Bill Turnbull had no intention of becoming a beekeeper. But when he saw an ad for beekeeping classes after a swarm of bees landed in his suburban backyard it seemed to be a sign. Despite being stung on the head twice at his first hands-on beekeeping class, Turnbull found himself falling in love with the fascinating, infuriating honeybee.

As a new beekeeper, Turnbull misplaced equipment for months, got stung more times and in more places than he cares to remember, and once even lost some bees up a chimney. But he kept at it, with a ready sense of humor and Zen-like acceptance of every mishap. And somehow, along the way, he learned a great deal about himself and the world around him.

"Confessions of a Bad Beekeeper" chronicles Turnbull 's misadventures (and brief moments of triumph) in the curious world of backyard beekeeping and also highlights both the threat to our bee population and what we can do to help these vital little creatures do their wonderful work.

Insektopedie lê die betowering en ryke verskeidenheid van die wêreld van insekte bloot. Dit deurgrond hul fassinerende gedrag en biologie – van paring en broeigedrag, metamorfose en beweging tot sig, reuk, gehoor en hul aanpassings by hitte en koue.

’n Hoofstuk oor superorganismes ondersoek die merkwaardige verskynsel van sosiale gemeenskappe; ’n ander een dek die kritieke rol wat dié diertjies speel om die fyn balans van lewe op ons planeet in stand te hou.

Die boek sluit af met ’n 60-bladsy geïllustreerde veldgids wat die meeste insekordes en hul belangrikste families beskryf. Voorheen as Inseklopedie van Suider-Afrika gepubliseer, maar die nuwe uitgawe is nou grondig hersien en herontwerp, met die nuutste inligting, ’n uitgebreide ID-seksie en ’n paar honderd nuwe foto’s.

Science, nature, and adventure come together in this riveting account of a solo bike trip along the migratory path of the monarch butterfly. Sara Dykman made history when she became the first person to bicycle alongside monarch butterflies on their storied annual migration--a round-trip adventure that included three countries and more than 10,000 miles. Equally remarkable, she did it solo, on a bike cobbled together from used parts. In Bicycling with Butterflies--praised as "poetic" (Publishers Weekly) and called "a collective cry for climate action" (Booklist)--Dykman recounts her incredible journey. We're beside her as she navigates unmapped roads in foreign countries, checks roadside milkweed for monarch eggs, and shares her passion with eager schoolchildren, skeptical bar patrons, and unimpressed border officials. We also meet some of the ardent monarch stewards who supported her efforts, from citizen scientists and researchers to farmers and high-rise city dwellers. With both humor and humility, Dykman offers a compelling story, confirming the urgency of saving the threatened monarch migration--and the other threatened systems of nature that affect the survival of us all.

Butterflies are brilliant pollinators and add vibrancy and colour to the garden. A summer's day wouldn't be the same without the gentle fluttering of delicate wings. They connect us with living and breathing nature and are an essential part of a dynamic ecosystem. However, in the past forty years, these insects, which were once a common sight in our gardens, are now in decline thanks to habit loss, climate change and the use of pesticides. But do not despair - there is a lot you can do to help improve their numbers! Planting for Butterflies will show you how you can attract these beautiful insects and help them to flourish by creating a butterfly-friendly garden. No matter how small or large your space - from a window ledge in the city to a country garden - Jane Moore offers advice on the nectar-rich blooms to grow, and when and where to plant them. This charmingly illustrated, practical guide will set your garden a flutter.

Sasol Eerste Veldgids tot Insekte van Suider-Afrika bied ’n fassinerende blik op die insekte van die streek. Met behulp van volkleurfoto’s en maklik leesbare teks, sal die beginner en ontluikende natuurliefhebber die meer algemene insekgroepe in Suider-Afrika kan identifiseer, kan vasstel waar hulle voorkom, en meer te wete kom oor hul gedrag en ongewone eienskappe.

The ideal portable companion, the world-renowned Collins Gem series returns with a fresh new look and updated material. This is the perfect pocket guide for nature enthusiasts keen to identify the most commonly seen butterflies and moths in Britain and northern Europe. Authoritative text, beautiful photographs and detailed illustrations show the distinguishing features of each butterfly and moth to aid identification. Features information on size, habitat, geographical range and months when they can be spotted, as well as names of similar species with which each butterfly or moth could be confused, and details of the differences between them. This new edition builds on the strengths of the unrivalled original, now expanded to include over 240 butterflies and moths.

