Bees

Book Description

In 1923 Rudolf Steiner predicted the dire state of the honeybee today. He said that, within fifty to eighty years, we would see the consequences of mechanizing the forces that had previously operated organically in the beehive. Such practices include breeding queen bees artificially.

The fact that over sixty percent of the American honeybee population has died during the past ten years, and that this trend is continuing around the world, should make us aware of the importance of the issues discussed in these lectures. Steiner began this series of lectures on bees in response to a question from an audience of workers at the Goetheanum.

From physical depictions of the daily activities of bees to the most elevated esoteric insights, these lectures describe the unconscious wisdom of the beehive and its connection to our experience of health, culture, and the cosmos.

Bees is essential reading for anyone interested in understanding the true nature of the honeybee, as well as those who wish to heal the contemporary crisis of the beehive. Bees includes an essay by David Adams From Queen Bee to Social Sculpture: The Artistic Alchemy of Joseph Beuys.

Book Description

The Bees of the World is the definitive reference work on the apiformes. Written by Charles D. Michener, the world's leading authority on bee systematics, The Bees of the World is the only comprehensive, worldwide treatment of all groups of bees -- 1,200 genera and subgenera, including more than 16,000 species.

In extensive introductory sections, Michener examines the evolution of bees from wasps, the relations of the families of bees to one another, the evolution of bees in relation to that of flowering plants, the nesting behavior of solitary and social bees, and the structure of immature and adult bees. Drawing on these considerations as well as the fossil record, he speculates on the attributes of the protobee, the common ancestor of all bees. He also cites the major literature on bee biology and describes the need for further research on the systematics and natural history of bees, including their importance as pollinators of crops and natural vegetation. The greater part of the work consists of an unprecedented treatment of bee systematics, with keys (many of them regional) for identification to the subgenus level. For each genus or subgenus, Michener includes a brief natural history describing geographical range, number of species, and noteworthy information pertaining to nesting or floral biology.

The work is beautifully illustrated with 48 color photos of bees, and more than 500 black and white drawings and photographs that depict behavior, detailed morphology, and ecology."At least since the time of Aristotle people have been interested in bees because they are fascinating creatures. We are social animals; some bees are also social. Their interactions and communications, which make their colonial life function, have long been matters of interest; we wonder how a tiny brain can react appropriately to societal problems similar to those also faced by other social animals, such as humans." -- from The Bees of the World

Customer Reviews:

The Bees of the Worldýa must-have book.......2002-09-14

Anybody with a serious interest in bees -- and by that I don't mean just honey bees and beekeeping, but the thousands of other species that provide the fundamental service of pollination in both natural and agricultural ecosystems -- must seriously consider getting this book. It will be an invaluable resource for both those studying insects and those studying plants, for plant conservation is intimately wrapped up with the survival of their pollinators.

This is a magnum opus in both senses of the word. It is a big book, with over 900 pages, containing a wealth of information on bees. It is also a product of over half a century's research and learning by the world's foremost authority on bees, Charles Michener. His efforts, and those of the subsequent generations of researchers spawned from his lab at the University of Kansas, have been the foundation of our current state of bee knowledge.

At first glance, the book might appear intimidating: a heavy tome printed in a small font size, with black-and-white diagrams. The only respite seems to be a series of gorgeous color plates featuring the amazing photos of Edward S. Ross and Paul Westrich. A few minutes with it will quickly show you that it is a rich source of accurate information, and despite its technical content, well written and readable.

Broken into a series of sections, it provides complete coverage of bees and their biology. The first is a general discussion of bee biology (nesting, floral relationships, parasites, sociality, etc.); the second, explains the structure of bees and their origins; the third, bee taxonomy; and the fourth, (the bulk of the book) contains keys to identify bees and chapters on each family or subfamily with notes on each genera (distribution, floral preference, if any, etc.). This is accompanied by an extensive bibliography and reference list. This book will not only help you understand the ecological requirements of bees but also enable you to identify them to sub-genus level.

The price might deter you; it certainly gave me pause for thought. Having finally taken the plunge and purchased a copy I have no qualms at all about the expense. This is an astonishing work of scholarship. To have so much information gathered into one volume is invaluable. This is likely to remain the standard work of reference for many years.

Matthew Shepherd
Pollinator Program Director, The Xerces Society

Bees of the World--A definative work.......2000-09-01

If you work on bees, you will need to get a copy of Mich's Bees of the World. There is no way around it.

