Honey Bee Biology by Brian R. Johnson

Honey Bee Biology by Brian R. JohnsonThe most comprehensive and up to date general reference book on honey bee biology. Honey Bee Biology will become the new definitive textbook for entomology courses, research scientists, science writers, and scientists interested in bees as a model system. Beekeeping teachers and keen students will buy this book as will the curious beekeeper just wanting to learn new things and be a better beekeeper. Ann Chilcott, Scottish Expert Beemaster and author

The most comprehensive and up-to-date general reference book on honey bee biology.

“Honey Bee Biology will become the new definitive textbook for entomology courses, research scientists, science writers, and scientists interested in bees as a model system. Beekeeping teachers and keen students will buy this book as will the curious beekeeper just wanting to learn new things and be a better beekeeper.”
– Ann Chilcott, Scottish Expert Beemaster and author (BBKA News Incorporating The BBJ December 2023).

“A detailed and meticulously researched summary of honey bees, covering aspects of physiology, behavior, evolution, and conservation. Honey Bee Biology is a triumph of integrative biology that is notable for its breadth and readability:· Highly recommended for biologists and serious bee enthusiasts.”
– ELIZABETH TIBBETTS, University of Michigan

“Honey Bee Biology will be the go-to text­book for college courses and serves as a readable reference for beekeepers who want to learn more about the ‘under the hood’ mechanics of honey bee function, from genomics and neurobiology to foraging and pesticide detoxification. Johnson is to be applauded for assembling and updating centuries’ worth of honey bee science and presenting it as a work of art.”
– MARL A. SPIVAK, University of Minnesota

Honey bees are marvelously charis­matic organisms with a long history of interaction with humans. They are vital to agriculture and serve as a model system for many basic questions in biology. This authoritative book provides an essential overview of honey bee biology, bringing established topics up to date while incor­porating emerging areas of inquiry.

Honey Bee Biology covers everything from molecular genetics, development, and physiology to neurobiology, behavior, and pollination biology. Placing special attention on the important role of bees as pollinators in agricultural ecosystems, it incorporates the latest findings on pes­ticides, parasites, and pathogens. This incisive and wide-ranging book also sheds vital light on the possible causes of col­ony collapse disorder and the devastating honey bee losses we are witnessing today.

The study of honey bees has greatly expanded in recent years and there is more interest in these marvelous crea­tures than ever before. Honey Bee Biology is the first up-to-date general reference of its kind published in decades. It is a must­have resource for social insect biologists, scientifically savvy beekeepers, and any scientist interested in bees as a model system.

Brian R. Johnson is associate professor in the Department of Entomol­ogy and Nematology at the University of California, Davis, and is a leading expert on the behavior, genetics, and evolution of honey bees.