Mann Chats in the Stacks Book Talk: Following the Wild Bees: The Craft and Science of Bee Hunting, 2016-09-01

In his new book, Following the Wild Bees(Princeton University Press), biologist Thomas Seeley, a world authority on honey bees, vividly describes the history and science behind a lost pastime: bee hunting. Once practiced widely but little known today, the tradition involves capturing and feeding honey bees, then releasing and following them back to their secret residences in hollow trees, old buildings or abandoned hives. Providing both practical tips and new insights into the remarkable behavior of bees living in the wild, Dr. Seeley’s book also offers a unique meditation on the pleasures of the natural world. As more people become aware of the essential role that honeybees play in our global agroecosystem, in Following the Wild Beesreaders will find an excellent guide for learning an old craft and experiencing the rich insights gleaned fromclose observation ofthe teeming activity found in our everydayenvironmentoutdoors.Thomas Seeley is the Horace White Professor in Biology in the Department of Neurobiology and Behavior at Cornelland theauthor of three previous books: Honeybee Ecology (1985, Princeton), The Wisdom of the Hive (1995, Harvard), and Honeybee Democracy (2010, Princeton).