Some 16,000 bee species are placed to genus, and the indentification guides (keys and illustrations) are the best yet.

Amazon.com

Holley Bishop loves bees. No, more than that: she idolizes them. She marvels at their native abilities and the momentous role these misunderstood and unjustly feared creatures have played in the development of human history. And with her book, Robbing the Bees, she succeeds in making the reader love bees, too. Take this nifty bit of information, one of countless fascinating factoids offered by Bishop in her celebration of all things bee-related: "Because of bees' starring role in the drama of pollination, we humans are indebted to them, directly and indirectly, for a third of our food supply. Visiting bees are required for the commercial production of more than a hundred of our most important crops including alfalfa, garlic, apples, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, citrus, melons, onion, almonds, turnips, parsley, sunflower, cranberries, and clover." Or how about this: "For the past decade, the American military has been testing [bees'] potential as special agents in the war on drugs and terrorism. Bees are as sensitive to odor as dogs and can be trained to buzz in on drugs, explosives, landmines, and chemical weapons." Beat that as a winning opening gambit at a cocktail party. And that ain't all. Bishop charts the evolution of honey and beeswax harvesting through the ages, gives us an up-close look inside working beehives from ancient Egypt to the present day, interviews beekeepers, quotes bee chroniclers past and present (from Charles Darwin to contemporary Florida beekeeper Donald Smiley), reveals her rather clumsy foray into beekeeping in candid detail, studies bees' impact on religion and history, and provides a selection of innovative recipes calling for honey. Through it all, Bishop never loses sight of the star if the show--the humble honey bee--or the crucial but largely unrewarded role they continue to play on our planet. And she does it with snappy prose and keen humor. Dogs be warned: if Bishop has her way, bees will be the it pet of the future, or at least less likely to die at the end of a folded newspaper next time one buzzes in through an open window. --Kim Hughes

Book Description

Honey has been waiting almost ten million years for a good biography. Bees have been making this prized food -- for centuries the world's only sweetener -- for millennia, but we humans started recording our fascination with it only in the past few thousand years. Part history, part love letter, Robbing the Bees is a celebration of bees and their magical produce, revealing the varied roles of bees and honey in nature, world civilization, business, and gastronomy.

To help navigate the worlds and cultures of honey, Bishop -- beekeeper, writer, and honey aficionado -- apprentices herself to Donald Smiley, a professional beekeeper who harvests tupelo honey in the Florida panhandle. She intersperses the lively lore and science of honey with lyrical reflections on her own and Smiley's beekeeping experiences. Its passionate research, rich detail, and fascinating anecdote and illustrations make Holley Bishop's Robbing the Bees a sumptuous look at the oldest, most delectable food in the world.

Customer Reviews:

Editor Needed!.......2007-08-23

Good book if you can skip over the extraneous bits. Alot of un-necessary information. Author has interesting story to tell, but when she gets into a whole section about how the bee-keeper mistakenly painted his house some bright color of pink and there's no connection to bees here, she loses me. Book is another in my collection of 1/2 read tomes.

excellent!.......2007-02-18

an excellent bio of honey, bees, beekeeping and the role the three subjects have in history and our lives. great read.

Robbing the Bees: A Biography of Honey.......2007-01-13

This is one of the best books I have read. Makes me want to get a bee hive for my back yard. Very interesting facts about bees and honey. Every high school/middle school science class should read this book. I liked it so much I bought it for friends.

How sweet it is...........2006-12-16

Occasionally an engaging book doesn't conform to its title and gains from the misapplication. Bishop's is such a piece. She blends introspection, scientific inquiry, journalism, and historical research in a splendid way that the title of her bee book cannot contain. Her varied perspectives and zoom-lens segues explore not simply the "biography" of honey but also a slice-of-life examination of a hardworking, seasoned Florida panhandle beekeeper named Don Smiley. In fact, his good life with his bees is the inspiring story that anchors the book. With her sophisticated down-home manner, Bishop excels in portraying Smiley's single-minded concern for his bees, his love for the swamp, and his pride in his Tupelo honey business. With the contrasting gulf of inexperience in mind, self-deprecating Bishop conveys her own feelings toward her hive-tending gaffes.
Woven in with the confidence of Smiley and the confessions of Bishop are fascinating glimpses into bee biology and natural history. From cover to cover this book is filled with interesting details though there's really no telling where the chapters will go. Bishop touches upon the nineteenth century innovations and inventions that transformed the global flow of honey. But then we jump off of an incoming Dutch Gold truck, tour the factory in Lancaster, PA and learn how honey bear packaging was invented. Our nation's regulation problems with imported honey are explained. For good measure, we also find out about a variety of products that have more to do with bees than honey--such as bee venom, propolis, pollen and beeswax. As Bishop's hymn to all things apian comes to a close, she leaves us with a few recipes, some ancient and some modern.
All honey robbers would do well to buy this book--rob your bees but not your local bookstore. Raise a toast of mead to the author for her fine accomplishment. It's all for the best if the title of Bishop's book is strained because she has bottled up a sweet, pure product. Salud.

