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Buzz: The Nature and Necessity of Bees
From the award-winning author of The Triumph of Seeds and Feathers, a natural and cultural history of the buzzing wee beasties that make the world go round.
Bees are like oxygen: ubiquitous, essential, and, for the most part, unseen. While we might overlook them, they lie at the heart of relationships that bind the human and natural worlds. In Buzz, the beloved Thor Hanson takes us on a journey that begins 125 million years ago, when a wasp first dared to feed pollen to its young. From honeybees and bumbles to lesser-known diggers, miners, leafcutters, and masons, bees have long been central to our harvests, our mythologies, and our very existence. They've given us sweetness and light, the beauty of flowers, and as much as a third of the foodstuffs we eat. And, alarmingly, they are at risk of disappearing.
As informative and enchanting as the waggle dance of a honeybee, Buzz shows us why all bees are wonders to celebrate and protect. Read this book and you'll never overlook them again.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published July 10, 2018
About the author
Thor Hanson
9 books279 followersThor Hanson is a Guggenheim Fellow, a Switzer Environmental Fellow, and winner of the John Burroughs Medal. His books include HURRICANE LIZARDS AND PLASTIC SQUID, BUZZ, THE TRIUMPH OF SEEDS, FEATHERS, THE IMPENETRABLE FOREST, and the children's favorite BARTHOLOMEW QUILL . Learn more at his website: www.thorhanson.net.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 256 reviews
October 19, 2021
Thor Hanson can do no wrong in my eyes.
March 9, 2020
I cannot believe it has taken me this long to read a book by Thor Hanson.
This book is a love letter to the bees of the world. I really enjoyed the writing style. Hanson has an incredible voice and his enthusiasm for the natural world is contagious!
There is so much that is covered in this book - the unique anatomy of bees, why vegetarianism helped them thrive as a species, the very important role bees play in the natural world and how that directly affects humans, the perseverance and passion of individuals who are trying their hardest to prevent colony collapse and so much more. My favourite section of the book looks at the bee through a mythological lens. It is amazing how so many ancient cultures have used the humble bee as symbols of luck, prosperity and even evil.
After reading this, I will not take bees for granted. They are an integral and vital part of our world and it is important that we do what we can to protect them. Highly recommend!
I received a free copy of this title from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This book is a love letter to the bees of the world. I really enjoyed the writing style. Hanson has an incredible voice and his enthusiasm for the natural world is contagious!
There is so much that is covered in this book - the unique anatomy of bees, why vegetarianism helped them thrive as a species, the very important role bees play in the natural world and how that directly affects humans, the perseverance and passion of individuals who are trying their hardest to prevent colony collapse and so much more. My favourite section of the book looks at the bee through a mythological lens. It is amazing how so many ancient cultures have used the humble bee as symbols of luck, prosperity and even evil.
After reading this, I will not take bees for granted. They are an integral and vital part of our world and it is important that we do what we can to protect them. Highly recommend!
I received a free copy of this title from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
February 17, 2021
I already loved bees as an ~aesthetic~ and, like most people, have been worried about their fate ever since Colony Collapse Disorder entered the general lexicon in the mid 2000s. But after reading this book, I just want to go out and hug every bee I find.
The bees might not be into that, though. I've never been stung and I don't wanna start now!
This is a terrific and engaging overview of the history of bees in society, their relationship with humans and our changing environments, their integral role in our lives, and much more. It's short but substantial, and at times has a narrative quality that I appreciated. It was fascinating to discover how ancient the concept of beekeeping is, and how humans have basically been going bonkers for honey since time immemorial. It was also really interesting to learn about all of the different types of bees and their habits and traits, since like most of us, my personal experience is basically honeybees, bumblebees, and others that were probably something else but we just call them honeybees because what the fuck do we know.
Bees are tough and ingenious little buddies, too, much more than I would've ever thought.
I do wish it had gone a little more in depth in a few sections, and there's a part where the author is speaking with an anthropologist who had spent time observing the Hadza tribe in Tanzania, which............I have feelings about. Not a super big fan of white people "studying" people of color. Maybe the tribe welcomed her there, I don't know, but that sort of thing just also makes me a little uncomfortable.
But overall this is a very accessible and enjoyable read, and it makes me wish I had some outdoor space that I could fill with flowers and be like SOUP'S ON, BEE BABES, COME AND GET YOUR LOVE.
The bees might not be into that, though. I've never been stung and I don't wanna start now!
This is a terrific and engaging overview of the history of bees in society, their relationship with humans and our changing environments, their integral role in our lives, and much more. It's short but substantial, and at times has a narrative quality that I appreciated. It was fascinating to discover how ancient the concept of beekeeping is, and how humans have basically been going bonkers for honey since time immemorial. It was also really interesting to learn about all of the different types of bees and their habits and traits, since like most of us, my personal experience is basically honeybees, bumblebees, and others that were probably something else but we just call them honeybees because what the fuck do we know.
