From the bestselling author of Planting for Honeybees, The Wild Bee Handbook is a celebration of the wild bees, those vital pollinators of the natural world and unsung guardians of our food chain. From bumblebees to solitary species, it’s a beautifully illustrated, informative guide introducing you to their amazing lives and equipping you with practical gardening knowledge of the plants and habitats they need. Discover common and uncommon wild bees to spot out and about in town and country. Learn how vital they are to the ecosystem and how to help them thrive with The Wild Bee Handbook. Featuring extensive planting advice, this book is an essential, hands-on resource for anyone interested in bees, biodiversity and sustainable gardening, with sections on container gardening, the no-dig method, building organic soil health, and easy ways to bring the wild back into your growing, whether you have a large space or just a city windowsill. Introducing you to the wild and wonderful world of bees, The Wild Bee Handbook is a fascinating way to learn more about supporting these essential creatures.

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.

The name of this book really says it all; it is the ULTIMATE book for anyone that is thinking about purchasing or already has the pleasure of sharing their love with a Yorkshire terrier. The author is not only a Yorkie owner, but also a breeder who showed and raised champions for over 25 years. This book contains all the information that you will ever need to know about Yorkies including: Detailed information about Yorkshire Terrier Standards. Feeding recommendations just for Yorkies, including a few homemade recipes. The history of Yorkshire Terriers and their Origin. Information about where to purchase a Yorkshire Terrier Puppy, and how to pick out your puppy from its littermates. Preparing your home for a new puppy arrival. Children, other pets and your Yorkie addition. Showing Your Yorkshire Terrier, explaining in detail the different show categories and what you can expect before, during and after a show. Yorkshire Terrier Teeth Care Brushing, Bathing & Grooming information, including hair wrapping. Immunizations Information. Pet Health Insurance and Yorkshire Terrier Health Concerns including: Hypoglycemia, Collapsed trachea, Luxating Patella, Pancreatitis, Canine Idiopathic Epilepsy, Portosystemic Shunt, Renal Failure, Retinal Dysplasia, Legg-Perthes Disease, Enteropathy, Distichia, Cataracts. Helpful hints for Traveling with your Yorkshire Terrier Spaying or Neutering information. Breeding your Yorkie, in detail, before you breed, selecting your mate, line breeding, inbreeding, outcross breeding, what to expect during the mating, and, when you should or shouldn't breed your pet. Detailed information explaining what you can expect during the pregnancy, whelping (the delivery) and afterwards care for mom and newborn puppies. Yorkie puppy care from birth including weaning the puppies from mom, and selling your puppies. Advice about when it's time to say Goodbye to your old friend. Also included are Yorkshire Terrier Facts, Oddities and Interesting Tidbits just for fun.

The Ultimate Resource for the Beetle Enthusiast: Beetles fascinate hobbyists with their vivid colors and patterns, strange forms, and unusual behaviors. Some species are well-known to beetle breeders, but there are many others that have yet to be kept or bred by more than a handful of dedicated enthusiasts. Orin McMonigle provides detailed husbandry and breeding guides for a wide range of species, from the popular rhinoceros and stag beetles to darkling, diving, and dung beetles. This book is the result of years of experience and experimentation, with unprecedented details in caging, feeding, and environmental requirements for all stages of the beetles' lives. The breeding guides offer the best chance to form healthy ongoing colonies of these incredible creatures. This is the ultimate beetle book for hobbyists, breeders, nature museums, and insect zoos. Welcome to the world of beetles

This is an introductory guide to 180 species of bird commonly found throughout Scotland in the best-selling pocketable Gem format. Unlike many field guides, "Gem Scottish Birds" does not cover birds which only visit occasionally, or which occur in such small numbers and are so difficult to identify that only experienced birdwatchers can spot them. Instead, it concentrates on the commoner species that the amateur birdwatcher is most likely to see, plus a few scarcer ones of particular interest. The entries are grouped taxonomically, with a detailed introduction to all the different habitats. There are also details of key identification features and behavioral characteristics which will help you identify each bird with accuracy and ease. Each entry includes full-color illustration; common name and Latin and Gaelic name; the season in which the bird is likely to be spotted; and details on habitat, feeding habits, and voice. There is also a section with up-to-date details about places of interest and the best sites to go for birdwatching, with maps and contact information to help you get there. Packed full of information, "Gem Scottish Birds" is the ideal guide for both visitors and residents of Scotland who wish to learn about the fascinating wealth of birds that can be found there.

One spring, many years ago, Esther Woolfson's daughter rescued a fledgling rook. That rook, named Chicken, quickly established herself as part of the family, and other birds, including an irascible cockatiel and a depressive parrot, soon followed. But it was the corvids - members of the crow family - who amazed Woolfson with their personality and their capacity for affection. This classic blend of memoir and natural history combines the author's fascination with all things avian, from the mechanics of flight to the science of birdsong, with her funny, tender stories of life among the birds.