A witty and informative account that busts the myths about Britain's most captivating butterfly species. When summer is at its zenith and the sallow foliage develops a bluish tinge, a giant butterfly – beautiful, bold and brazen – flies powerfully over the tree canopy. Females of this species, wary yet determined, haunt the sallow thickets, depositing their eggs, while the males establish treetop territories and descend to the woodland floor in search of indelicacies to feed upon. Mysterious, elusive and enthralling in equal measure, this is the butterfly that Victorian collectors yearned for above all others: His Imperial Majesty, the Purple Emperor. A wondrous enigma, the Purple Emperor is our most elusive and least-known butterfly – we glimpse it only through fissures in its treetop world, yet this giant insect has fascinated us for centuries and has even inspired its own 'Emperoring' language. Matthew Oates became captivated by the Purple Emperor following his first sighting as a boy. He has studied it assiduously ever since, devoting his life to trying to unravel the Emperor's secrets. His Imperial Majesty takes us on a journey, beginning with a dalliance into the bizarre history of our engagement with the butterfly, with daring doings and gross eccentricities from the Victorian and Edwardian eras. Subsequent chapters explore all aspects of this remarkable butterfly's life cycle, including behaviour, habitat preferences, life history and conservation, all relayed in Matthew's unique, informative and witty style. Not so long ago, our knowledge of the Emperor was largely based on a blend of mythology and assumption. This book dispels the fabrications and reveals all about the Purple Emperor – the king of British butterflies.

The new book by the author of the Sunday Times bestseller, Millie Marotta's Animal Kingdom. Enter Millie's wonderful world of treetop treasures and discover the birds nesting and flying high up in the treetops, and the myriad creatures found among the branches. The enchanting illustrations to colour in range from birds such Major Mitchell's cockatoo and rose robins, to the magnolia warbler, silver-eared mesia and whiskered treeswift. As well as the beautiful birds of the world, Millie's intricate designs show the more unusual creatures residing in the treetops, such as the Amazonian milk frog, the sugar glider or the tree-kangaroo. Millie's inimitable style is treasured by thousands around the world and in this new, exciting book there are all sorts of creatures and fauna waiting to be coloured in, from tiny insects to winged beasts and scaled reptiles to buds and blossoms. The world's rainforests, woodlands and thickets are teeming with life and this book guarantees hours of relaxation and colouring fun.

Travelers are buzzing about apitourism--or "bee tourism"--as an opportunity to get close to bees and learn about the ecology and industry they support. Apitours invite visitors to see what takes place inside a hive, taste fresh honey and observe its journey from comb to bottle. Apitourists explore "bee culture" through diverse activities--watching films, creating art, building "bee hotels," sampling mead, learning to plant pollinator gardens and documenting species in the wild. This guide presents an educational overview of apitourism, with an exploration of the fascinating world of bees and the sometimes controversial issues surrounding them.

Of the 25,000 known species of bee worldwide, only seven species are honeybees. Bees and plants have a sophisticated and delicate symbiosis. In recent years, the shrinking of green spaces has endangered the honeybee. Now Planting for Honeybees shows you how you can help these delightful pollinators to flourish by creating a garden as a habitat for them. No matter how small or large your space - from a window ledge in the city to a country garden - Sarah Wyndham Lewis offers practical advice on which plants to grow, and when and where to plant them. Charmingly illustrated with delicate drawings, this a jewel of a guide to treasure.

A comprehensively updated edition of an identification guide that was named a Guardian Best Nature Book of the Year Now in a comprehensively revised and updated new edition, Britain's Spiders is a guide to all 38 of the British families, focussing on spiders that can be identified in the field. Illustrated with a remarkable collection of photographs, it is designed to be accessible to a wide audience, including those new to spider identification. This book pushes the boundaries of field identification for this challenging group, combining information on features that can be seen with the naked eye or a hand lens with additional evidence from webs, egg sacs, behaviour, phenology, habitats and distributions. Individual accounts cover 404 species-all of Britain's "macro" spiders and the larger money spiders, with the limitations to field identification clearly explained. This new edition includes nine species new to Britain, many recent name changes, updated distribution maps and species information, new guides to help identify spider families and distinctive species, and the latest species checklist. A guide to spider families, based on features recognizable in the field, focussing on body shape and other characteristics, as well as separate guides to webs and egg-sacs Detailed accounts and more than 700 stunning photographs highlight key identification features for each genus and species, and include information on status, behaviour and habitats Up-to-date distribution maps, and charts showing adult seasonality Introductory chapters on the biology of spiders, and where, when and how to find them, including equipment needed in the field A complete list of the spiders recorded in Britain, indicating the ease of identification as well as rarity and conservation status Information on how to record spiders and make your records count, and guidance on how to take your interest further New to this edition: coverage of nine species new to Britain, updated species information and distribution maps, identification guides to spider families and distinctive species, and the latest species checklist