Bees are tough and ingenious little buddies, too, much more than I would've ever thought.
A bumblebee species native to the Himalayas is thought to be the world's highest-flying insect: it is still able to hover at elevations beyond the peak of Mount Everest.
[Regarding a dead bee the author had dipped in wheat flour to see how much pollen it might carry versus a wasp] On the scale, the bee's weight had increased by 28.5 percent, which would equate to something like a fifty-pound backpack for an average-sized person. That's a pretty good haul for a stiff, inanimate specimen, and it's not surprising that live individuals do even better--wild bumblebees have been caught carrying pollen loads in excess of half their body weight.
Bumblebees and honeybees transported far from their nests in dark boxes have made their way home again from distances of more than six miles, and an orchid bee once made such a journey from a distance of fourteen miles.
I do wish it had gone a little more in depth in a few sections, and there's a part where the author is speaking with an anthropologist who had spent time observing the Hadza tribe in Tanzania, which............I have feelings about. Not a super big fan of white people "studying" people of color. Maybe the tribe welcomed her there, I don't know, but that sort of thing just also makes me a little uncomfortable.
But overall this is a very accessible and enjoyable read, and it makes me wish I had some outdoor space that I could fill with flowers and be like SOUP'S ON, BEE BABES, COME AND GET YOUR LOVE.
September 3, 2018
Captivating and informative.
"Bees are like oxygen: ubiquitous, essential, and, for the most part, unseen. While we might overlook them, they lie at the heart of relationships that bind the human and natural worlds. In Buzz, the beloved Thor Hanson takes us on a journey that begins 125 million years ago, when a wasp first dared to feed pollen to its young. From honeybees and bumbles to lesser-known diggers, miners, leafcutters, and masons, bees have long been central to our harvests, our mythologies, and our very existence. They've given us sweetness and light, the beauty of flowers, and as much as a third of the foodstuffs we eat. And, alarmingly, they are at risk of disappearing."
If you're looking for information on bees look no further. This book starts a hundred and twenty five million years ago at the very history of the modern be and takes you on a journey through the ages into what is now known as our honey bee. The book goes over the importance of the be not only in the role it plays in nature but also the role it plays in mythology and inhuman beliefs.
Incredibly detailed but beautifully written. I would normally say that a book like this is too long but in order to encompass all of the information it has to be that way. I understand why the author made the book as long as it is. You just can't make it any shorter and do the subject justice. I now know more about bees than I ever thought I would thanks to this book. Although it was informative and a reference book in nature it was not daunting to read. Thor Hanson does a wonderful job of threading the story together in a way that makes it easier for the reader to follow. This book is not just for scientists it's for everyone!
I would highly recommend this book to anyone who has an interest in knowing a little bit more about the subject. Good book!
"Bees are like oxygen: ubiquitous, essential, and, for the most part, unseen. While we might overlook them, they lie at the heart of relationships that bind the human and natural worlds. In Buzz, the beloved Thor Hanson takes us on a journey that begins 125 million years ago, when a wasp first dared to feed pollen to its young. From honeybees and bumbles to lesser-known diggers, miners, leafcutters, and masons, bees have long been central to our harvests, our mythologies, and our very existence. They've given us sweetness and light, the beauty of flowers, and as much as a third of the foodstuffs we eat. And, alarmingly, they are at risk of disappearing."
If you're looking for information on bees look no further. This book starts a hundred and twenty five million years ago at the very history of the modern be and takes you on a journey through the ages into what is now known as our honey bee. The book goes over the importance of the be not only in the role it plays in nature but also the role it plays in mythology and inhuman beliefs.
Incredibly detailed but beautifully written. I would normally say that a book like this is too long but in order to encompass all of the information it has to be that way. I understand why the author made the book as long as it is. You just can't make it any shorter and do the subject justice. I now know more about bees than I ever thought I would thanks to this book. Although it was informative and a reference book in nature it was not daunting to read. Thor Hanson does a wonderful job of threading the story together in a way that makes it easier for the reader to follow. This book is not just for scientists it's for everyone!
I would highly recommend this book to anyone who has an interest in knowing a little bit more about the subject. Good book!
March 9, 2019
In Buzz, biologist Thor Hanson takes us on a journey of bees, starting with their evolutionary beginning from wasps, to their diet and social structure, to their symbiotic relationship with flowers and vegetables that has exploded our world in color, fragrance, and taste. He talks about the bond between humans and bees, reminding us that we have relied on bees since the dawn of human evolution.
There are so many interesting tidbits and facts in this book. For example, there is evidence showing that humans evolved our large brains partly due to the consumption of nutrient and calorie rich honey. Another interesting fact is that there is a bird that will guide humans to beehives, resulting in the bird being given the most fitting scientific name of indicator indicator.