Buzzing with Enthusiasm for this Book! .......2006-11-06

You know, when I picked up this book, I had no idea I would enjoy it so much. I am researching for down the line when I buy a house, considering some minor beekeeping in my future and this was recommended to me by my local librarian (yea librarians!). I'm not sorry I picked this up...it's written in such an unabashed loving way that one cannot help but be as exited as Bishop and Smiley about bee's and beekeeping. I was also quite pleased to find an extensive history of bees; beekeeping, honey, and wax were a part of the book. I thoroughly enjoyed the way the story was divided between following Bishop as she discovered her own love of beekeeping, her interviews and following of Smiley on his beekeeping farm in Florida (following his rounds and seasons was very fascinating and who know it was such hard work), and finally the sections on the history. These were woven together quite well and as a whole provide the reader with a solid foundation that is also filled with love and enthusiasm for bees and their honey. I'd recommend it to anyone interested in doing a little beekeeping of their own (not as a how to, rather as a first step in becoming more familiar with the process and history of it)...heck, if you like honey, you'll probably like this book! I'll be adding a copy to my permanent library very soon!!

Average customer rating:

good information, but. . . .

Bees of the World (Of the World)
Christopher O'Toole , and Anthony Raw
Manufacturer: Facts on File
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0816057125

Customer Reviews:

good information, but. . . ........2003-06-30

I like this book a fair amount. It's an overview of the bees of the world, with good no nonsense information about miners, masons, carpenters, and so on as well as the more social bees. I especially loved their effective use of diagrams for the shapes of various bees' nests.

The thing I didn't like was their intrusive and oftentimes nonsensical (and certainly slavish) adherence to the nonsensical notion that the natural world is based on strict competition. They bend over backwards to try to show that the activities of all bees are based on competition, and they strain to use crazy metaphors to support this view. Instead of perceiving bees and flowers as a wonderful example of the way that different members of natural communities work together for the benefit of the larger community, they actually resort to citing Adam Smith and The Wealth of Nations as bee/plant interactions being a form of selfish capitalism!!![.] It's nonsense.

One other problem, and this is one reason I hate science. I'll just give a quote. Speaking of a bee being driven to extinction by logging, they say, "Recent reports of forestry activities on Bacan give rise to concern that the bee might become extinct before yielding up the secrets of its biology." If the authors weren't "free market scientists" they would be ashamed of this statement. It implies: Who cares if the creature goes extinct for its own sake? We just need to mine the knowledge before it does.

Book Description

Chapters cover the folklore of bees and bee culture—from Egyptian, Babylonian, and other ancient sources to practices in modern Europe. Rare illustrations of bees, hives, and beekeepers as they appear in paintings and sculpture; on coins, jewelry, and Mayan glyphs; and carved into African tree trunks.

Customer Reviews:

what a great tool!.......2006-07-16

this book has been of utmost help to me, since I've been working on my degree essay, which concerns the symbol of the bee in the poetry of Pindar, Theocritus and Callimachus.
The information in this book is very very wide as far as time and peoples are concerned.
the perfect tool for a philologist or an anthropologist (even an archaeologist) who is doing research in the relative field.

The Tales of Tiptoes Lightly: The Bee Who Lost His Buzz, Pumpkin Crow, Lucy Goose and the Half-Egg

Average customer rating:

Great Bedtime Reading
My Children and I love this Book
A wonderful book for children!
A smashing success!!!

