it it was amazing

I read the majority of this book while I was away in the wild for a long weekend and I have to say that made the whole experience even better. I was definitely keeping more of an eye out for bees and other insects than I would normally. I have loved reading every one of Dave Goulson's books and this one was no exception. It's fascinating and fun at the same time. Definitely a book that I will be recommending to people. ...more

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Apr 22, 2017 Jess Jackson rated it liked it

Shelves: non-fiction

I liked it. A really interesting read that moved along at a nice pace. There was ALOT of facts that I never knew about Bees, some were really interesting some not so much.
I would recommend this only to someone who already had an interest in Bees and there habits.

flag 1 like · Like · see review

May 03, 2020 Bente Brunia rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites

Could not be more happy I judged this book by its pretty cover because it is one of the most beautiful books I have ever read. It has everything, passion, humor, love, education, realisation... You will not regret picking this one up, do it now before we let the natural world around us deteriorate so much we forget what a wonder bumblebees are.

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Sep 30, 2019 Andrea Bearman rated it it was amazing

For more reviews: Learning Bear Podcast or LinkedIn
A Review of Bee Quest by Dave Goulson
Unfortunately, where I currently live, my library did not have this book and I had to request it via Interlibrary Loan and fork out three dollars (well, my husband did, he picked them up for me). Fortunately, however, I was able to read this book, even if for a small fee. This book is quirky, detailed, and ever so interesting to read.
First and probably most importantly, I love that Goulson has an innate pass For more reviews: Learning Bear Podcast or LinkedIn
A Review of Bee Quest by Dave Goulson
Unfortunately, where I currently live, my library did not have this book and I had to request it via Interlibrary Loan and fork out three dollars (well, my husband did, he picked them up for me). Fortunately, however, I was able to read this book, even if for a small fee. This book is quirky, detailed, and ever so interesting to read.
First and probably most importantly, I love that Goulson has an innate passion and excitement for bees and all things that are creepy crawly. He actually apologizes several times in the opening chapters for his enthusiastic descriptions of bees and how to identify them. It is plainly obvious that he is passionate about his field. This is immediately something I relate to in regards to my field. I also appreciate his mention of one thing that has “always given him the willies”: big spiders (i.e.: tarantulas). I am exceptionally passionate about environmental education, but I am not looking to cuddle with reptiles or amphibians. I appreciate his honesty while also exuding fervent pleasure in what he studies.
I also love books that are funny, sometimes without intent of being funny. He mentions during one research trip to Poland that he had taken with him many photographs of bee genitals (for identification purposes, obviously) and says that his “Bee Porn” seemed okay to be transported across borders. Hilarious. There was another instance, developed by a colleague, when they were discussing bee-related diseases: Florally-transmitted diseases. And by no means are diseases a laughing matter, but I love that someone had the presence of mind to develop a phrase for it: FTD’s. I also love his extensive footnotes which are usually funny, but also educational (I’ve come to really love footnotes, thank you Mary Roach of Bonk).
I caught myself wondering as well (because I try to love every book I read and Dawn Light is haunting me), why do I love his descriptions so well but despised another book? The best reasonable conclusion that I have is two-fold. One, Goulson is not speaking in a stream of consciousness, everything he says has a deliberate point. Second, the way Goulson writes, the pages fly by like an exciting novel (or at least to a nerd like me). Many times, I felt like Bilbo Baggins when he shouted, I’m going on an adventure! Goulson travels widely, Poland, Ecuador, and California to name a few places (he lives in the UK). There is one example of his rich description, I have to share, that has caused me to reflect deeply about what I really think of bees: “With their large size and furry coats they over heat in warm climates”. Are we really talking about bees here? Sounds like bears. Or a large predator cat or canine. Surely, we are not speaking of bees! And yet, he was!
I only have one quibble with this book. The chapters are so long. And there are zero breaks. I mean ZERO. Some of the paragraphs, while the content is interesting, are horribly long. Like entire pages long, sometimes carrying over to the next page. When I started the book, I was excited to read about bees, but was terribly overwhelmed immediately. The break between paragraphs is like a breath [when speaking] and when the paragraphs are long, I feel like I cannot take a breath. Information overload is in full swing. I do not mean to sound stupid, I have read a great many books, this year alone. I just have become a better reader when I have the opportunity to rest between thoughts. It is similar to talking to a person. When they ramble on and on, it can be hard to keep up with all of the information.
So. Let’s get to the scoring.
Content: 5/5 He is incredibly thorough and passionate. I appreciate that he also mentions opportunities for research and where he falls short (like in Ecuador).
Structure: 4/5 Can we please break up those paragraphs? Please. It’s just too much.
Meets Objectives: 5/5 Goulson states his goal of the book in the prologue, to take the reader on a world tour, honestly sharing the information about bees. And, he without question, does that. I want to visit many of the places he mentions.
Creativity: 4/5 I only give him a 4 of 5 because there’s nothing exceptionally creative about the book. He has also written two other bee books. I have not read them, though I hope to do so. I loved this book very much, but he was not creative. He was undeniably detailed and passionate, however.
Over all that is 90%. If you have an interest in bees, pollination, etc. I recommend this book. However, it is deep in the trenches of the study of insects, so bee warned. That is my trigger warning for anyone scared of bees.
...more