This book also talks about Colony Collapse Disorder, the possible reasons that might have contributed to it, and what people can do to help lessen the impact and save the bees. When we rely on bees for so much of our food (the list of foods requiring bee pollination is truly eye-opening), it's important that we take bee conservation seriously, and this book is a good starting point for that journey.
I went into this book knowing almost nothing about bees, and came away with so much interesting and relevant information. I highly recommend this book if you are curious about bees and want to learn more. For me, I will surely look at bees in a new light, seeking them out so that I can observe them with my own eyes as the wondrous and fascinating creatures that they are.
There are so many interesting tidbits and facts in this book. For example, there is evidence showing that humans evolved our large brains partly due to the consumption of nutrient and calorie rich honey. Another interesting fact is that there is a bird that will guide humans to beehives, resulting in the bird being given the most fitting scientific name of indicator indicator.
This book also talks about Colony Collapse Disorder, the possible reasons that might have contributed to it, and what people can do to help lessen the impact and save the bees. When we rely on bees for so much of our food (the list of foods requiring bee pollination is truly eye-opening), it's important that we take bee conservation seriously, and this book is a good starting point for that journey.
I went into this book knowing almost nothing about bees, and came away with so much interesting and relevant information. I highly recommend this book if you are curious about bees and want to learn more. For me, I will surely look at bees in a new light, seeking them out so that I can observe them with my own eyes as the wondrous and fascinating creatures that they are.
July 13, 2018
Full disclosure, I. flipping. love. bees. They always seem so happy when they're just buzzing to and fro with their fluffy little butts and furry little legs. I just really love bees.
But until now, I knew very little about them. They buzz. They pollinate. They make honey. Occasionally, they sting. There are a bunch of different kinds that look nothing alike. Some of them are super fluffy and others are not but no matter what they go 'buzz' and make me happy. But I didn't have any technical knowledge.
Buzz changed that; covering everything from evolution to habitats to the decline in bees across the globe and veering into personal stories from the author regarding bees, Buzz is a quick little read about a very important topic, all without it becoming too academic-sounding.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
But until now, I knew very little about them. They buzz. They pollinate. They make honey. Occasionally, they sting. There are a bunch of different kinds that look nothing alike. Some of them are super fluffy and others are not but no matter what they go 'buzz' and make me happy. But I didn't have any technical knowledge.
Buzz changed that; covering everything from evolution to habitats to the decline in bees across the globe and veering into personal stories from the author regarding bees, Buzz is a quick little read about a very important topic, all without it becoming too academic-sounding.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
October 9, 2019
This is Science writing at its best; conversational, nuanced, and never boring. I came in with basically no knowledge, I thought all bees lived in hives and made honey (which I’m pretty sure I learned from Winnie the Pooh), yet still managed to come away with with a basic understanding of the ways in which bees affect the evolution of ecosystems and agricultural systems. Hanson convinces you without ever proselytizing.
May 31, 2019
There is no shortage of books about bees - not surprising given their fascinating social structures and importance in pollinating plants. But the majority of titles concentrate on the most familiar bee species, the honey bee and their superorganism nature. However, that leaves out thousands of species of wild bees, from the familiar bumble bees to tiny black insects few would even realise were bees. What Thor Hanson does so well is introduce us to the intriguing world of the wild bee.
I don't find straight natural history books particularly engaging - rather too much of Rutherford's infamous complaint about stamp collecting - but Hanson overcomes this potential problem through storytelling, whether it's telling us about the origins of bees from wasps, his attempts to provide a home for bees with his son, or in his many meetings with bee experts. I was reminded of Fredrik Sjöberg's The Fly Trap in the way that it was the narrative that absolutely tied everything together. Hanson may not have Sjöberg's lyrical, almost mystical, style, but instead gives us homely insights and puts across well his sheer fascination with bees.
Although wild bees are the main focus, there is a discussion of the colony collapse problems that have dogged beekeepers and a visit to America's bee-unfriendly almond groves. Hanson comes across as far more balanced on the potential causes of colony collapse than some environmentalists and explores a range of contributory factors that may have come together to put some bee species in danger. (Interestingly, some wild bee species have been practically wiped out, while others in the same environment remain unharmed.)
There's never the feeling of worthiness that you often get in nature books. Hanson is a scientist who clearly loves bees and is a great narrator, but he's never preachy and puts across both information and enthusiasm in equal amounts. I wish there had been a bit more that was UK specific, rather than focussed on the US - I often found myself thinking 'Do we have bees like that?' - but this didn't stop the book from being an engaging, informative page-turner.
I don't find straight natural history books particularly engaging - rather too much of Rutherford's infamous complaint about stamp collecting - but Hanson overcomes this potential problem through storytelling, whether it's telling us about the origins of bees from wasps, his attempts to provide a home for bees with his son, or in his many meetings with bee experts. I was reminded of Fredrik Sjöberg's The Fly Trap in the way that it was the narrative that absolutely tied everything together. Hanson may not have Sjöberg's lyrical, almost mystical, style, but instead gives us homely insights and puts across well his sheer fascination with bees.
