Best Books On Bees

Best Books On Bees

Every third bite of our food is reliant on pollinators like bees. Pollination-dependent crops are worth five times as much as non-pollinated ones.

And yet, we know little about them and why they are rapidly declining in population across the world. One of the best ways to learn about these fascinating insects is to read about them. 

Why Are Bees Important?

As mentioned above, pollinators such as bees are crucial for the pollination of the majority of the foods we eat and the ecosystem of the world.

And with around 20,000 species of bees you would think that there would be plenty of them. 

Unfortunately, bees as a collective species are rapidly declining in population and the majority of them are becoming endangered or even extinct.

If bees are to become completely extinct, the consequences could be catastrophic. 

It would also be difficult for all the wild creatures who consume those plants to obtain sustenance.

This lack of plant-based nourishment may spread up the food chain and eventually impact practically every living thing on the planet.

So, the best way to prevent the world from ending is to simply protect the bees!

Product Reviews 

In this article, we have 8 of the best books on bees. From native bees to honey bees, you can learn everything about them.

We need to protect bees in order to protect life as we know and we all know that knowledge is power. 

So, let’s get into it and save the planet, one bee at a time!

OUR TOP PICK

A World Without Bees

Benjamin and McCallum are authors and beekeepers who have traveled throughout Europe and North America looking into the predicament of the honeybee, which is disappearing at an alarming rate throughout the world. 

Everybody, from large-scale almond growers in California to small-scale honey producers in the English countryside, is affected by lonesome hives that are populated by baby bees because all the adult bees have vanished.

A World Without Bees will fascinate readers and motivate them to take action by addressing the various factors contributing to this expanding calamity, such as diseases, parasites, pesticides, climate change, and the requirements of commercial beekeeping.

Pros

  • Uses real-life experiences to show the drastic decrease in the bee population. 

  • Comes with 12 different color illustrations. 

  • The authors are balanced and unbiased. 

Cons

  • Writing is repetitive and drawn out. 

EDITORS CHOICE

Field Guide to the Bees of Great Britain and Ireland (Bloomsbury Wildlife Guides)

Knowing which bees you are working with is a crucial element in documenting their behaviors and how they can impact the environment around them.

However, many people are unaware of the different species of bees. 

This eagerly awaited new entry in the highly regarded British Wildlife Field Guides series will clarify identification complexities and is made to accommodate both novice beekeepers and more seasoned recorders who want to correctly identify each species. 

This informative book offers up-to-date details on the distribution, status, ecology, and identification of all 275 species of bee found in Britain, Ireland, and the Channel Islands.

Field Guide To Bees does focus on the species of bees within the British Isles which may not be helpful for readers from other areas of the world. However, it is excellent to learn about bees from all around the world. 

Pros

  • Extremely informative about the types of bees. 

  • Easy to read. 

  • Available as a digital copy. 

Cons

  • Is an expensive book. 

  • Is not suitable for beginners. 

BEST VALUE

Buzz: The Nature and Necessity of Bees

The well-known Thor Hanson takes us on a journey in Buzz that starts 125 million years ago, when a wasp dared to feed pollen to its offspring for the first time. Bees have long been essential to our harvests, mythologies, and very life. 

This is true of honeybees and bumblebees as well as less well-known diggers, miners, leafcutters, and masons.

They have bestowed to us sweetness and light, the grace of flowers, and up to one-third of the foods we consume. Alarmingly, there is a chance that they will vanish.

Buzz demonstrates why all bees are marvels to celebrate and protect in a way that is as educational and enthralling as a honeybee's waggle dance.

After reading this novel, you won't ever again forget about them.

Pros

  • Extremely easy to read. 

  • Perfect for beginners who have an interest in bees. 

  • Informative without being boring. 

Cons

  • Images are printed in Black and White. 

RUNNER UP

Bumblebee Economics: With a New Preface

His book offers a remarkable synthesis of natural history written at home and cutting-edge research.

Heinrich eventually became well-known for his research on ravens, but as an entomologist, he first made his mark by solving the puzzles of how bumblebees manage their energy both individually and collectively.