The Tales of Tiptoes Lightly: The Bee Who Lost His Buzz, Pumpkin Crow, Lucy Goose and the Half-Egg
Reg Down
Manufacturer: Trafford Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1412042119
Release Date: 2006-07-06

Product Description

Tiptoes Lightly lives in an acorn high up in the branches of a Great Oak Tree. One morning she finds a note lying on her floor. It says: "Please help! Bee has lost his Buzz!". She and her friend, Jeremy Mouse, set off down Running River to help the hapless bee. Mr. Cactus, being extra grumpy, indeed, extra thorny, has snagged Bee's buzz on one of his thorns. Thus begins the adventure that takes Tiptoes to the house of Pine Cone and Pepper Pot (they're not at home - just yet), down to the sea to untangle Octopus (he's too young to count his legs properly and gets them mixed up), and even up to Snowy Mountain to find out from Jack Frost himself whether he is a gnome (Pepper Pot says he's a gnome because he makes crystals) or a fairy (Tiptoes says he's a fairy because he flies through the air). Jack Frost tells his own creation myth which answers the question in a powerful and striking way.

The Tales of Tiptoes Lightly is comprised of three adventures: 'The Bee who lost his Buzz', 'Pumpkin Crow' and 'Lucy Goose and the Half-egg.' Lavishly and lovingly illustrated by the artist-author, they are humorous, sanguine and droll. They are innocent and magical nature tales, suitable for reading to young children or for young children to read.

Please visit trafford.com/05-0292, also by Reg Down.

Customer Reviews:

Great Bedtime Reading.......2006-12-03

My preschool children love this book. It works especially well at nap or bedtime, when each chapter can stand alone as a short story, but with a continuing story arc between chapters. The nature and fairy/gnome imagery works well within the Waldorf early childhood curriculum, and the stories have moments of humor to amuse parents as well.

My Children and I love this Book.......2006-11-16

This is a favorite in our house. We have read and reread this book during bedtime. Reg also wrote another book about Tiptoes that we love and highly recommend.

A wonderful book for children!.......2006-09-04

We got this book for our daughter when she was three. Now that she is four, she continues to love the stories in this trilogy and asks for them every night before bed. They are wonderfully written and short (a page or two), making them well suited for an evening bedtime story.

A smashing success!!!.......2005-04-23

"The Tales of Tiptoes Lightly" is an absolutely delightful little book of magical adventures. In today's world of technology and cartoons, Reg Down successfully creates a refreshing encounter with the brilliance of a child's world. The imaginative pictures, names, stories and characters blend into a canvas of wonder and delight suitable for the growing child and his imagination. I highly recommend this book to any parent who wishes their son or daughter to experience the wonders of childhood imaginings at their fullest and most vibrant.

The World History of Beekeeping and Honey Hunting

Average customer rating:

Great on detail, not an easy night's read.
The world history of beekeeping

The World History of Beekeeping and Honey Hunting
Eva Crane
Manufacturer: Routledge
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0415924677

Book Description

This definitive work by world-renowned bee authority Eva Crane offers a fascinating account of bees and their complex relations with both humans and animals. Comprehensive, absorbing, and lavishly illustrated, this scholarly, yet accessible volume explores how bees, honey and other bee products have been gathered and utilized throughout the world.

Beginning with the rock paintings of the Mesolithic cave dwellers, readers will learn about the variety of methods used by human beekeepers, the stratagems used by animal honey-hunters, and the multitude of products humans have derived from bees. The first in-depth book on the subject, the World History of Beekeeping and Honey-Hunting is the ultimate work on bees for scholars in biology and the life sciences, professional and amateur beekeepers, and anyone who is interested in bees or the collection of honey.

Customer Reviews:

Great on detail, not an easy night's read........2007-07-05

If you are scientifically-minded and love lots of little details, this is a great book for you. Eva Crane has well-documented her resources, and if you can get through all the details, you find great stories as to the origin and development of beekeeping in different cultures. However, this is not a storybook, or a book you might expect a child to read - it is stock full of info. I personally love this book, and think it is well-worth the high price. However, it is not a book for everyone.

The world history of beekeeping.......2007-05-12

If you are at all interested in bees or you are a beekeeper this is the book for you!
Eva Crane has just about left no stone unturned in her research for this book and has covered all four corners of the Globe.
The evolution of beekeeping is fascinating and this book cover an increadable time line from early man right up to present time.
The illustrations are plentiful and very well presented throughout the book.
A must for any beekeepers library.

