Bees: Nature's Little Wonders

by Candace Savage

The bee may have a brain the size of a grass seed, but in its brief, five-week life it works as a brood nurse, wax producer, comb builder, honey maker, home guard, and floral forager. Nature's Little Wonders invites readers to take a new look at creatures that are both familiar and wondrously odd. It considers the diversity and biology of bees, including their peculiar sociosexual arrangements (pity the poor drone), their quirky relationships with flowers, and their startling mental What are we to make of insects that communicate through symbolic dances? The book also addresses the mysterious syndrome known as colony collapse disorder and identifies opportunities for the conservation of pollinators. Enriched with cultural sidebars and complemented by a stunning collection of images, Bees is a must-read for conservationists, gardeners, and everyone else who cares about the world around them.

Genres: Nonfiction, Nature, Science, Natural History, Animals, Canada

144 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 2008

Reviews

[RKanimalkingdom · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am not a tremendous lover of bees.

Don't get me wrong, I understand their value and will definitely advocate for their conservation. They are an extremely vital part of our ecosystem, hell our existence is utterly reliant on them. But I don't like insects......

I can't explain why I don't like them, just that a violent shudder comes upon me and I am not longer at ease. They have creepy eyes and that incessant buzzing sound created when their wings flap against each other drives me to madness.

But rather than go on disliking them, I should take the opportunity to learn more about them no?
So I picked up this book.

Savage does a good job with educating the reader scientifically and culturally on the importance of bees. It's a good introduction to the world of bees. Information is told to you in little chunks that are broken by images, drawings, and quotes of and about bees. The drawings I adored, the images/pictures, not so much. I ended up learning a lot more than I originally thought and was quite proud of myself for sticking to the book despite my daily disgust and looking at close up of some bee.

I will end only by saying that no matter how hard we work, we will never come close to the amount of work a bee does. The bee truly embodies the saying of working till death. The way the hive operates is a symphony that no maestro can perform to perfection.
Thank You Bees.

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I expected to find out how little I actually know about my garden helpers, and I was right.

Savage described some experiments designed to find out something about the ability of bees to solve problems. All that's required in the way of materials is a little sugar water, and then there are a whole range of possible things to do to observe bee behaviors. The kids and I will be doing some experimenting. I just hope that the wasps don't overwhelm the bees.

Okay. I already have several bee boxes so the pollinators can overwinter in my yard safely. Now I want a hive with glass sides so I can observe honeybees. I guess I'll be doing some research on-line.

One last comment, don't be turned off by that info in chapter one that Savage refers to as 'Stinging Insects 101.' Too many science writers think a person needs 'background info' before they start writing about the topic at hand. Totally wrong. In this case, the info could have been put in an Appendix, or omitted all together. It's not that the info is bad; it just isn't necessary. I was concerned that the whole book was going to be a recounting of factoids.

2023: The intro info is minimal; not a problem. I wonder why it bothered me in 2016. Once again, I enjoyed reading about bees ... and I was aware of what I remembered quite well (the bee dances) and what I hadn't remembered at all (the quotes from poets and authors).

p. 26 In 1622, English colonists bound for Virginia bundled up their woven-straw skeps, or hives, and transported them by sailing ship across the Atlantic; these were the first honeybees to make the voyage.

p 37 On any given summer day, a queen bee typically lays about 125 dozen eggs ... That's 1,500 eggs per day or 225,000 per breeding season or about half a million in the two years of her expected life span.

p 75 In winter: Clustered drowsily inside the hive, the bees will sip on their stored honey and, using its sugars for fuel, keep the hive warm by vibrating their flight muscles. The operation runs year-round on flower power.

[brietta · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet and simple book giving some easy-reading facts about bees with lil poems and pictures and treats in between 🐝

[Simone Hengen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Candace Savage’s book is part story of European/American bee researchers, part compendium, of world lore and wisdom, part Western scientific explanation of bee behaviour and makeup. It is an interesting and comprehensive look at bees from these perspectives and a beautifully-made book. While appreciating the gathered knowledge, I also found that the approach to all bee knowledge was similarly matter of fact. Thus, after feeling an emotional connection to ancient and modern wisdom and poetry, the blunt description of what genetic researchers do to bee bodies to gather their data was disturbing. Some context would have been helpful.

[Keshia · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. I first saw this book on the shelf of a B&B my hubby and I stayed at last year for our anniversary. I love nonfiction animal/insect books and the cover was so pretty, I put it on my TBR. Finally started it at the end of the year and finished it yesterday. I liked the easy readability of this book, and the mix of information about bees with the scientists who have intensely studied their habits. A nice read for the start of this challenge!

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating info on the lives of bees, especially how the communicate and find a new spot for a hive. Love these little golden beauties!

[Gail · Rating 3 out of 5]

I skimmed this interesting book with all sorts of information about bees and beekeeping. "Thumbs up."