The concepts he expresses in this passage and the zeal with which he does so have been adopted as models for the study of insect lives.

Unblemished by any particular species or level of biological organization, Bumblebee Economics offers the expert and amateur scientist a cogent biological model.

This book integrates practical knowledge according to a new criterion, is rich in precise detail, and includes an extensive appendix on the upbringing of bumblebees as well as a full-color reference to field identification.

Perfect for anyone wanting to learn more about the life and behaviors of the iconic bumblebee! And no, not the hero from Transformers. 

Pros

  • Detailed and informative while being fun. 

  • Written by an expert with personal experience. 

  • Can be used as a field guide. 

Cons

  • Writing style is a little confusing for beginners.

  • No digital copy available. 

RUNNER UP

The Bees in Your Backyard: A Guide to North America's Bees

The Bees in Your Garden debunks popular misconceptions about bees and offers helpful advice for recognizing them apart in the field while delivering an entertaining introduction to the roughly 4,000 different bee species present in the United States and Canada.

Although centered on North America, the same general types of bees, such as sweat bees, miners, diggers, leafcutters, cuckoo bees, and others, can be found worldwide.

The book offers helpful introductions to bee biology and behavior in addition to identification advice.

It also offers guidance on how to enhance the bee habitat in any yard by including flowers, nesting areas, and other features.

With images of each species in full color, you can easily take this book outside and get to know the different types of bees taking home in your backyard!

Pros

  • Images are in full color. 
  • Full of great information about different types of bees.
  • Contains over 4000 types of bees. 

Cons

  • Is not great as an identification guide. 

RUNNER UP

The Sacred Bee in Ancient Times and Folklore (Dover Books on Anthropology and Folklore)

This oddly named book contains a wealth of knowledge about the complex bond between people and bees. Ransome explores mythology and folklore from many different cultures and periods of history.

From the Egyptians transporting their beehive hives up and down the River Nile to the Mayans nurturing a rainforest species with the pleasing quality of lacking a sting, every page appears to reveal some fresh and unexpected connection or narrative. 

No other book provides readers with such a thorough and enjoyable examination of how bees, more so than any other insect, have influenced human societies since the beginning of civilization.

The Sacred Bee in Ancient Times and Folklore makes it easy to understand why the bee as a species is so important to not only the Earth but the ways we function as a society.

All of which is crucial for understanding why we need to work to save them. 

Pros

  • Shows the history of the relationship between bees and humans. 

  • Highlights the views of different cultures. 

  • Included acknowledgments and references to other works. 

Cons

  • Can be difficult to read in the old academic style. 

  • Not great for children. 

RUNNER UP

Bees: An Up-Close Look at Pollinators Around the World

Even though there is a wealth of material about bees, we can't think of a better place to start than with the stunning photography and engaging writing in this lovely book. 

Organized regionally, each page features close-up photographs of a particular bee species from throughout the world, accompanied by a brief description.

The content is quite accurate and nicely written because the authors are both renowned entomologists. 

Yet, the image truly impresses, showcasing the astounding variety of forms, dimensions, and hues that make bees more varied than all the birds and mammals combined.

This book is great for anyone looking to learn more about bees from a global perspective. While some may be buzzing around in your backyard, there are thousands of other types in other areas of the world.

You can really blow your own mind with every turn of the page!

Pros

  • Great for beginnings with little knowledge of bees. 

  • The images are incredible. 

Cons

  • Images are too close up to be used as an identification guide. 

RUNNER UP

The Hive Detectives: Chronicle of a Honey Bee Catastrophe (Scientists in the Field)

Bees that have colony collapse disorder (CCD) vanish from their hives for no discernible reason. The first instance of CCD occurred when beekeeper Dave Hackenburg lost 20 million honey bees from his apiary.

An intriguing account of the inquiry into this puzzling phenomena is provided by the author.

She imparts the knowledge she gains from bee scientists and bee wranglers who are trying to identify and address the issue. The book is a visual feast thanks to Eliie Harasimowicz's images.

For those who know literally nothing about the inner workings of a beehive, this book is a great place to start.