Although wild bees are the main focus, there is a discussion of the colony collapse problems that have dogged beekeepers and a visit to America's bee-unfriendly almond groves. Hanson comes across as far more balanced on the potential causes of colony collapse than some environmentalists and explores a range of contributory factors that may have come together to put some bee species in danger. (Interestingly, some wild bee species have been practically wiped out, while others in the same environment remain unharmed.)
There's never the feeling of worthiness that you often get in nature books. Hanson is a scientist who clearly loves bees and is a great narrator, but he's never preachy and puts across both information and enthusiasm in equal amounts. I wish there had been a bit more that was UK specific, rather than focussed on the US - I often found myself thinking 'Do we have bees like that?' - but this didn't stop the book from being an engaging, informative page-turner.
October 17, 2022
I have read many books about bees, bumblebees and other insects - mainly by Dave Goulson. Although Thor Hanson is extremely knowledgeable and has a great deal to say about acolyte bees, I struggled to elevate my interest or curiosity with this book. It's not bad or anything, I just didn't feel involved.
July 8, 2018
From BBC radio 4 - Book of the Week:
Dr Thor Hansen on the nature and necessity of bees.
Bees are like oxygen - ubiquitous, essential and, for the most part, unseen. While we might overlook them, they lie at the heart of relationships that bind the human and natural worlds. Dr Hanson takes us on a journey that begins 125 million years ago, when a wasp first dared to feed pollen to its young.
From honeybees and bumbles to lesser-known diggers, miners, leafcutters, and masons, bees have long been central to our harvests, our mythologies, and our very existence. They have given us sweetness and light, the beauty of flowers and as much as a third of the foodstuffs we eat. And, alarmingly, they are at risk of disappearing.
Dr Thor Hanson is a Guggenheim Fellow, a Switzer Environmental Fellow and an award winning author and biologist. His other books include The Triumph of Seeds, The Impenetrable Forest, Feathers and the illustrated children's favorite, Bartholomew Quill. His writing has been translated into more than ten languages and has earned many accolades, including The John Burroughs Medal, the Phi Beta Kappa Award, the AAAS/Subaru SB&F Prize and two Pacific Northwest Book Awards.
Read by Elliot Levey
Abridged by Polly Coles
Produced by Clive Brill
A Brill production for BBC Radio 4.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0b8...
Dr Thor Hansen on the nature and necessity of bees.
Bees are like oxygen - ubiquitous, essential and, for the most part, unseen. While we might overlook them, they lie at the heart of relationships that bind the human and natural worlds. Dr Hanson takes us on a journey that begins 125 million years ago, when a wasp first dared to feed pollen to its young.
From honeybees and bumbles to lesser-known diggers, miners, leafcutters, and masons, bees have long been central to our harvests, our mythologies, and our very existence. They have given us sweetness and light, the beauty of flowers and as much as a third of the foodstuffs we eat. And, alarmingly, they are at risk of disappearing.
Dr Thor Hanson is a Guggenheim Fellow, a Switzer Environmental Fellow and an award winning author and biologist. His other books include The Triumph of Seeds, The Impenetrable Forest, Feathers and the illustrated children's favorite, Bartholomew Quill. His writing has been translated into more than ten languages and has earned many accolades, including The John Burroughs Medal, the Phi Beta Kappa Award, the AAAS/Subaru SB&F Prize and two Pacific Northwest Book Awards.
Read by Elliot Levey
Abridged by Polly Coles
Produced by Clive Brill
A Brill production for BBC Radio 4.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0b8...
Want to read
September 22, 2021I have not yet read this but I would like to note that there is hardly a thing that bees do that isn't done, often better, by other animals. #SaveTheBees has become a hot topic because bees are cute and fuzzy and therefore worth saving, but wasps and other "less desirable" insects pollinate just as much if not more than bees do. Obviously every species is equally worth preserving, from human to mosquito; however, I loathe how the narrative of animal preservation and conservation has been so usurped by BEES BEES BEES that other less fortunate animals suffer as a result. It's the same shit that happened with pandas, who are by all accounts only not extinct due to human intervention: the populace thinks a certain animal is adorable and therefore wants to #SaveThatAnimal. Less so for wasps, vultures, rats, coyotes, sharks, spiders, and countless others whose only crime is a lack of marketability to a fickle audience. Every time someone jokingly-but-in-earnest suggests killing all wasps etc. I want to throttle them, at least a little bit. So yeah, fuck bees, cute and fuzzy-wuzzy as they may be. I'll still read the book though.
December 22, 2019
Enjoyable and informative! Would definitely recommend if you're curious about bees 🐝
Longer review to come... maybe.