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Aug 06, 2018 Nat rated it really liked it

Anybody who knows me will know that bumblebees are my favourite animal so I thought this book was amazing and I cannot wait to read some of Goulson’s other books in the future!!

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Mar 13, 2018 Bill Leach rated it liked it

Goulson writes of some of his adventures in the search of bumblebees, touching on various factors affecting their diversity.

A major theme in the book is the threat to bees of modern agriculture, largely because it develops into large mono-cultures that cover the land virtually completely. Little marginal space is left for plant variety. In the case of the bees, no wildflowers or arable weeds are present. The contrast is found when he visits Poland where traditional agriculture is still strong, a Goulson writes of some of his adventures in the search of bumblebees, touching on various factors affecting their diversity.

A major theme in the book is the threat to bees of modern agriculture, largely because it develops into large mono-cultures that cover the land virtually completely. Little marginal space is left for plant variety. In the case of the bees, no wildflowers or arable weeds are present. The contrast is found when he visits Poland where traditional agriculture is still strong, and numerous varieties of bee are found. An interesting item is that the use of avermectin de-worming agent in cattle causes the cowpats to become somewhat poisonous to dung beetles.

It is almost ironic that such agricultural areas cannot support significant bee populations, but they need to be imported for pollination. The author gives the example of the Californian almond industry which must import 85 percent of all the commercial hives in the U.S. - 1.7 million hives of 80 billion bees - to pollinate 2.5 trillion almond flowers.

Gause's Law states that two species that use exactly the same resources cannot co-exist. In the 1970's Graham Pyke visited numerous mountains and found that in the meadows only three to four species of bumblebee were found, generally divisible into short, medium and long-tongued species that fed on different flower species. In the Gorce mountains of Poland, the author found up to fifteen species co-existing, apparently being more specific in their flower visitation than simply the short / medium / long differentiation.

One of the most impressive bumblebees is the Giant Golden (Bombax dahlbomii) of Patagonia as it is large (up to 40 mm) and is a golden color. Unfortunately, it is in decline. Research points to disease transferred from other species of imported bumblebee.

One of the author's travels was to the Santa Lucia Cloud Forest Reserve, an appealing location with a large diversity of flora and fauna.

Brownfields - industrial areas that have fallen into disuse - are the subject of one chapter, as they can at times become surprisingly diverse and support a variety species out of proportion to their size. Re-development causes the loss of this variety. The author points out the uselessness of relocating endangered species as the release area in most cases is probably supporting the maximum population of that species.

Re-wilding is the subject of a chapter on the Knepp Castle in England. The estate had been used for agriculture, but has been allowed to return to the wild, but with the introduction of large herbivores including fallow deer, Exmoor ponies and old English longhorn cattle. Limitations of the project include a lack of large predators, and the need to manually control invasive plants such as hawthorn and birch. The net result has been a huge increase in diversity. An issue is what is "wild", as the country was quite different hundreds of years ago when England was largely forest.
...more

flag Like · see review

Feb 05, 2019 Mark Yates rated it really liked it

3.5 Stars. Dave Goulson's enthusiasm for bees, insects, flowers, and swinging nets over shrubs and grasses is contagious. Multiple times during the book I wanted to stop reading, grab a net, and head to the wild flower patches between the fields outside of Prague and the weeds and scrubs retaking derelict buildings. And while he is clearly distraught over habitat loss, industrial farming, and general ignorance about the importance of peppering domesticated areas with bits of the wild (as well as 3.5 Stars. Dave Goulson's enthusiasm for bees, insects, flowers, and swinging nets over shrubs and grasses is contagious. Multiple times during the book I wanted to stop reading, grab a net, and head to the wild flower patches between the fields outside of Prague and the weeds and scrubs retaking derelict buildings. And while he is clearly distraught over habitat loss, industrial farming, and general ignorance about the importance of peppering domesticated areas with bits of the wild (as well as preserving large chunks of the wild), his glee in chasing bugs makes his reflections almost more of a wake than a lament.

