The Beekeepers: How Humans Changed the World of Bumble Bees (Scholastic Focus)

by Dana L. Church

Overview

Dive deep into the world of this everyday insect — and the science behind its uncertain future.

Bumble bees are as familiar to most of us as the flowers these fuzzy insects feed upon. But did you know that the bees in your garden could be escapees from a local greenhouse, or descended from stowaways on a Viking ship?

Bumble bees are a vital part of our lives and Earth's ecosystems, so much so that we've commercialized their breeding and shipped them across states, countries, and ecosystems for our benefit. However, all of that human interference has consequences. Bumble bees are pushing out native species and altering ecosystems worldwide. Pesticide use has led to the spread of disease in local colonies. And some species may be disappearing entirely.

The Beekeepers is an expertly researched overview of bumble bees — from hive hierarchies to how their brains work — and the passionate humans and scientists who are fighting for their survival. With a thoughtful and accessible voice, researcher Dana Church introduces readers to the fascinating world of bumble bees, how and why some are thriving while others are floundering, and how both experts and regular citizens are working to ensure their future. Equal parts endearing, frustrating, and hopeful, this scientific narrative is essential for readers looking to understand and make an impact on our changing world.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781338565546
Publisher:	Scholastic, Inc.
Publication date:	03/02/2021
Pages:	320
Sales rank:	667,457
Product dimensions:	5.80(w) x 8.30(h) x 1.10(d)
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Dana Church is the author of The Monarch Effect: Surviving Poison, Predators, and People abd The Beekeepers: How Humans Changed the World of Bumble Bees. She received her PhD at the University of Ottawa in Canada, where she studied bumble bees (and never got stung!). She lives in southern Ontario with her husband, two children, and their big, black, friendly dog. You can find out more about Dana and her writing at danachurchwriter.com.

Table of Contents

Prologue The Bee Song 1

Chapter 1 New Bees on the Block 6

Chapter 2 Humble-Bees 28

Chapter 3 Super Bees 60

Chapter 4 Escape! 83

Chapter 5 Bees in the Spotlight 118

Chapter 6 Poisoning Bumble Bees 136

Chapter 7 Bumble Bee "Smarts" 168

Chapter 8 Bumble Bees on the Brink 192

Chapter 9 Hope for Bumble Bees 217

Author's Note 259

Glossary 263

References 273

Photo Credits 293

Acknowledgments 295

Index 297

About The Author 309

Editorial Reviews

02/08/2021

Like a pollinator gathering nectar from a wild-blooming field of flowers, Church pulls information from various sources and studies to tell the story of bumble bees, one that is complicated (unsurprisingly) by humans. Church’s narrative encompasses the wisdom of Henry Lickers, an elder of the Seneca Nation, who shares the wisdom of “the bee song”; tales of Vikings bringing hunangsflugur (honeyflies) to Iceland; bee physiognomy (“Each bumble bee species has its own distinctive fur pattern”) and behaviors; and observations of Victorian naturalists, including Charles Darwin, before delving deep into how private companies have propagated specific bumble bee types and shipped them by the millions to pollinate crops around the world. Church discusses the impact of imported bumble bees on native species; notes the complex, multifactored phenomena of colony collapse disorder in honeybees and its possible impacts on bumble bees; and persuasively compiles the growing evidence of the harm that neonic pesticides have on bee populations. Though the book’s middle sags a bit under the weight of too many carefully recounted scientific studies, Church succeeds in illustrating the complex plight of bumble bees and illuminating the opportunities humans have to help these essential creatures thrive. Ages 8–12. (Mar.)

Publishers Weekly

02/01/2021

Gr 5 Up—Church details the fascinating life of bumble bees, or "humble-bees," as they were once known, and their complex relationship with humans. The initial chapters explore bumble bee history, including bees that arrived in Iceland via Viking ships. Anatomy topics include a third eye that detects light intensity and bumble bee poop. Scientists have been studying bees for the last 200 years, but they are just now learning how the insects' sesame seed–sized brains accomplish great feats. Bumble bees can create mental pictures and are social learners. The main focus of the text centers on commercial beekeeping industry practices and the introduction of harmful pesticides, pathogens, and parasites that are causing startling declines in bee populations worldwide. The text ends on a hopeful note, with stories of citizen scientists who are encouraging a global wave of change. Young readers can find small ways to help bumble bees that will make a difference. VERDICT A welcome addition that fills the gap between picture books and adult nonfiction for budding bee enthusiasts, or for school reports.—Amy Fellows, Multnomah County Library, OR

School Library Journal

2021-01-12
An enthusiastic celebration of the bumble bee.

There’s no question Church knows bumble bees; whether the intended audience of 8- to 12-year-olds will be so eager to read 300-plus pages on her “tiny furry friends” is, however, quite another. Her disquisition opens with a history of human-assisted bumble bee movement around the globe, from their appearance in Iceland in the 17th century to large-scale breeding and transportation for specialty greenhouse-crop pollination today. Church also covers bumble bee biology and spends a great deal of time on bumble bee intelligence. Her enthusiasm is so exhaustive it risks losing all but the most dedicated readers—a chapter on the effect of invasive commercial bumble bees on native populations is thick with descriptions of experiments and laundry lists of species’ names, both common and Latin. This granularity is out of sync with a text larded with exclamation points in a seeming attempt to engage an audience of young readers, one also presumed to be unfamiliar with terms such as decline or the reasons why pollination is important. Peculiarly absent is an explanation of single-crop farming and how that affects bumble bee populations, though there is extensive discussion of the impact of pesticide use.

Everything you never knew you wanted to know about bumble bees...and may still not. (author’s note, glossary, references, photo credits, index) (Nonfiction. 8-12)

Kirkus Reviews