Buzz: The Nature and Necessity of Bees

by Thor Hanson

Overview

As seen on PBS's American Spring LIVE, the award-winning author of The Triumph of Seeds and Feathers presents a natural and cultural history of bees: the buzzing wee beasties that make the world go round.

Bees are like oxygen: ubiquitous, essential, and, for the most part, unseen. While we might overlook them, they lie at the heart of relationships that bind the human and natural worlds. In Buzz, the beloved Thor Hanson takes us on a journey that begins 125 million years ago, when a wasp first dared to feed pollen to its young. From honeybees and bumbles to lesser-known diggers, miners, leafcutters, and masons, bees have long been central to our harvests, our mythologies, and our very existence. They've given us sweetness and light, the beauty of flowers, and as much as a third of the foodstuffs we eat. And, alarmingly, they are at risk of disappearing.

As informative and enchanting as the waggle dance of a honeybee, Buzz shows us why all bees are wonders to celebrate and protect. Read this book and you'll never overlook them again.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781541699533
Publisher:	Basic Books
Publication date:	09/03/2019
Pages:	304
Sales rank:	192,390
Product dimensions:	5.40(w) x 8.10(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

Thor Hanson is a conservation biologist, Guggenheim Fellow, and author of award-winning books including Buzz, Feathers, The Impenetrable Forest, and The Triumph of Seeds. He lives with his wife and son on an island in Washington State.

www.thorhanson.net

Table of Contents

Author's Note vii

Acknowledgments ix

Preface: A Bee in the Hand xi

Introduction The Buzz About Bees 1

Becoming Bees

Chapter 1 A Vegetarian Wasp 15

Chapter 2 The Living Vibrato 31

Chapter 3 Alone Together 55

Bees and Flowers

Chapter 4 A Special Relationship 77

Chapter 5 Where Flowers Bloom 103

Bees and People

Chapter 6 Of Honeyguides and Hominins 123

Chapter 7 Keeping Dumbledores 141

Chapter 8 Every Third Bite 157

The Future of Bees

Chapter 9 Empty Nests 175

Chapter 10 A Day in the Sun 201

Conclusion The Bee-Loud Glade 213

Appendix A Bee Families of the World 217

Appendix B Bee Conservation 227

Notes 229

Glossary 251

Bibliography 255

Index 271

Editorial Reviews

…vividly zinging…[Hanson] zips and waggles through fascinating journeys to meet fellow bee obsessives, reminding us that here, again, we have brought trouble upon ourselves: 40 percent of bee species are in decline or threatened with extinction.

The New York Times Book Review - Dominique Browning

Winner of the 2019 Pacific Northwest Book Award

"Vividly zinging...[Hanson] zips and waggles through fascinating journeys to meet fellow bee obsessives, reminding us that...we have brought trouble upon ourselves: 40 percent of the bee species are in decline threatened with extinction." —New York Times Book Review

"Hanson is an insightful observer of evolution, at his most elegant when digging deep into the science...[His] senses are, indeed, sharp when observing the natural world."—Wall Street Journal

"Buzz shines the most brightly...when Hanson's own adoration of bees comes through: he wanders around the landscape observing them and musing about their natural history in ways that light up the page...A rewarding choice for readers keen on science and nature."—NPR

"According to Thor Hanson's Buzz, the relationship between bees and the human lineage goes back three million years...Both our world and our brains, it seems, have been profoundly shaped by bees."—New York Review of Books

"Charming...Hanson is an upbeat and often humorous guide...If you have time to read one book on what is happening with modern bees, you couldn't do better than Buzz."—Science

"A loving, infectiously enthusiastic natural history."—Christian Science Monitor

"Popular science at its intelligent best."—Economist

"In Buzz, Thor Hanson reminds us that the apian community is incredibly diverse...[He] expertly explores the history and ecology of bees around the world."—New Scientist

"Timely...The core message of this charming book [is to] be fascinated, and hopefully that will lead us to take action to protect these marvelous and critically important insects."—Los Angeles Review of Books

"Engaging."—Scientific American

"Fun, fascinating and full of engaging pen portraits of the scientists and bee enthusiasts [Hanson] meets in the course of his research...By the final section of this book Hanson's sense of wonder has rubbed off on us."—Guardian

