They work hard, are devoted to family, love sex, and know the
importance of a good piece of real estate. Honey bees, and the
daily workings of their close-knit colonies, are one of nature's
great miracles. And they produce one of nature's greatest edible
bounties: honey. More than just a palate pleaser, honey was once an
offering to the gods, a preservative, and a medicine whose
sought-after curative powers were detailed in ancient texts . . .
and are being rediscovered by modern medical science.
In Letters from the Hive, Prof. Stephen Buchmann takes us into the
hive--nursery, honey factory, queen's inner sanctum--and out to the
world of backyard gardens, open fields, and deserts in full bloom,
where the age-old sexual dance between flowers and bees makes life
on earth as we know it possible. Hailed for their hard work,
harmonious society, and, mistakenly, for their celibacy, bees have
a link to our species that goes beyond biology. In Letters from the
Hive, Buchmann explores the fascinating role of bees in human
culture and mythology, following the "honey hunters" of native
cultures in Malaysia, the Himalayas, and the Australian Outback as
they risk life and limb to locate a treasure as valuable as any
gold.
To contemplate a world without bees is to imagine a desolate place,
culturally and biologically, and Buchmann shows how with each acre
of land sacrificed to plow, parking lot, or shopping mall, we inch
closer to what could become a chilling reality. He also offers
honey-based recipes, cooking tips, and home remedies--further
evidence of the gifts these creatures have bestowed on us.
Told with wit, wisdom, and affection, and rich with anecdote and
science, Letters from the Hive is nature writing at its best. This
is natural history to be treasured, a sweet tribute that buzzes
with life.
"From the Hardcover edition."
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