Readers may learn more about the lives of the fuzzy, buzzing creatures we should adore in this dramatic and educational account of a contemporary honey bee catastrophe. They can also join the human effort to save these insects.

Pros

  • Readers gain more insight into the hierarchy of the beehive. 

  • Photographs are excellent and add to the information. 

  • Learn more about Colony Collapse Disorder. 

Cons

  • Is rather short in length. 

Buyers Guide 

Whether you are a beekeeper, a scientist, or a complete newbie to the world of bees, selecting the right type of book can be tricky. 

There are various elements that create a good book, depending on the information you are looking for. We have created this quick buyers guide to make sure you know what to look for in books about bees. 

Identification Guide 

A popular type of book when it comes to discerning the different types of bees or other insects, and animals, are Identification Guides.

However, selecting one that will give you all of the information you require can be harder than it seems. 

The first thing an identification guide should have is images.

In order to ensure you have the correct bee, you need a good quality image that shows the bee in a natural position and allows you to determine its size, color, and shape.

Images which are really close up and are in black and white can only make your task harder. 

Your identification guide should also have some basic information about each bee. This can make it easier to identify your bee or just give you some interesting trivia about bees from other areas of the world. 

Research Based 

Research based books about bees may seem like the best option but depending on your reading grade and your preferred reading style, they may make it harder to learn. 

Research based books are perfect for scientists and professional beekeepers who are wanting to learn more about the behaviors of a particular species of bee.

However, beginners may struggle to understand certain terminology and even keep track of what they have learned. 

Informative Based 

Another type of book about bees is an informative based book. These are great for beginners as they generally focus on one or two types of bees and keep the delivery of the information fun and engaging. 

You can really learn a lot of information about a small group of bees from an informative based book without feeling overwhelmed. 

Writing Style 

The writing style is an important component of any book and there are various styles:

Persuasive

With this writing style, the author seeks to persuade the reader of the truth of a particular claim or argument. In addition to expressing the authors' ideas, persuasive writing offers arguments and proof to back up its assertions. 

Expository

This style of writing is employed to convey information with a larger audience and clarify an idea. Expository writing concentrates on the facts of a certain issue and gives evidence, data, or findings. Opinions are not to be expressed in this type.

Descriptive

In order to give the reader a distinct picture in their minds, this form of writing uses imagery. By engaging the senses, this technique encourages readers to feel a stronger connection to the content.

To captivate the reader, descriptive writing uses literary devices like similes, metaphors, and allegory.

Narrative

This writing style, which is frequently used in larger writing examples, aims to provide information within the framework of a narrative. The elements of a good story should be characters, conflicts, and surroundings.

When it comes to selecting the right book on bees, all you have to do is enjoy it! Select a book with a writing style you enjoy on a specific element or type of bee and you can learn so much.

Frequently Asked Questions 

What Do Bees Love Most?

Bees are drawn to a number of other wildflowers, including California poppies and evening primrose, as well as bee balm, echinacea, snapdragon, and hostas.

Are you aware that bees have superb color vision? They swarm to blooms that are bright, purple, blue, and white because of this.

What Color Cannot Be Distinguished By Bees?

Like many insects, bees have a visual range of between 300 to 650 nm. This implies that they can see in the UV spectrum but not the color red (which humans cannot). Bees are excellent at seeing edges because they can easily tell the difference between light and dark.

Did The British Bring Bees To America?

Honey Bees are not native to North America. Honey Bees were imported from Europe in the 17th century to help crops grow. 

Are Bees Endangered In America?

Bees are in danger, as the answer to your inquiry indicates. Also, because bee populations are declining, so are ecosystems, nature, and our food supply. There are a few strategies, nevertheless, to support bee populations.

Final Thoughts 

Bees are essential for the Earth ecosystem and ensuring that the crops we eat are always pollinated. Without them buzzing around, the world may cease to exist!

Learning more about bees, their behaviors, and why they are so important is a great way to begin aiding in their survival. And we have the tools to help you do it!

Above are 8 of the best books on bees that can help you study them in more depth. From informative studies to identification guides, you can become a bee expert in no time. 

All you have to do is read!

Thomas Callaghan
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