A biologist's up-close account of how he and fellow biologists cracked long-standing puzzles about honey bee behavior
Piping Hot Bees and Boisterous Buzz-Runners takes readers inside a world seldom seen even by beekeepers, shedding light on twenty of the most compelling mysteries of honey bee behavior.
Thomas Seeley has devoted a lifetime to the study of honey bees and their colonies, unraveling the secrets of these wondrous insects in a career spanning six decades. In this book, he weaves illuminating personal stories with the latest science, explaining such mysteries as how worker bees function as scouts to choose a home site for their colony, furnish their home with beeswax combs, and stock it with brood and food while keeping tens of thousands of colony inhabitants warm and defended from intruders. Along the way, he shares the experiences that drew him to these studies, the small observations that led to big breakthroughs, and the sense of excitement that came with probing each mystery.
Richly illustrated, Piping Hot Bees and Boisterous Buzz-Runners provides a rare look at how a singularly passionate scientist and his colleagues deciphered the pipings, shakings, and puzzling tremble dances of honey bees, and how this journey of scientific discovery continues to shape our understanding of these remarkably intelligent and vitally important insects.
Rezensionen / Stimmen
"Fascinating both for its insights about nature and as a portrait of the scientist at work." * Kirkus Reviews * "[An] entertaining and informative memoir. . . . While readers will come to share [Seeley's] respect for the cognitive sophistication of these tiny creatures and their complex collective behavior, they will also come away with a deep admiration for the curious, energetic scientist who was motivated so long ago to find out how the honey bees do it."---Laurence A. Marschall, Natural History "A wonderful read."---Marc Bekoff, Psychology Today "Tom Seeley's latest book must surely be on every beekeeper's wish list - and also on that of anyone interested in the wonders of the natural world and how discoveries are made. . . .This book is essential and joyous reading for any beekeeper and is accessible to anyone with an interest in the natural world."---Stephen Fleming, BeeCraft "I thoroughly enjoyed tagging along on [the author's] adventures of discovery. Through this book, I felt Like I got a sneak peek into Dr. Seeley's very interesting life."---Tina Sebestyen, American Bee Journal "Nicely written and illustrated. . . . an insightful vision of the researcher in action." * Choice * "We all are in Seely's debt for this book and for his contribution to science. It truly is a portrait of excellence."---David Gascoigne, Travels with Birds "For anyone interested in honey bees this is a must read. . . . [Curl] up with some toast and honey and see what the buzz is all about!"---Geoff Carpentier, North Durham Nature Newsletter "An absolute 'must read' pick for anyone with an interest or curiosity about the honey bee." * Library Bookwatch * "Thomas Seeley has produced a fascinating and readable account of his life's work investigating honeybees."---Dr Alan Woollhead, The Biologist "Seeley gifts a general readership with a winsome glimpse into the humility, curiosity, and perseverance that accompany the earnest quest for knowledge."---Keith Delaplane, Quarterly Review of Biology
Sprache
Verlagsort
Produkt-Hinweis
Illustrationen
Maße
Höhe: 241 mm
Breite: 160 mm
Dicke: 28 mm
Gewicht
ISBN-13
978-0-691-23769-5 (9780691237695)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Klassifikation
Thomas D. Seeley is the Horace White Professor of Biology Emeritus at Cornell University. His books include The Lives of Bees, Following the Wild Bees, and Honeybee Democracy (all Princeton). He is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