[Kristina A · Rating 2 out of 5]

Read half, skimmed the rest. My insect knowledge is good, so this book didn’t surprise me much but it was very cute.

[Miiss Tam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved everything about this book. I was surprised at how far back in humanity people have been interested in Bees. I enjoyed the poems that were added here and there throughout the book.

[Salt Lake City Public Library]

It’s nearly honey harvesting season at The City Library and elsewhere—the time when we can enjoy the fruits of bees’ labor by sampling some flavorful honey straight from the hive. Although bees are well-known for making honey, they are also responsible for pollinating at least 90 commercially grown crops, according to the FDA, and have surprising mental capabilities that influence their behaviors both inside and outside the hive.

Honey harvesting season invites a new (or renewed) interest in bees and all that they do during their short lives. For those who want to pursue this interest, Candace Savage’s book Bees: Nature’s Little Wonders offers an interesting, easy-to-digest introduction on the science, history, and lore behind bees.

Bees: Nature’s Little Wonders combines history and science with photos, illustrations, poetry, and fascinating facts that altogether present an interesting portrait of bees. Savage takes the reader on a journey through what she calls the “beeosphere,” explaining the evolution of bees from carnivorous wasps that lived 100 million years ago. From there, Savage explains the biology of bees and the inner workings of a bee colony, as well as how researchers made key discoveries on bee communication and social structure.

The topics covered in the book can seem dense, but Savage makes them very approachable with writing that is both clear and colorful. Her quirky tone piques readers’ interest, particularly when she writes about the social behaviors of bees. The book’s photos and illustrations of bees offer a nice break between sections of text, and the factoids and poetry that are sprinkled throughout are also a nice addition.

All in all, Bees: Nature’s Little Wonders is perfect for those who want to increase their knowledge about bees without feeling overwhelmed by scientific details. Its length, format, and language make the science behind bees approachable and fun for readers young and old.

The City Library’s honey will be harvested on Saturday, August 29, 2015 at 9am on Level 5 of the Main Library. Then, join us from 2:30–4pm on Saturday, September 19, 2015 for the Honey Harvest Celebration and a chance to taste this year's honey crop!

Katherine Torres is a Marketing and Communications Specialist at the Salt Lake City Public Library. To find this and similar reading ideas within the Library’s catalog, or for more info on The City Library’s programs and services, visit slcpl.org.

[Zoë Danielle]

Bees: Nature's Little Wonders by Candace Savage looks at the incredible insect in a way you have never experienced before. It covers everything from what the relationships between bees is like, the diversity of bees, and what is going on in the mind of a bee. I picked up Bees because I'm a huge nature and science nerd, but what I found is a wonderful little book with crossover appeal to anyone who might just be a little interested in bees. Savage combines everything from poetry and sayings involving bees, to the history of the bee. Not only does she tell the story in an interesting way, but the book itself is extremely aesthetically attractive. You can click here to get an inside preview of Bees (it looks even better in real life!).

I did find two rather large gaps in the material covered. First, there is a not a single mention of Killer Bees which have spread and terrorized over the years and which I certainly would have loved to learned the facts behind. Secondly, Savage only spends the final three pages of the book discussing the threats to bees in a way that is rushed and vague and I certainly thought a book funded by the David Suzuki Foundation would have spent a little more time on the environmental struggles facing the bee. That said, it's wonderful and informative on the topics it does cover. Savage tells the reader about the history of scientists studying the bee in chronological order, focuses on the key historical and contemporary figures. I personally have a strong biology background but I had no real prior knowledge of bees going into reading this book. Luckily, Savage is clear and concise although the book itself is not overall scientific in detail.

The format of Bees is fantastic for getting a well-rounded impression of the insects and Savage definitely appears to have done a lot of research while writing the book which also includes plenty of references at the end for further reading. The book is full-colour and the images are a wonderful variety of photos and artistic renderings of the bee. Overall, I fully recommend Bees by Candace Savage as a lovely and informative introduction for individuals interested in learning a little more about this incredible insect!

[Melissa Conner · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you’re interested in learning more about bees and how they contribute to the ecosystem, as well as human existence, I highly suggest you take a gander at Nature’s Little Wonders: Bees by Candace Savage. This little treat of a book will give you a reader’s digest version of the history of bees, along with some colorful photographs and illustrations, cute poetry, and insights into fascinating studies that are proving just how miraculous these insects are.

I think I was most surprised to learn that there are well over 16,000 species of bees in the world, with 4,000 existing in North America alone. New York is home to about 477 species of bees, and there are still several more that reside in floral states like Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Ohio, and Missouri.

While Nature’s Little Wonders won’t give you a detailed description of the history of bees and honey creation, it will definitely sweeten your appetite to learn more about these little workers and might even motivate you to research ways you can contribute to the preservation and sustainability of bees.



