A beautifully illustrated introduction to the incredible variety of
bees from around the world
When many people think of bees, they are likely to picture the western
domesticated honey bee, insects that live in large, socially complex
societies inside a hive with a single queen and thousands of workers.
But this familiar bee is just one of more than 20,000 species of
bees--and almost none of the others is anything like it. In Bees of the
World, Laurence Packer, one of the world's foremost experts on wild
bees, celebrates the amazing diversity of bees--from size and appearance
to nests and social organization.
Providing clear, accurate accounts of the seven bee families, Bees of
the World presents all the key information on generic characteristics,
habits, and habitat, illustrated with incredible and often rare
photographs that show bees in their natural habitats--foraging, nesting,
raising their young, and more. The book reveals the secrets of these
extraordinary insects as well as their importance in the global
ecosystem and the ways humans can help protect them.
- Provides a richly illustrated exploration of bees from around the
world
- Examines more than 100 genera of bees, giving a taste of the
remarkable breadth of bee appearance and biology
- Explores bee anatomy, behavior, classification, evolution, life cycle,
and habitats