Longer review to come... maybe.
January 9, 2021
Bees have been revered by humanity for generations, they have provided honey but most importantly have been key pollinators for the plants that we rely on for foods. Not just honey bees, but other pollinators that we rely on are the more solitary bees that we don’t notice as much. It is these bees that Thor Hanson concentrates on in this book, beginning 125 million years ago, when a wasp first dared to feed pollen to its young.
There are around 20,00 species of bee in the world today and even in the UK, we have 270 different species. Even though we most commonly see honey bees and bumblebees around, 250 of the bees in the UK are solitary bees, diggers, miners, leafcutters, and masons. If you know where to look then finding then isn’t difficult. I have found leafcutter bees in our garden, making homes in the holes in the brickwork of our garage.
Hanson is fascinated by them and is passing that fascination onto his son. He looks at how we have evolved with the help of these insects and how we are dependant on them for the food that we eat, going as far as to dissect a fast food meal to show what would be left if we didn’t have them pollinating flowers. There are photos of some of the species that he covers in the book, I never realise that there were iridescent blue bees, having always imagined them in the usual brown and yellow stripes.
It is an engaging book, Hanson is passionate about his little subjects and that is very evident from his prose. It is very US-centric, and if you want to read more about UK bees then I would recommend Dancing with Bees by Brigit Strawbridge Howard or any of Dave Goulson’s books.
There are around 20,00 species of bee in the world today and even in the UK, we have 270 different species. Even though we most commonly see honey bees and bumblebees around, 250 of the bees in the UK are solitary bees, diggers, miners, leafcutters, and masons. If you know where to look then finding then isn’t difficult. I have found leafcutter bees in our garden, making homes in the holes in the brickwork of our garage.
Hanson is fascinated by them and is passing that fascination onto his son. He looks at how we have evolved with the help of these insects and how we are dependant on them for the food that we eat, going as far as to dissect a fast food meal to show what would be left if we didn’t have them pollinating flowers. There are photos of some of the species that he covers in the book, I never realise that there were iridescent blue bees, having always imagined them in the usual brown and yellow stripes.
It is an engaging book, Hanson is passionate about his little subjects and that is very evident from his prose. It is very US-centric, and if you want to read more about UK bees then I would recommend Dancing with Bees by Brigit Strawbridge Howard or any of Dave Goulson’s books.
October 14, 2018
A wonderful look at the amazing world of bees. Hanson covers not just the typical honey and bumblebees, but also the secret lives of leafcutters, masons, cuckoo (i.e. parasite bees), and alkali bees, among others. Anecdotal stories, discussions with experts, and a good dose of natural history combines in each chapter to give an interesting dive into the life of bees--how our interactions affect them, how they have cleverly coadapted with flowers, how they're essentially vegetarian wasps, and what is being done to try and attract bees to areas that are now devoid of them. Hanson's style is very casual and engaging, making this a quick, yet incredibly informative read for anyone who loves bees and wants a gateway to learning more about them. It's not an exhaustive scientific history of bees, rather a casual call to action and information--perfect to read on the patio while watching the bumbles buzz by.
April 8, 2018
If anything comes across in this book, it's that Thor Hanson loves bees. Not only that, he's actively raising his son to love bees as well. Hanson shifts the focus from the necessity of honeybees (which, of course, are necessary, but so much has been written about honeybees) to other bees: the communal and solitary bees that are absolutely essential pollinators.
If you're thinking about buying those packs of wildflower seeds to encourage bee populations in your area: read this book first! It's vitally important that you go out and identify the bee species in your area and the flowers they feed on/pollinate. And the best way to do that is to actually go out and look. Hanson argues that you don't need to plant anything, but you do need to provide a habitat.
This should be a textbook for anyone who wants to cultivate natural bee populations.
If you're thinking about buying those packs of wildflower seeds to encourage bee populations in your area: read this book first! It's vitally important that you go out and identify the bee species in your area and the flowers they feed on/pollinate. And the best way to do that is to actually go out and look. Hanson argues that you don't need to plant anything, but you do need to provide a habitat.
This should be a textbook for anyone who wants to cultivate natural bee populations.
September 7, 2018
Buzz is a wonderful introduction to the natural history non-fiction and an eye-opening history of bees in culture and why they remain so important to us #savethebees
November 9, 2018
This was just the type of non-fiction book I like reading, which meant that I learned a lot from it without having the feeling I am being lectured to.
Thor Hanson has a wonderful way of explaining the world of bees, as if he is telling the reader about his discoveries as he delves deeper into this fascinating (and essential) group of insects. The passion the author has for his subject is clear and he explained things very well without getting too preachy or scientific. I loved the way he involved his young son occasionally in the narrative, as it is so important we teach our children the importance to take care of the world around us. Teaching our children to love nature is to teach them to love the world.
