View source for The Bee: A Natural History by Noah Wilson-Rich

{{infobox1
|title=The Bee: A Natural History
|sort=Bee: A Natural History, The
|author=Noah Wilson-Rich
|reviewer=Louise Jones
|genre=Animals and Wildlife
|rating=5
|buy=Yes
|borrow=Yes
|isbn=978-1782401070
|pages=224
|publisher=Ivy Press
|date=August 2014
|website=
|video=
|summary=A sumptuous coffee-table book on all things 'bee-related', featuring stunning photography and high quality content.
|cover=1782401075
|aznuk=1782401075
|aznus=0691161356
}}
Bees have been making a bit of a media splash of late, due to heightened concern about their declining numbers and general welfare. Governments have been urged to do more to protect these important creatures, with a recent EU ban on neonicotinoid pesticides hailed as a 'victory for bees'. There is no doubt that these prolific pollinators are a vital part of our ecosystem, and the human fascination with bees goes back to our ancient history. But just why do we find these hardworking insects so fascinating?

''The Bee: A Natural History'' is a comprehensive guide to the bee and covers every topic imaginable, including bee evolution, behaviour, beekeeping, anatomy and reproduction. Each section in the book is filled with stunning, detailed photography that compliments the informative accompanying text.

This book is much more than a run-of-the-mill reference book, but I would expect no less from Ivy Press. I have reviewed several of their books for Bookbag and have been impressed by the quality of their publishing and strict attention to detail. The book is hardback and quite weighty, with a fabric-covered spine that gives it the appearance of something a little bit special.

Each page is filled with high resolution images and a dedicated section at the back catalogues 40 bee types, each individual species given a full page, complete with a detailed close-up photograph and accompanying facts. I was amazed at the variety of bee types; there were jewel-green iridescent species, spotty black and white bees and my favourite, the aptly named 'Teddy Bear Bee' from Australia with its huge furry body and big eyes. You could spend hours simply perusing the pictures in this book and finding something new every time.

''The Bee: A Natural History'' is a perfect coffee-table book, but offers so much more than pretty pictures. The author is clearly an expert in his field and the chapters go into quite a lot of depth, without alienating the reader. It strikes an appropriate balance between appearance and content.

I really cannot fault this book and I take my hat off once more to Ivy Press for creating such a visually appealing reference work. This book would make a wonderful gift for anyone with an interest in bees, from the amateur beekeeper to the most avid wildlife enthusiast. This book has something to appeal to everyone and I thank the publishers for my review copy.

For more about the plight of the bumblebee, [[A Sting in the Tale by Dave Goulson]] is essential reading.

If, on the other hand, you just love perusing the stunning images in Ivy Press books, Bookbag recommends the gorgeous [[Hummingbirds: A Life-Size Guide to Every Species by Michael Fogden, Marianne Taylor and Sheri L Williamson]]

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[[Category:Reference]]