What do you think?
Rate this book
Bees of the World: A Guide to Every Family
A beautifully illustrated introduction to the incredible variety of bees from around the world
When many people think of bees, they are likely to picture the western domesticated honey bee, insects that live in large, socially complex societies inside a hive with a single queen and thousands of workers. But this familiar bee is just one of more than 20,000 species of bees--and almost none of the others is anything like it. In Bees of the World, Laurence Packer, one of the world's foremost experts on wild bees, celebrates the amazing diversity of bees--from size and appearance to nests and social organization.
Providing clear, accurate accounts of the seven bee families, Bees of the World presents all the key information on generic characteristics, habits, and habitat, illustrated with incredible and often rare photographs that show bees in their natural habitats--foraging, nesting, raising their young, and more. The book reveals the secrets of these extraordinary insects as well as their importance in the global ecosystem and the ways humans can help protect them.
Provides a richly illustrated exploration of bees from around the world
Examines more than 100 genera of bees, giving a taste of the remarkable breadth of bee appearance and biology
Explores bee anatomy, behavior, classification, evolution, life cycle, and habitats
When many people think of bees, they are likely to picture the western domesticated honey bee, insects that live in large, socially complex societies inside a hive with a single queen and thousands of workers. But this familiar bee is just one of more than 20,000 species of bees--and almost none of the others is anything like it. In Bees of the World, Laurence Packer, one of the world's foremost experts on wild bees, celebrates the amazing diversity of bees--from size and appearance to nests and social organization.
Providing clear, accurate accounts of the seven bee families, Bees of the World presents all the key information on generic characteristics, habits, and habitat, illustrated with incredible and often rare photographs that show bees in their natural habitats--foraging, nesting, raising their young, and more. The book reveals the secrets of these extraordinary insects as well as their importance in the global ecosystem and the ways humans can help protect them.
Provides a richly illustrated exploration of bees from around the world
Examines more than 100 genera of bees, giving a taste of the remarkable breadth of bee appearance and biology
Explores bee anatomy, behavior, classification, evolution, life cycle, and habitats
240 pages, Hardcover
Published February 14, 2023
5 people are currently reading
73 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
October 14, 2023
This is a new book from Princeton University Press. Bees of the World by
Laurence Packer. I often find Princeton books have great photos and drawings as well as plenty of detail. However, the book is not for the casual reader as it is so detailed and technical. The biggest drawback for me is that this publisher loves glossy pages and very thin and small fonts. I can only read a little at a time, with my rarely used reading glasses in bright light. Even then, italics and Latn names are impossible for me to see.
Apparently, if you are interested in more technical books and have a need to learn new things, you had better have incredible vision. I recommend it if you do have good vision, but I cannot vouch for its correctness as it is not only impossible for me to read, but it is way out of my knowledge of bees.
Laurence Packer. I often find Princeton books have great photos and drawings as well as plenty of detail. However, the book is not for the casual reader as it is so detailed and technical. The biggest drawback for me is that this publisher loves glossy pages and very thin and small fonts. I can only read a little at a time, with my rarely used reading glasses in bright light. Even then, italics and Latn names are impossible for me to see.
Apparently, if you are interested in more technical books and have a need to learn new things, you had better have incredible vision. I recommend it if you do have good vision, but I cannot vouch for its correctness as it is not only impossible for me to read, but it is way out of my knowledge of bees.
May 1, 2023
Very informative about bees. Most think bees are all like honey bees: hives of collections of drones, a queen, combs full of honey, and little fuzzy bumbles covered in pollen. Many don't have fuzz. Many don't live in colonies. Many don't produce consumable honey for anything but their larvae. Bees are fascinating, and many are so very important to our food production. Without them we'd not have many fruits and vegetables. I was fascinated by some of the bee forms, especially the ones with front limbs almost like a preying mantis. Found this at the library but I'm going to have to purchase a copy. I want to delve deeper than the skim read I did.
February 18, 2024
A very clear guide to the bees and explaining the species/families. Complete with full colour pictures, map of where they are found and habitats/habits.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews