Bees for Development Journal 131 July 2019
BOOKSHELF The lives of bees – the untold story of the honey bee in the wild Thomas Seeley 2019 353 pages Hardcover There are different ways to regard the honey bee colony. The beekeeper focusses on the industrious aspects of bees to be utilised for human gain, while the scientist sees the honey bee as a sophisticated social insect – also highly convenient – to be studied, examined and reported ad infinitum. A third way to look at bees is as an admiring onlooker, taking delight in understanding the natural history of this wonderful species. In writing his new book, The Lives of Bees, Tom Seeley has endeavoured to adopt these three perspectives, while observing and seeking to comprehend and explain – what has not been explained before – how bees live in nature. Reading this otherwise untold story makes The Lives of Bees easily the most informative and mind-nourishing book on bees I have read. It provides the knowledge we need to rethink beekeeping. Tom Seeley deftly articulates how honey bees survive - and indeed thrive - living naturally inside trees. Yet when utilised within vast beekeeping industries, honey bees are currently suffering 30- 40% annual mortality. This marvellous new text will enable the thinking beekeeper to lean in towards the natural life system that delivers resilient and healthy honey bee populations. Tom Seeley’s work deserves to be celebrated far beyond the bee world - as well as being the foremost honey bee researcher and ecologist, he belongs within the current generation of spectacular nature writers. Available for purchase from www.shop.beesfd.org (£24.00 plus post and packing)
The bras and the bees F A Notley 2019 268 pages Hardcover Brian Sherriff is known to beekeepers in many nations for his famous beekeeping clothing with its distinctive ‘Sherriff’ star. This is the story of Brian’s life: having been given two bee hives while working as a factory director, Brian and his wife Pat decided to manufacture beekeeping clothing that offered strong protection from bee stings using their knowledge about the materials used in making women’s underwear. The book closes with a section Look after the bees – which lists the charitable organisations that Brian and his company have supported – including their generous support for Bees for Development.
Protecting pollinators – how to save the creatures that feed our world Jodi Helmer 2019 256 pages Paperback The world’s pollinators enable a third of all the crops that humans consume. However, over half of those 2,000 pollinator species are now threatened by the changes we have caused. Not only bees are being destroyed, but also bats, birds, and butterflies, and many other pollinators. This book outlines where the problems have come from including the overuse of chemicals and our heating planet. It offers practical and inspiring solutions in chapters titled: The need for native plants, Helping without hurting and Stand up and be counted! • Secure order and payment at www.beesfordevelopment.org • Credit/Debit card: We need card number, name on card, valid from and expiry dates, card issue number (if given), security number on back of card. • Cheque/bank draft in GBP payable to Bees for Development 14
WAYS TO PAY
