Many individuals are fascinated when they see honey bees in an observation hive. They marvel at the massive numbers of workers, and hope to find the queen. But most do not know what else they might be viewing.
Now, Phil Frank and Frank Linton have created a fascinating, visual journey through the mysterious beehive. Hive Tour guides us, with full page photos and clear signage, to find how honey bees literally shape their world, and live their lives, as uniquely social creatures. This book stands on its own, but it also will be an immensely useful resource for non-beekeepers visiting an observation hive, and for beekeepers like me, as an easy way to share our passion with others.
Both authors are long-time beekeepers and observation hive owners. They freely share their bee knowledge with visitors at nature centers, museums, exhibitions, online and in lectures. The many questions fielded at those events clearly shaped this book. Hive Tour focuses on the bee facts of most interest, that delight, entertain, and reward curiosity.
The coverage of the material is impressive. For example, Hive Tour guides viewers to find the different kinds of bees living in every hive. Lean a little closer and Hive Tour will even help you find body parts, from end to end (or antennae to stinger!). It will point you to the specialized beeswax combs, built for needs like a pantry, nursery, or raising a queen. It shows and explains bee behaviors, such as dancing, fanning and removing the dead. Additional pages lead you to find other critters that come to the hive as uninvited invaders.
Beekeeping is a journey. Not everyone hoping to understand a honey bee’s life wants to become a beekeeper. But the fascination may remain, and Hive Tour is a way in. It will educate and perhaps key an interest in learning more about honey bees and other insects. The great Evolutionary Biologist E.O. Wilson, of Harvard University, labelled insects the “little things that run the world.” Come learn and wonder – see the little things that run the world and, above all, enjoy the journey.
– Dewey Caron
ABOUT DEWEY CARON
Dewey Caron is a world-renowned honey bee expert, researcher and educator. As professor of entomology, he taught university level beekeeping for over 40 years. Caron is a prolific writer, and his textbook Honey Bee Biology and Beekeeping has been an essential beekeeper resource since first published in 1999.