A World Without Bees

An investigation into the strange case of the vanishing honeybee: How we can save these tiny creatures who are so vital to our survival?

“If the bee disappeared off the surface of the globe, then man would only have four years of life left.”―Albert Einstein

From Los Angeles to London, from Slovenia to Taiwan, honeybees are dying. In America alone, one in three hives was left lifeless at the end of 2008; in France, the death rate is closer to 60%. What is behind the catastrophe?

Writers and beekeepers Benjamin and McCallum have traveled across Europe and North America investigating the plight of the honeybee, which is disappearing across the globe at an alarming rate. From commercial almond farmers in California to local honey cultivators in the English countryside, all suffer from lonely hives that are filled with baby bees where all the adults have disappeared.

The loss of our black-and-yellow pollinators would mean the end of agriculture as we know it, threatening our civilization and our way of life, as a third of what we eat and much of what we wear is directly dependent on bees. Addressing different causes for this growing catastrophe, including viruses, parasites, pesticides, climate change, and the demands of commercial beekeeping, A World Without Bees will both enthrall readers and spur them to action. 12 color illustrations

Allison Benjamin is deputy editor of Society Guardian and writes on environmental issues and social affairs.