The Heartland Bee Newsletter

January 2022 (16th edition)

Beekeeper Book Club - The Lives of Bees: The Untold Story of the Honey Bee in the Wild by Thomas D. Seeley

There are plenty of books about bees, and many of them are akin to textbooks and guides about keeping bees. As useful as these are, it is unsatisfying for the reader that wants to understand honey bees beyond the scope of their relationship with humans.
In this comprehensive novel, renowned researcher Thomas Seeley introduces us to honey bees in their purest state: wild. He takes the reader on a thorough tour through decades of his stunning fieldwork to investigate the mystery behind honey bees living in the forests near his home in New York. His passionate, lifelong knowledge of the area shines in his research to understand why these insects do what they do, without outside influence.
Following a brief history, each chapter is a fascinating deep dive into a different aspect of the life of undomesticated honey bees: the nest, the annual cycle, reproduction, food collection, defense, temperature control, pests and diseases. He outlines his methods and explains his conclusions in approachable language. Even the seasoned beekeeper will benefit from this unique perspective, and stands to learn quite a bit.
Dr. Seeley ends the book with a honest examination of the far-reaching effects of human manipulation and agricultural exploitation of honey bees, as well as an attempt to reconcile them: Darwinian beekeeping. Unfortunately, this is only a brief summarization of the theory, and it is obviously unlikely to be an approach that commercial beekeepers will take.
Overall, a backyard beekeeper has a lot to take away from this book. It provides a fresh, intimate understanding of honey bees without any expectations, and proactive options to improve our relationship with them.
Dr. Thomas Seeley will be providing a live presentation on the dance language of honey bees via Zoom, at 7pm on Tuesday, February 1st. This event is being hosted by a Florida nonprofit called Bees Beyond Borders, which works to provide beekeeping equipment and education to the Caribbean islands. Tickets are $1, and can be purchased here: https://www.eventbrite.com/x/dr-tom-seeleythe-dance-language-of-honey-bees-tickets-230498034827