"Meshing deft scientific text with Tuttle's sumptuous images, it's a superb introduction to the baroque morphologies and flying prowess of these beguiling beasts."- Nature Bats: An Illustrated Guide to All Species looks in detail at the more than 1,300 species known today. Nocturnal, fast-flying and secretive, they are endlessly fascinating, yet extremely difficult to observe and catalogue. The diversity of bats is both rich and underestimated and the threats they face from humans are very real. This guide illuminates the world of bats and reveals their true nature as intelligent, social and deeply misunderstood creatures. This extravagantly illustrated handbook features the work of famed nature photographer Merlin D. Tuttle and in-depth profiles of 288 bats, from the Large Flying Fox, which has a wingspan of more than five feet, to the Bumblebee Bat, contender for the world's smallest mammal. Bats includes close-up images of these animals' delicate and intricate forms and faces, each shaped by evolution to meet the demands of an extraordinarily specialized life, and a thorough introduction which explores their natural history and unique adaptations to life on the wing. If you like this you might also be interested in Owls by Marianne Taylor . . .

Discover nature's most colourful creatures in a major new book on colour in the animal kingdom. For many animals use of colour is essential to surviving in the wild. Both a built-in defence mechanism and a cunning tactic for attack, this biological advantage helps animals hide from dangerous predators and catch unsuspecting prey. It is used in many different ways, primarily to mask one's identity, movement or location, and changes over time as animals evolve and adapt to live. This stunning photographic collection reveals 100 creatures from around the world paired with fascinating insights from leading UK zoology author Steve Parker. Each animal will have a profile of 300 words paired with striking photographic examples featuring a wealth of colour and ingenious uses of colour for display or disguise. Learn how: The octopus can change its opacity, colour and pattern in response to threats. The walking leaf insect has evolved a strikingly similar shape and colour to the leaves it eats. The arctic fox changes its fur colour to white in the winter, perfectly blending in with the snow - but climate change is disrupting this age-old adaptation. This study of some of the most innovative uses of colour by animals, packed with beautiful photography and fascinating insights, will delight all lovers of the natural world.

'High from the earth I heard a bird' - Emily Dickinson Eric Fitch Daglish (1892-1966) was a wood engraver, writer and illustrator. His book 'Woodcuts of British Birds' was published in 1925. Daglish learnt the art of wood engraving from Paul Nash and became known for his illustrations of the natural world. He illustrated an edition of Gilbert White's 'Natural History of Selborne' and he both wrote and illustrated several books on natural history, including 'Birds of the British Isles', 1948. Beautifully produced in hardback with lined paper and ribbon marker, this makes a perfect gift for bird watchers and nature lovers.

The mighty and majestic European bison is the relictual embodiment of the wildness of prehistoric Europe. Tragically, the millennia since that time have seen so many species driven to extinction by human impacts, and the European bison has only narrowly avoided the same fate. Today, the species represents the symbolic sentinel of successful conservation actions in a world in which such achievements remain few and far between.

From an early stage in the restitution of the European bison, husband-and-wife team Ma gorzata Krasi ska and Zbigniew A. Krasi ski have been participating in relevant management initiatives and researching all facets of the bison, from its morphology and diet, to its movements, social life and reproduction, and the conservation management actions that have been taken to save it. Now they have summarised this wealth of knowledge on the species, giving rise to a publication ideal for students, professional biologists and conservationists, but also for all nature enthusiasts.

This new edition of the monograph offers extensively updated content taking into account research carried out on the European bison in the last few years. Also featured, a new chapter devoted to knowledge of the genetics of the species drawn up by Ma gorzata Tokarska of the Bia owie a-based Mammal Research Institute PAS.

Bees continue to fascinate and charm us all - from novice gardeners and nature-lovers to dedicated environmentalists - and today, bees need our help more than ever. Discover the story of these incredible creatures, with The Little Book of Bees. Bees first appeared on Earth an incredible 130 million years ago. Since the time of the dinosaurs, evolution has taken our beloved bees on an incredible journey - and today, there are 20,000 species on the planet. The Little Book of Bees is a lovely, informative book of all things bee - from evolution and communication, to honey, beekeeping, and saving the bees - all in a beautifully illustrated gift book. Contents Chapter One: The Story of Bees The Evolution of the Bee The Bee Life Cycle The Bee Family Tree Bee Anatomy Bee Nesting Behaviours Bee Factoids Chapter Two: Superorganisms Sociality in Bees Bumble Bees Honey Bees Stingless Bees Chapter Three: Honey What is Honey? Types of Honey Practical Uses for Honey Honey Healthcare Chapter Four: Beekeeping Why Keep Bees? An Introduction to Beekeeping Keeping Stingless Bees Chapter Five: Protecting Our Bee Buddies Why Are Bees in Decline? Supporting Our Bees in 10 Easy Steps Providing a Home for Bees

*The Sunday Times Bestseller* 'Extraordinary Insects is a joy' The Times A Sunday Times Nature Book of the Year 2019 A journey into the weird, wonderful and truly astonishing lives of the small but mighty creatures we can't live without. Insects influence our ecosystem like a ripple effect on water. They arrived when life first moved to dry land, they preceded - and survived - the dinosaurs, they outnumber the grains of sand on all the world's beaches, and they will be here long after us. Working quietly but tirelessly, they give us food, uphold our ecosystems, can heal our wounds and even digest plastic. They could also provide us with new solutions to the antibiotics crisis, assist in disaster zones and inspire airforce engineers with their flying techniques. But their private lives are also full of fun, intrigue and wonder. Here, we will discover life and death, drama and dreams, all on a millimetric scale. Like it or not, Earth is the planet of insects, and this is their extraordinary story.