I enjoyed finding out about various types of bees, their behaviours and the way small changes to their environment can have major consequences. What I took away from this book is that the issues bees seem to have around the globe can be fixed if we only put a bit of effort in.
I read a similar book, Our Native Bees (Paige Embry), last year, which ended up being one of my favourite reads of the year and this one was pretty special as well. I seem to like the subject of bees!
Thor Hanson has a wonderful way of explaining the world of bees, as if he is telling the reader about his discoveries as he delves deeper into this fascinating (and essential) group of insects. The passion the author has for his subject is clear and he explained things very well without getting too preachy or scientific. I loved the way he involved his young son occasionally in the narrative, as it is so important we teach our children the importance to take care of the world around us. Teaching our children to love nature is to teach them to love the world.
I enjoyed finding out about various types of bees, their behaviours and the way small changes to their environment can have major consequences. What I took away from this book is that the issues bees seem to have around the globe can be fixed if we only put a bit of effort in.
I read a similar book, Our Native Bees (Paige Embry), last year, which ended up being one of my favourite reads of the year and this one was pretty special as well. I seem to like the subject of bees!
February 25, 2019
This great book is all about bees; from their evolution from wasps, to the many different subspecies, to how different species have different ways of acting with each other, to their role in our world to the current challenges facing their survival and what things we can do to help.
The author, Thor Hanson is a scientist who did his research including trips to see science experts to trips to Touchet Washington to witness efforts to encourage bee population that help the local alfalfa farms to Central California to see the results of "vacuming" by almond farms leaving no flowers for bees to pollinate and efforts to get almond farmers to adopt alternatives to encourage bee population. And while Hanson is certainly capable of delving into scientific rigor and detail (which was some of us may choose to lightly skim) he then veers with examples that appeal to all of us; using the example of the Real Life Robinson Crusoe whose island had only one color of plants, explaining that was the result of the absence of bees on the island. And the science also veers into quoting poetry such as this by Sarah Coleridge:
I wish we could feel, though it were but in part;
The kindness that glows in a Bumblebee's heart
This book all about bees has something for every reader to have fun while learning
The author, Thor Hanson is a scientist who did his research including trips to see science experts to trips to Touchet Washington to witness efforts to encourage bee population that help the local alfalfa farms to Central California to see the results of "vacuming" by almond farms leaving no flowers for bees to pollinate and efforts to get almond farmers to adopt alternatives to encourage bee population. And while Hanson is certainly capable of delving into scientific rigor and detail (which was some of us may choose to lightly skim) he then veers with examples that appeal to all of us; using the example of the Real Life Robinson Crusoe whose island had only one color of plants, explaining that was the result of the absence of bees on the island. And the science also veers into quoting poetry such as this by Sarah Coleridge:
I wish we could feel, though it were but in part;
The kindness that glows in a Bumblebee's heart
This book all about bees has something for every reader to have fun while learning
October 2, 2022
Hanson is such a wonderful communicator. Every single one of his books is engaging, insightful and funny. Most of all, I love that he's teaching his son to look at his surroundings and pay attention. Their interactions are always a highlight.
This is a book about bees, obviously, but not just honeybees. We learn about solitary bees and bumblebees as well, about whom I know less, so this book was full of surprises. Hanson describes the behaviours of different bees, what it's like to go on a field expedition in order to assess the health of their populations, his chats with farmers, apiculturists and entomologists, and his personal thoughts and observations, as well as a quick run down of people's relationship with bees and honey as an indispensable source of nutrition since hunter-gatherer times up until today, and their significance as pollinators in agriculture. A must-read for anyone interested in bees!
This is a book about bees, obviously, but not just honeybees. We learn about solitary bees and bumblebees as well, about whom I know less, so this book was full of surprises. Hanson describes the behaviours of different bees, what it's like to go on a field expedition in order to assess the health of their populations, his chats with farmers, apiculturists and entomologists, and his personal thoughts and observations, as well as a quick run down of people's relationship with bees and honey as an indispensable source of nutrition since hunter-gatherer times up until today, and their significance as pollinators in agriculture. A must-read for anyone interested in bees!
January 21, 2019
I enjoyed this book. The author was really self-deprecating and had a quite personal voice that made the book accessible to anyone. He really cared about the bees on a kind level. I appreciated that. What I was struck by most was the relationship of bees and flowers. I liked learning about how flowers grow to attract bees. I am going to start growing more flowers for bees in my garden and you can bet I will be studying those bees with what knowledge I learned from the book.
If you have a passing interest in bees then you will learn from and enjoy this book.
If you have a passing interest in bees then you will learn from and enjoy this book.
April 10, 2020
This was fascinating. I didn't know that I'd ever be this interested in bees, but here we are. Hanson does a wonderful job balancing all the science-y jargon with layman's terms. The content was accessible to a general audience, and was full of easily digestible information about bees. There are plenty of anecdotes and photographs thrown in as well, so the writing feels more like you're having a conversation with the author versus reading an academic study. It was refreshing. I'm glad I read this, and I feel like I learned a lot from it.