A stunningly illustrated natural history of spiders Spiders are among the most versatile creatures on the planet, inhabiting six of the seven continents and thriving in environments ranging from deserts and rain forests to Arctic tundra and cities. Spiders of the World is a captivating look at these wondrously adaptable and endlessly intriguing arachnids, written by six of the world's leading experts on spiders. This stunningly illustrated natural history features a wealth of spectacular color photos and covers a breathtaking array of spider species from around the globe, describing their behaviors, characteristics, and remarkable evolutionary adaptations. An incisive and engaging introduction provides an invaluable overview of the world's spiders, and is followed by in-depth profiles spanning more than 100 spider families and presented taxonomically. Each profile is organized phylogenetically and includes beautiful photography to illustrate various species within the family. There are also distribution maps, tables of essential facts, and commentaries highlighting diverse aspects of spider biology, making Spiders of the World an indispensable volume for anyone who wants to learn more about these marvelous creatures. Provides a richly illustrated look at spiders of all shapes and sizes from around the world Features hundreds of color photos and diagrams Spans more than 100 spider families and covers an array of different species Explores spider behavior, attributes, biology, and evolution Includes distribution maps, tables of essential facts, informative commentaries, and more Engages and educates readers about the unique natural history of spiders

SHORTLISTED FOR THE 2020 WAINWRIGHT PRIZE A naturalist's passionate dive into the lives of bees (of all stripes)-and the natural world in her own backyard Brigit Strawbridge Howard was shocked the day she realised she knew more about the French Revolution than she did about her native trees. And birds. And wildflowers. And bees. The thought stopped her-quite literally-in her tracks. But that day was also the start of a journey, one filled with silver birches and hairy-footed flower bees, skylarks, and rosebay willow herb, and the joy that comes with deepening one's relationship with place. Dancing with Bees is Strawbridge Howard's charming and eloquent account of a return to noticing, to rediscovering a perspective on the world that had somehow been lost to her for decades and to reconnecting with the natural world. With special care and attention to the plight of pollinators, including honeybees, bumblebees, and solitary bees, and what we can do to help them, Strawbridge Howard shares fascinating details of the lives of flora and fauna that have filled her days with ever-increasing wonder and delight.

The clear skull markings on the thorax of the large and impressive Death's Head Hawk-moth are truly fascinating, often perceived as a threat or leading to superstitious and mythological beliefs. Here the author, an authority in mimicry, discusses why we are so intrigued by these markings but also explains how other animals may perceive its form and behaviour. This moth has evolved to deceive its main predators, especially birds and bats, and to rob bees of their honey without getting stung, again by deceiving them of its true nature, with acoustic, visual and chemical signals in play. It is able to do this because of the obvious, but usually overlooked, fact that other animals live in a different sensory world to us, i.e. their perceptions are different.

All the Buzz for Beekeeping Beginners"The book oozes with bee facts and trivia....Bees do make good pets and this book is a gentle introduction to the world of backyard bee keeping." -Patsy Bell Hobson, writer and master gardener emeritus #1 New Release in Entomology and Insects & Spiders What happens when a writer sets up a backyard beehive? You get a beekeeping book full of fun and fascinating facts about honey bees and our other favorite pollinators. A nature guide book for beekeeping beginners. Full of trivia, tips, legends, and lore-this quirky bee book swarms with interesting information, so you can have fun, learn stuff, grow your farm, or just relax. Writer and beekeeper Jack Mingo lives with half a million bees, and has picked up a thing or two at his bee farm. In this collection of humorous and often unusual observations, Mingo shows us a glimpse of the mystical and matriarchal world of bees. The save the bees sign you've been looking for. How many legs do bees have? Enough not to crowd your bed at night. They don't track mud or bugs into your house, and they won't bark and whine. They even greet you with raw honey and beeswax. And these are just some of the reasons bees make the best pets of all. Whether you're a beekeeping beginner, looking to save the bees, or interested in fun nature facts about bugs and insects, there's something here for every nature lover. Step into Mingo's hive for tidbits like: Fun and interesting tips and tricks for beekeeping beginners Knowledge about the color, quality, and benefits of local honey The history and legendary stories of bees, like the role they played in the Civil War and the Legend of the Caroling Bees If you liked Beekeeping for Dummies, The Beekeeper's Handbook, or Beekeeping for Beginners, you'll love Bees Make the Best Pets.