I Want It Now: Navigating Childhood in a Materialistic World

Average customer rating:

Very helpful and Insightful

I Want It Now: Navigating Childhood in a Materialistic World
Donna Bee-Gates
Manufacturer: Palgrave Macmillan
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1403973261
Release Date: 2006-12-26

Book Description

In today's world of mega-stores and shop-til-you-drop mentality, people are spending more money than ever in an attempt to find fulfillment in their lives--and children are no exception. In fact, children and teens spend billions of dollars a year on clothes, entertainment, and fast food. In I Want It Now, Dr. Donna Bee-Gates helps parents to understand how this culture of instant gratification influences their own and their children's spending habits. Bee-Gates discusses how using material goods as rewards or as emotional compensation affects young people's social and psychological development and the ways in which parents can counter materialism by fostering a strong self-concept, concern for others, and a sense of life's purpose in their children.

Customer Reviews:

Very helpful and Insightful.......2007-03-21

I am enjoying this book! It has helped me to identify specific things about our approach to materialistic things and how to change.

Average customer rating:

Sleepy bee blues
Cumulative story
Enjoyable book
Enjoyable book

The Rose in My Garden
Arnold Lobel
Manufacturer: HarperTrophy
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0688122655
Release Date: 1993-03-26

Book Description

Start with a single rose. Add hollyhocks and marigold, sunflowers and zinnias. VoilÀ! A quiet, tranquil, beautiful garden grows before your eyes. But who's that hiding in the corner?

This cumulative story by the creators of On Market street, which won a Caldecott Honor Book Award, is sure to be a perennial favorite with youngsters -- and gardeners -- everywhere.

Customer Reviews:

Sleepy bee blues.......2004-10-18

If you are at all familiar with that classic nursery rhyme, "The House That Jack Built", then you will find Arnold and Anita Lobel's beautiful, "The Rose In My Garden" to be a fine floral form of that already existing style. Using repetitive lines and pictures that, to my mind, are the finest Anita Lobel illustrations existing to date, the book is a perfect accompaniment to any leisurely summer storytime.

Our very first image is of a beautiful red rose in the corner of a page. Says the text, "This is the rose in my garden". Next we see a bee that sleeps in the rose in the garden. Then we view the hollyhocks that give shade to the bee that sleeps on the rose in the garden. From there we are privy to marigolds that stand by the hollyhocks that shade the bee asleep on the rose in the garden. And so on. A variety of different flowers appear and for a second it looks as if this book is no more than a mildly interesting catalogue of flora and fauna. That is, until we meet a small mouse, "quaking in fear". Before you know it a cat has burst through the flowers, wreaking such havoc as pushing the peonies and startling the lilies. All looks lost for the mouse... until the cat wakes the bee asleep in the rose. The final two page image includes a black and white penned shot of an unhappy cat with a bandage on its nose and a parting shot of, once more, the rose in the garden.

The book has a kind of lazy languid attitude to it that works beautifully with the illustrations. Methinks this would read best to those kids that are already in a sleepy state of mind. Aside from the raucous appearance of the cat and mouse chase sequence, very little occurs in this story. Parents who don't know the difference between a peony and a zinnia may take more out of this story than their kids. On the other hand, it's just gosh darn lovely to look at. Ms. Lobel usually draws in an odd cartoony style (ala her somewhat bizarre, "A Treeful of Pigs"), but the only slightly silly shots in this book are of the cat and mouse. Kids who identify with the cat won't appreciate the bee's sudden sting to its nose, but it's not exactly harrowing. They'll deal.

Of the Anita and Arnold Lobel collaborations out there, this one is probably the quietest. I've a special place in my heart for their remarkable, "On Market Street" (their best work) but this book is also worth taking a gander too. Consider it recommended for those children that are patient enough to wade through long descriptive passages to get to the excitement at the book's end.

Cumulative story.......2003-08-10

The story is cute, but it is told in the cumulative manner, as in "The House that Jack Built." I would not recommend it for any child who can read more than a few words--maybe ages 4-6, but definitely not 4-8. The artwork is nice, though.

Enjoyable book.......2000-05-04

I enjoyed reading this book to my children for several reasons. The pictures were nicely drawn and colorful. My five year old liked to watch a new insect appear on each page and I helped her identify each type of flower that was featured as the story of the bee sleeping in the Rose unfolded. The style of the story was repetitive and progressive, in a ". . . the house that Jack built" way, which appeals to young readers. The rhymes were fun, and some lines had internal rhymes as well.

Enjoyable book.......2000-05-04

Average customer rating:

World of Irises

Manufacturer: American Iris Society
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0960124217

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