Exploring the World of Bees

We watch bees buzzing from plant to plant in our gardens, yet apart from worrying about being stung, many of us don't give them another thought. But who are these flying insects, and what exactly are they doing in our backyards?

Exploring the World of Bees covers the differences in the social lives of bees and how they organize their families, their homes and their work. Young readers can learn that different bees have developed special physical adaptations -- from a body size so small they can't be seen in flight and keen vision to extra-long nectar-lapping tongues and convenient leg packs for carrying pollen. They'll also discover more about the many ways in which humans depend on bees, even while our activities increasingly put these precious pollinators at risk.

Tracy C. Read is an editor and writer who has a special interest in nature and the environment. She lives in Kingston, Ontario.