Entomologist Justin O. Schmidt is on a mission. Some say it's a brave exploration, others shake their heads in disbelief. His goal? To compare the impacts of stinging insects on humans, mainly using himself as the gauge. In The Sting of the Wild, the colorful Dr. Schmidt takes us on a journey inside the lives of stinging insects, seeing the world through their eyes as well as his own. He explains how and why they attack and reveals the powerful punch they can deliver with a small venom gland and a "sting," the name for the apparatus that delivers the venom. We learn which insects are the worst to encounter and why some are barely worth considering. The Sting of the Wild includes the complete Schmidt Sting Pain Index, published here for the first time. In addition to a numerical ranking of the agony of each of the eighty-three stings he's sampled so far (from below 1 to an excruciatingly painful 4), Schmidt describes them in prose worthy of a professional wine critic: "Looks deceive. Rich and full-bodied in appearance, but flavorless" and "Pure, intense, brilliant pain. Like walking over flaming charcoal with a three-inch nail embedded in your heel." Schmidt explains that, for some insects, stinging is used for hunting: small wasps, for example, can paralyze huge caterpillars and then lay their eggs inside so that their larvae can feast within. Others are used to kill competing insects, even members of their own species. Humans usually experience stings as defensive maneuvers used by insects to protect their nest mates. With colorful descriptions of each venom's sensation and a story that leaves you tingling with awe, The Sting of the Wild's one-of-a-kind style will fire your imagination.

Butterflies animate our summers but the fifty-nine species found in the British Isles can be surprisingly elusive. Some bask unseen at the top of trees in London parks; others lurk at the bottom of damp bogs in Scotland. A few survive for months, while other ephemeral creatures only fly for three days. Several are virtually extinct. This bewitching book charts Patrick Barkham's quest to find each of them - from the Adonis Blue to the Dingy Skipper - in one unforgettable summer. Wry, attentive, full of infectious delight and curiosity, written with a beautifully light touch, The Butterfly Isles is a classic of British nature writing.

With contributions from Dave Goulson and Gill Perkins, founder and CEO of the Bumblebee Conservation Trust respectively, this illustrated pocket guide is the ideal companion for anyone interested in the naturally occurring species of bumblebee that can be found in the British Isles. Thanks to their iconic furry jackets and low hum that embodies the sound of summer, bumblebees are some of the most charismatic and friendly insects you're likely to encounter in Britain. Presented in the same portable and accessible format as the Pocket Guide to the Butterflies of Britain and Ireland by the same author, with a double-page spread dedicated to each species, this guide to bumblebees will appeal to both beginners and more experienced hymenopterists alike. It features stunning artwork by the world-renowned invertebrate artist Richard Lewington, covering the males and queens of all British true bumblebee and cuckoo bee species, alongside their common colour variations. The introduction includes a double-page spread of the 'big 7' species that are most likely to be encountered in gardens, and additional sections clearly explain how the reader can differentiate between the sexes and recognise true bumblebees from cuckoo bees. The 'at-a-glance' guide provides a quick reference to species grouped by tail colour. Identification can then be confirmed by following the reference page number to the appropriate species. Each species account includes a detailed description covering field characteristics, habitat and distribution, nest, flowers visited, parasites and similar species, and is accompanied by a seasonal flight chart and up-to-date distribution map. Species accounts are interspersed with spreads showing similar, confusion species, grouped together for direct comparison, and are followed by an illustrated section showing bumblebee mimics and lookalikes.

Bees existed long before human beings, but our future is perhaps more reliant upon them than any other species. They pollinate 80 per cent of the world's crops and plants, but how much do we really know about them? Small, clever and mysterious, the honeybee in particular has long been celebrated in human culture as a sacred insect, a symbol of the sun, bridging the gap between our world and the next. They are expert communicators, skilled aviators and natural alchemists, turning fresh nectar into sweet, golden honey. They are also in trouble and need our help. This beautifully illustrated guide explores the honeybee's historic relationship with humans, the basics of beekeeping, and how we can help save the bees' dwindling population.

'Delightful... Pavey writes with warmth and spirit, and brings this space to life' Penelope Lively 'Captivating and grounded... If this book was not as much a pleasure to write as it is to read, I'll eat my hat and gardening glove' Observer After years spent living amid the thrum of London, Ruth Pavey yearned to reconnect with the British countryside and she endeavoured to realise her long-held dream of planting a wood. Touring to the West Country in the late 1990s, Pavey found herself in the Somerset Levels. On seeing this expanse of reclaimed land under its wide, soft skies she was struck by its beauty and set-out to plant a wood, tree by tree. She bought four acres, and over the years transformed them into a haven where woodland plants and creatures could flourish an emblem of enduring life in a changeable world. A Wood of One's Own is the story of how she grew to understand and then shape this derelict land into an enduring legacy a verdant landscape rich with wildlife. Interwoven with Pavey's candid descriptions of the practical challenges she faced are forays into the Levels' local history, as well as thoughtful portraits of its inhabitants both past and present. Accompanied throughout by the author's evocative hand-drawn illustrations, A Wood of One's Own is a lyrical, beguiling and inspiring story; a potent reminder of nature's delicate balance, and its comforting and abiding presence.