If you have even the slightest curiosity about bees, this would be a great read to pick up!
If you have even the slightest curiosity about bees, this would be a great read to pick up!
July 10, 2018
I was given an advanced review e-copy of uncorrected page proofs from the publisher through NetGalley. I'd love to see the final book because all of the images were in gray-scale. That and I'd like to share it. Lately I have too many books to read - assigned and by choice - but I read this over the entire weekend.
If asked to reduce this love affair to one word, I would choose habitat. Mr. Hanson repeats that theme/concept/perspective multiple many times throughout his book, but gently, as part of the story, and not in-your-face. It needs to be in our faces, though, because we are destroying the habitats of so many species that are vital. "Ideal habitat", "perfect habitat", "limited habitat", "diversity of habitats", "nesting habitats"... "habit [...] eroding"...
Hanson is quick to inform that while honeybees are the widest known, and are in the news the most for their decline, they are only some species of the more than 20,000 identified species in the world. Not generally known, even by agriculturists who stand to benefit from the knowledge, is the relationships of the particular bees species that best serve fertilization of particular crops, and the habitats necessary to sustain a symbiotic bonds. Worse, with our increased production, we run risks (I'll risk a quote myself, noting this isn't the final copy of the book):
Among the abundance of information here, I found this nugget interesting (okay, I found lots of nuggets): when researching the history of bee/human relationship, Hanson describes research into how it might tie to human evolution - how Australopithecus, with a massive jaw and molars could lead to Homo, with smaller jaws and teeth and a greater brain capacity. Common theories point to tools development and hunting richer foods, but some anthropologist are linking honey - incredibly energy-rich - to that brain explosion. New analysis techniques "can pinpoint lingering chemical fingerprints from even the tiniest stains and residues." Anthropologists used to wash tooth specimens for display but now know that fossil plaque contains "a surprising amount of information about ancient diets, and it can even hint at social behavior." Science helps science!
The story of bees cannot avoid the hard truth of Colony Collapse Disorder, sudden and too often evidence-less, though seemingly decreasing in frequency, crisis in mass die-offs of hives. Finding reasons for the bee population declines lead to what are called the "four Ps": parasites, poor nutrition, pesticides, and pathogens. Of those four threats, poor nutrition is probably the least obvious, but as one researcher says: "People look across a park or a golf course and think it;s green and lush, but to a bee it's like a desert or petrified forest - there's nothing to survive on." Telling. To those four, though, must also be added N for nesting habitat (there's that word again), I for invasive species, and CC...the danger with so many complications: climate change. An oversimplified example is plants flowering earlier before bees emerge from nests, too late for the preferred food.
I knew some of bees, enough to want to read more though clearly not enough having read this. Hanson does a beautiful job explaining in accessible terms the histories of bees, some on different species, the biology/anatomy, the interaction, and the decline and loss. This is a story, and it is Hanson's, but it is also all of ours. It is wonderfully told, not academic though bursting with obviously deeply researched information.
A note on the notes: I am not a fan of end notes not referenced directly in the text. I know that is increasingly done so as to not interrupt the reading flow or make the book seem academic, but I find it irritating to find them at the end and then have to flip back and find the reference on a page. And if I happen to check before starting, it is even more annoying to know there are cites, but flipping back and forth "just in case" disrupts more than a simple superscript. But that's me. Some books don't even provide citations, so there's a win. And I'm not dinging the format...this is excellent.
If asked to reduce this love affair to one word, I would choose habitat. Mr. Hanson repeats that theme/concept/perspective multiple many times throughout his book, but gently, as part of the story, and not in-your-face. It needs to be in our faces, though, because we are destroying the habitats of so many species that are vital. "Ideal habitat", "perfect habitat", "limited habitat", "diversity of habitats", "nesting habitats"... "habit [...] eroding"...
Hanson is quick to inform that while honeybees are the widest known, and are in the news the most for their decline, they are only some species of the more than 20,000 identified species in the world. Not generally known, even by agriculturists who stand to benefit from the knowledge, is the relationships of the particular bees species that best serve fertilization of particular crops, and the habitats necessary to sustain a symbiotic bonds. Worse, with our increased production, we run risks (I'll risk a quote myself, noting this isn't the final copy of the book):
When farmers and orchards devote hundreds or thousands of acres to a single crop, it creates a brief and intense flowering period that often overwhelms local bee populations, particularly in highly cultivated landscapes with limited nesting habitat.So, a stopgap solution is a cottage industry of pollination services...mobile hives for rent. The problems with this should be obvious: transportation can be harmful to the health of bees; not all bees are adapted to general pollination - many need specific habitats and food sources. Now, the purveyors do tend to ship around the kinds of bees that can pollinate different crops, but that is still not a sustainable solution (hint: native bee populations is a solution.)