And this is one reason I've docked it a star. While 200 pages of a heavy, "we're-all-gonna-die-if-we-don't-do-something" tone would have been exhausting, a bit more urgency would have been welcome. Another reason the book loses a star is the sameness of the chapters. Goulson paints excellent verbal pictures of Scotland, Ecuador, Argentina, California, and the Thames Estuary. But he paints them with similar techniques. About 2/3rds the way through the book the approach to the next place was starting to get tedious. Looking back, it would have been better to alternate chapters with those from another book to keep things fresh.

And he loses a half star because there is not one picture, image, or map. Yes I read the book with my smart phone in reach, and often looked up the bugs and bees he described. I also get that he describes hundreds of different bees, and it simply would not be possible to include them all (or even a dozen of them). But one diagram showing how a common bumble bee differs from a honeybee would have been nice. So too would have been a map--even if just a rough line drawing--to introduce each section, showing the location of that mountain in Ecuador, that drive across Argentina, that sheep-ravaged island on the outer edge of the Outer Hebrides.

Still, the book is well worth one's time. Bee Quest lets Goulson discuss agriculture practices, urban development, the ambling nature of college students, and all kinds of bee behavior with bright humor and an infectious joy while letting an important message buzz through.

...more

flag Like · see review

Jan 04, 2018 Laura rated it it was amazing

Recommends it for: everyone I know

Shelves: non-fiction, natural-history

I highly recommend this book to anyone with even a passing interest in the natural world, and I am not just talking about exotic creatures in far-flung locations but the unsung bugs struggling to live just outside your door.

Dave Goulson immediately took me back to the joyful days as a kid, getting mucky in the garden in the quest to catch woodlice, crickets anything I could capture in an old ice-cream tub, to then accidentally unleash in the house. Sorry, mum!

It must have been those moments in ...more

flag Like · see review

Jul 16, 2018 Ginni rated it really liked it

Shelves: natural-history

The third of Goulson’s books that I’ve read, and as enjoyable as the first two. He is the Professor of Biological Sciences at the University of Sussex, and has spent the last twenty years studying bumblebees. Yet he writes in an easy, readable style; although his writing is backed by immense scientific knowledge and research, it is not dry or dusty. He has a wry sense of humour and is not self important.
In this book, he travels widely, both in the U.K. and Europe, and to more exotic destinations ...more

flag Like · see review

Jun 18, 2017 Genetic Cuckoo rated it really liked it

Shelves: science

*Disclaimer: I was provided with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

What a simply wonderful and beautiful book! It is such a beautiful book, the simple colours and high quality feel made it a real treat to hold and read.

The story is wonderful and compelling. Dave travels all over the world in search of fascinating insects and keen to understand their habitat and why in many regions they are declining and how best to conserve them. When you read this book you feel you go o ...more

flag Like · see review

Apr 03, 2018 Karen rated it really liked it

I enjoyed reading this book and learning about the habitats of the various places visited from the Machair in the Hebrides to the churned up Salisbury Plain to the neglected brown field sites of the Thames, rewilding in Sussex then the more exotic places in S. America such as Patagonia and Ecuador. It would have been great to see some pictures of the shrill carder, dahlbomii and Franklin’s etc. I don’t think I learned much about their biology and behaviour. Some things really grab you like pigs ...more

flag Like · see review

Feb 07, 2019 Amber MacPherson rated it it was amazing

I found this book to be fascinating. I love conservation ecology and the natural world, but know very little of insects in general and bees in particular. This book was a lovely introduction to the topic. I now want to find a field guide of Colorado insects, particularly high altitude ones, so I can try to identify what I find in my yard and in high alpine meadows. I found the author's dry wit to be amusing even if he could sometimes be a bit wordy and his passion for the topic was infectious.

