Bees are a fascinating and indispensable group of insects, but many
species are in decline, and efforts to help determine distributions and
changes in abundance have to date been compromised by a serious lack of
identification resources. This eagerly anticipated new addition to the
highly acclaimed British Wildlife Field Guides series will unravel the
complexities of identification, and is designed to cater for people new
to the bee world as well as to more experienced recorders who wish to
identify every species accurately. It provides the latest information on
the identification, ecology, status and distribution of all 275 species
of bee in Britain, Ireland and the Channel Islands.
- Written by Steven Falk, professional naturalist and conservationist
with over forty years' experience of working with bees
- Illustrated with over 1,000 colour and black & white artworks by
Richard Lewington, one of Europe's leading insect artists
- Stunning photographs of living insects as seen in the wild
- 234 up-to-date distribution maps
- Comprehensive introduction to bee classification, ecology, field
techniques and recording, a full glossary, and information on how to
separate the sexes and distinguish bees from other insects
- Introductions to families and genera, describing key characters and
life histories
- Detailed species descriptions covering field and microscopic
characters, similar species, variants, flight season, habitat, flowers
visited, nesting habits, status & distribution, and parasites &
associates
- A series of innovative illustrated keys to genera and species,
designed to guide the user step by step through the identification
process