Among the abundance of information here, I found this nugget interesting (okay, I found lots of nuggets): when researching the history of bee/human relationship, Hanson describes research into how it might tie to human evolution - how Australopithecus, with a massive jaw and molars could lead to Homo, with smaller jaws and teeth and a greater brain capacity. Common theories point to tools development and hunting richer foods, but some anthropologist are linking honey - incredibly energy-rich - to that brain explosion. New analysis techniques "can pinpoint lingering chemical fingerprints from even the tiniest stains and residues." Anthropologists used to wash tooth specimens for display but now know that fossil plaque contains "a surprising amount of information about ancient diets, and it can even hint at social behavior." Science helps science!
The story of bees cannot avoid the hard truth of Colony Collapse Disorder, sudden and too often evidence-less, though seemingly decreasing in frequency, crisis in mass die-offs of hives. Finding reasons for the bee population declines lead to what are called the "four Ps": parasites, poor nutrition, pesticides, and pathogens. Of those four threats, poor nutrition is probably the least obvious, but as one researcher says: "People look across a park or a golf course and think it;s green and lush, but to a bee it's like a desert or petrified forest - there's nothing to survive on." Telling. To those four, though, must also be added N for nesting habitat (there's that word again), I for invasive species, and CC...the danger with so many complications: climate change. An oversimplified example is plants flowering earlier before bees emerge from nests, too late for the preferred food.
I knew some of bees, enough to want to read more though clearly not enough having read this. Hanson does a beautiful job explaining in accessible terms the histories of bees, some on different species, the biology/anatomy, the interaction, and the decline and loss. This is a story, and it is Hanson's, but it is also all of ours. It is wonderfully told, not academic though bursting with obviously deeply researched information.
A note on the notes: I am not a fan of end notes not referenced directly in the text. I know that is increasingly done so as to not interrupt the reading flow or make the book seem academic, but I find it irritating to find them at the end and then have to flip back and find the reference on a page. And if I happen to check before starting, it is even more annoying to know there are cites, but flipping back and forth "just in case" disrupts more than a simple superscript. But that's me. Some books don't even provide citations, so there's a win. And I'm not dinging the format...this is excellent.
June 8, 2020
a fine natural history of wild bees, mostly from North America. this is one of those books where on any given page a reader could follow threads (of entomology, biology, history, botany, and at times art, anthropology, and geography and more) for lifetimes of reading.
there are some parts on the honey bee, but mostly deals with bumblebees, mason, digger , sweat, and wasps too. has photos, drawings, great endnotes, bibliography and index.
there are some parts on the honey bee, but mostly deals with bumblebees, mason, digger , sweat, and wasps too. has photos, drawings, great endnotes, bibliography and index.
October 8, 2020
My fourth Hanson book,. and he continues to inspire and educate me. Here we explore the world of native bees, not just honey bees. It's distressing to learn about stressors on the population, but we also learn how people are working to help restore habitats and are encouraged with ways we can help bees locally. Hanson seems so approachable both in his ideas and as a person. I loved that his son made many appearances through out Hanson's enthusiasm for his subject is contagious.
September 3, 2018
Very good book on mostly native bees, but also touches on things like the history of bees and human relationships with bees. Well written and very engaging. Not at all depressing, Hanson spends the bulk of his time telling us why bees are amazing and worthy of our interest, and then the last little bit telling us we should be worried but also giving us hope - a perfect balance, carefully calculated to garner the maximum amount of investment in bees from his readers. Worked for me. Recommended.
August 17, 2018
Enlightening summary about bees, and the current concern about their dwindling numbers, especially in North American. The author writes in an accessible style as he explains the science but I was hoping for more beyond a handful of anecdotes about possible solutions. Recommended, well written.
May 13, 2019
🐝🐝🐝 Perhaps the highest compliment I can pay to this book is that I was afraid of bess when I first picked it up but, after the first few chapters, I started looking for them every time I walk by flowers. I stare at bees now, transfixed, in awe of their work and their beauty. 🐝🐝🐝
August 16, 2018
A fascinating look into the lives of bees, their history, the issues they currently face and possibly the future. It's an interesting and easy read.
September 17, 2019
It’s always hard reviewing non fiction. But you need to know your bees.
June 24, 2022
This is a book that's better to read in chunks instead of all at once, so it took me a while to get through it. But I had a blast and learned a lot.
I really appreciate the author's writing style and how he's able to weave in funny stories and observations while delivering the science. It really helps to keep the reader engaged and make the facts more memorable because they can be tied to a highlight.
I really appreciate the author's writing style and how he's able to weave in funny stories and observations while delivering the science. It really helps to keep the reader engaged and make the facts more memorable because they can be tied to a highlight.
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