“And if bees were not themselves immortal, perhaps they were messengers sent by the gods to show us how we ought to live, in sweetness and in beauty and in peacefulness.”

–Candace Savage, Nature’s Little Wonders: Bees

read more at http://thehobbeehive.wordpress.com

[David Braly · Rating 2 out of 5]

The bee may have a brain the size of a grass seed, but in its brief, five-week life it works as a brood nurse, wax producer, comb builder, honey maker, home guard, and floral forager.

Bees: Nature's Little Wonders invites readers to take a new look at creatures that are both familiar and wondrously odd. It considers the diversity and biology of bees, including their peculiar sociosexual arrangements (pity the poor drone), their quirky relationships with flowers, and their startling mental abilities: What are we to make of insects that communicate through symbolic dances? The book also addresses the mysterious syndrome known as colony collapse disorder and identifies opportunities for the conservation of pollinators.

Enriched with cultural sidebars and complemented by a stunning collection of images, Bees is a must-read for conservationists, gardeners, and everyone else who cares about the world around them.

[Heather Buelow · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short and sweet. This book gives some interesting facts about honeybee behaviors, and has sparked my interest in learning more about them. It's best if you only consider this book as a basic introduction to other works about bees. There's a brief overview of the diversity of bees, but then the book focuses specifically on honeybees and their behaviors - despite mentioning several times that social bees are the exception to the rule and that most bee species are solitary.

The book is filled with pictures and short poems or quotes that mention bees. Most feel like filler material; the author does not discuss the quips and a large fraction of the images are tangential. Even so, this is a very cute introductory book.

[CATHERINE · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book, that has beautiful photos of bees, stories, quotes and poems about bees throughout history combined with scientific facts about how amazing these creatures are - they may be small but they seem to have bigger brains than a lot of people! Lots of lessons to be learned from them on how to reach decisions, work as a team and cooperate with each other. Fascinating. "The more we learn about them, the more we yearn to understand what makes them such bright little sparks of wonderment."

[Bonnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 star ratings aren't given out everyday --- but this books deserves it! I picked it up at Anthropology of all places and then had a 5 hour plane ride to read it from cover to cover. If you aren't in love with bees now, you will be by the time you finish. From a quick biology of bees to reading about famous bee scientists and experiments to learning how they live cooperatively and have special duties --- I promise this book will be a real "treat".

[Asiuol K · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a pleasant book with a romantic look on bees. It did offer some information on the biological element, but the focus was definitely on humans such as Karl Von Frisch and Martin Lindauer. The writing was definitely pretty (including the excerpts and poems) and it was simple enough that I could get through a large potion in one sitting. I would have liked a bit more focus on the bees, but that's really my only concern.

[Gavin Esdale · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a short, concise, and sweet book, kind of like bees themselves. The author demonstrates a solid knowledge of the subject (even if some more detailed information is left as an exercise for further reader research) and the addition of the occasional poem, parable, illustration and coloured photograph make this book a fun introduction to the world of bees. Will you know everything after reading it? No way. Will you want to? Almost definitely.

[Annie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This would make a great gift book for a gardener or anyone who appreciates the intricate workings of Mother Nature. Pictures and poetry from all ages of history complement the text, which focuses on such interesting topics as their dances, familial arrangements, and the scientists who have studied them throughout the ages.

[Rachelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Definitely interesting and I learned a lot about bees that I didn't know already, but not what I was expecting. Felt like I was reading a children's book at times, and since it had been recommended by David Suzuki, I falsely assumed it would be heavier on the in-depth science, and certainly longer. But no loss. I'd still recommend to any nature/animal/insect lover.

[Prabhu R. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting read about our little friends. However, the information packed in the book seemed to be light. Bees are amazing insects and there is a plenty of interesting information about them. The author has done a good work like her other book about Crows, but this book does not pack the information as does the book about Crows.

[Meadow · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book. It was interesting and an excellent format for reading about ummm.....stuff. I don't know. I am not a writer. But, it was a well done book. Sometimes informative books are boring or hard to read but this was not.

[Heidi · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was a nice mix of science and lore. It tells the story of the men who figured out the social structure and communication of bees, interspersed with bits of bee-related poetry and art and myth. Bees really are fascinating creatures.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic book about these amazing little creatures. It was short, but it was very very good! I'm new to reading, as I'm ditching watching tv. This book was great for me, as it was the opposite of dry, and entertained me the whole way through :).

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cute book. Quick read. Learned some bee stuff.

[BEth Coulson]

Very interesting and current. About Africans immigrating to the Uk, but a sweet, sweet story

[Will Boncher · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very informative, quick read. Bees are fun!

[Betty · Rating 3 out of 5]

An easy read (although I found it tedious in places).

[Marje · Rating 5 out of 5]

An easily read story of the social life and social need for bees.

[Shannon]

LOVE BEES.