I ...more

flag Like · see review

May 17, 2017 B rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Conservation and bee hunting

This third popular bumblebee science book looks at wild bees in their environments, from unpromising brownfield sites to equatorial rain forests. It's written in Dave Goulson's engaging style. As well as the hunts for rare bees, successful and unsuccessful, we're informed on political aspects of conservation in ways to make us rethink the notion that our countryside and its diversity means agriculture. Small changes in food production methods can lead to an increase i ...more

flag Like · see review

Feb 16, 2019 Goska A rated it it was amazing

Shelves: non-fiction, 2019-aty-reading-challenge, bumblebees

7/52
“Bee Quest” by David Goulson - read for Goodreads ATY 2019, category: 7: 2 books related to the same topic, genre, or theme, which is BUMBLEBEES for me Book #1

I am a very dedicated atheist and antitheist but if there is anyone I could call my deity, that would be Dave, British biologist and conservationist, who is my sensei on bumblebees, nature and environment.

“Bee Quest” is the third book by Goulson I’ve read. After the first one – “A Sting in The Tale” I joined the British Bee Walk and s ...more

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Aug 04, 2019 Julian Walker rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Part travelogue, part natural history, part environmental, total enjoyment.

Who knew there were so many kinds of bumble bee, or how important they are to our lives?

The author’s enthusiasm for the insects and the environment is infectious - his students, with whom he shares several adventures, have a master teacher.

This is a really enjoyable book, instantly absorbing, and one which gets across a serious message in a non-preaching, and highly illustrative way (albeit without images - which is the ...more

flag Like · see review

Oct 02, 2017 Nina Selezneva rated it it was amazing

It's a very honest book from a nature loving person that surpasses the main theme of bees and encompasses far larger topics of nature in general, its current state and our role in it. A thought-provoking and well written book with an occasional typically British self-irony of the author. An enjoyable read I recommend anyone to get acquainted with, regardless of their interest in entomology or nature. ...more

flag Like · see review

Jul 24, 2018 Mark Walker rated it really liked it

There isn't that much about bees in this work. Goulson is interested in showing how unspoilt areas still survive and can be supported. The hook is looking for bees in these places, but actually the theme is about protecting our natural environment. By finding communities of unusual bees he is saying that it is possible for mankind to allow wildlife to flourish. He therefore highlights the things we should not do. ...more

flag Like · see review

Jul 05, 2018 John rated it really liked it

I think I need to backtrack on the author to get some basic bee knowledge. Sometimes fascinating, sometimes depressing. The chapters marginal land in London and the re-wilding of Knepp Castle were my favourites.

flag Like · see review

Jan 24, 2019 Sebastiaan de Jager rated it really liked it

A great book to read with a cup of tea if you're interested in a bee enthousiast's anecdotes with occasional commentary on the politics surrounding ecology and climate change. Some chapters near the end were relatively speaking less exciting and therefore harder to get through. ...more

flag Like · see review

Apr 19, 2018 Jessica Goldstrohm rated it it was amazing

Dave Goulson cleverly combines humor with important facts we all should be aware of. I love his books, and can't wait for the next! ...more

flag Like · see review

Sep 26, 2018 Cherry rated it really liked it

Shelves: gaia

Brilliant and funny book. Everyone should read this!

flag Like · see review

Oct 28, 2019 Charles Sweetland rated it it was amazing

Such a fun and inspiring book, a must for speculative beekeepers or nature lovers.

flag Like · see review

Nov 21, 2019 Anna rated it it was amazing

Loved this book! Dave Goulson has a gentle and humorous style, whilst laying bare the impact that we are having on our world and invertebrates. Highly recommended.

flag Like · see review

Aug 15, 2020 Miriam Williams rated it really liked it

Quite charming.

flag Like · see review

« previous 1 2 next »

new topic
Discuss This Book

There are no discussion topics on this book yet. Be the first to start one »

Recommend It | Stats | Recent Status Updates

Readers also enjoyed

See similar books…

Genres

Nonfiction

38 users

Science

18 users

Environment > Nature

15 users

Science > Natural History

9 users

Environment

5 users

Biography

5 users

Travel

4 users

Animals

3 users

Science > Biology

3 users

Biology > Ecology

3 users

See top shelves…

About Dave Goulson

Dave Goulson

175 followers

After a childhood chasing butterflies and collecting bird’s eggs, I studied Biology at Oxford University, and then did a PhD on butterfly ecology at Oxford Brookes University. Shortly afterwards I got a lectureship at University of Southampton, where I stayed for 11 years. It was there that I began to specialize in bumblebee ecology and conservation. In 2006 I became Professor of Biology and Stirl ...more