"For this natural history of the bee, biologist Thor Hanson wings far beyond the hive to explore bee species from 'bumbles' to wool carders... Apiology, Hanson reminds us, is not just about the scientific buzz: bee behaviour has shed light on human issues from addiction to collective decision-making."—Nature

"Engagingly written, well researched, widely informative...Hanson is a conservation biologist with an infectious curiosity." —American Bee Journal

"Celebrates the wide diversity of bee anatomy and behavior...The storyline here is a sadly familiar denouement to many modern natural histories, a tale of pathogens, habitat destruction, pesticides...[But] if there are a few sour notes in its closing bars, the prevailing buzz in Hanson's book is sweet, sweet music."—Natural History

"[A] lively look at bees. From exploring the insect's evolutionary beginnings to profiling celebrity beekeepers, Hanson reminds us that we should appreciate these complex creatures, which are vital to our way of life."—Seattle Magazine

"This book is an accessible and engaging read; particularly enjoyable are Hanson's descriptions of his own forays into the world of bees."—Edible East Bay

"Delightful...Bringing to mind Bill Bryson's complicated, but engaging ability to intertwine nature, science, art, history and culture, Hanson weaves a similar spell about the world's 20,000 species of bees."—Winnipeg Free Press

"If you think the sting of declining bee populations won't affect you, think again...Hanson take[s] himself and readers on a journey of exploration."—Bend Bulletin

"Enjoyable...Hanson's enthusiasm in infectious."—Current Biology

"Buzz provokes thought and promotes action."—Coast Weekend

"[Hanson] is a charmingly enthusiastic bee fanatic and his book is a pleasure to read."—Daily Mail

"Entertaining...The author's point is plain: we need to adopt an approach to insects and to their central role in the maintenance of all life."—New Statesman

"Hanson...is surprisingly optimistic that we can reform and protect our bees, citing recent research and improved agricultural practices. In Buzz, he states his case while entertainingly recounting human-and-bee history and his own experiences with many bee species."—Booklist

"Lively and entertaining, Hanson's work introduces the world of bees—all bees, not just honeybees...Of interest to farmers, gardeners, ecologists, and anyone concerned about bees and their impact on our food supply."—Library Journal

"This beautifully written natural history book, brought to us by a graceful and talented author, packs surprise after surprise with every turn of the page. Who knew bees were just evolved wasps? Or that ancient Egyptians ferried bees up and down the Nile to pollinate their crops? Don't pass this one up."—Wendy Williams, author of TheHorse

"Thor Hanson is a magician at making entomology and taxonomy exciting, highlighting the fascinating world of bees. Buzz hums with science and history, exposing how bees have shaped our world. A delightful, buzzworthy must-read!"—Daniel Chamovitz, author of Whata Plant Knows

"As he did for feathers and seeds, Thor Hanson has written a wonderfully engaging work of natural history that will delight readers with its elegant prose, surprising stories, and deep humanity. Bees, so important to life on earth, are fortunate to have someone as passionate and knowledgeable as Hanson tell the tale of their evolutionary past, turbulent present, and precarious future. After reading Buzz, you will look at bees with a profound mixture of awe and gratitude."—Eric Jay Dolin, author of BlackFlags, Blue Waters, and Leviathan

From the Publisher

06/01/2018
Lively and entertaining, Hanson's (The Triumph of Seeds) work introduces the world of bees—all bees, not just honeybees, which the author describes as "the chickens of the bee world." (Wild bees are far more common.) Bees have long held fascination for humans; they are mentioned in Shakespeare and found in primitive rock art. Beekeeping began in the Neolithic era, while mead, which is made from honey, is one of the oldest forms of alcoholic beverages. Hanson discusses what is known about bee evolution. The fossil evidence is poor, but it is suspected that bees evolved from sphecid wasps, coevolving with flowers, which have developed various ingenious methods of attracting them. Bees have also played a role in human evolution, with honey providing at least 15 percent of the caloric intake for hunter-gatherer groups. The author also details Colony Collapse Disorder, stating that approximately 40 percent of bee species are in decline, and provides suggestions for farmers and home gardeners in supporting bee populations. VERDICT Of interest to farmers, gardeners, ecologists, and anyone concerned about bees and their impact on our food supply.—Rachel Owens, Daytona State Coll. Lib., FL

Library Journal