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The Buzz about Bees: Biology of a Superorganism
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About The Buzz About Bees: Biology Of A Superorganism
Product Description Tis book, already translated into ten languages, may at frst sight appear to be just about honeybees and their biology. It c- tains, however, a number of deeper messages related to some of the most basic and important principles of modern biology. Te bees are merely the actors that take us into the realm of phys- ology, genetics, reproduction, biophysics and learning, and that introduce us to the principles of natural selection underlying the evolution of simple to complex life forms. Te book destroys the cute notion of bees as anthropomorphic icons of busy self-sacr -i fcing individuals and presents us with the reality of the colony as an integrated and independent being―a “superorganism”―with its own, almost eerie, emergent group intelligence. We are s- prised to learn that no single bee, from queen through drone to sterile worker, has the oversight or control over the colony. - stead, through a network of integrated control systems and fee- backs, and communication between individuals, the colony - rives at consensus decisions from the bottom up through a type of “swarm intelligence”. Indeed, there are remarkable parallels between the functional organization of a swarming honeybee colony and vertebrate brains. Review From the Reviews of the German Edition: (Phaenomen Honigbiene, Spektrum, 2007) "…In small steps, … the author approaches the deeper nature of bees … With … 250 photos, … the presentation is excellent. Over 50 of them are full-page photos and give the volume … a particular aesthetic allure. Any beekeeper … who has ever tried to photograph their bees would be envious. As a basic work, ‘The Buzz about Bees’ is not only a milestone in bee literature for … beekeepers, but … recommended for anyone interested in nature. It links new up-to-date insights with established knowledge …" (Gilbert Brockmann, in: ADIZ/db/IF, 2007, p. 2) "It is hard to decide what is better about this book: the pictures or the text. Let’s start with the pictures. You look at them and are astounded and numerous adjectives occur to you: radiant, brilliant, magnificent, sharp, informative … When it comes to the text, I have to admit: Tautz has it easy. … Not only in the pictures, but also in the text, bees really come alive. … ‘The Buzz about Bees’ is the most wonderful book …" (Hubert Rehm, in: Laborjournal, 09/2007, p. 82) "… The work never comes across as dry or lecturing, not least thanks to the wonderful pictures … But all nature fans who have always wanted to know ‘how bees do it’ will find just what they want. In ten clearly structured chapters, Tautz describes the life of the individual bees and of the entire swarm … Tautz … links bees and their way of life with many aspects of modern human technology. … Read it, be amazed – and enjoy a slice of bread and honey as you do so!" (Christine Scholtyssek, in: Spektrum der Wissenschaft, September 2007, p. 92) "… ‘The Buzz about Bees’ is … marvelously illustrated … The pictures are aesthetically attractive, and … provide rare insight into … life in the bee colony. Readers familiar with scientific literature will initially be surprised: an academic book completely free from diagrams and tables, and all in an easy-to-read style with linguistic concessions to popular science. … The book’s content provides a graphic presentation of how the ‘miraculous’ elements of bees’ life result from a perfected interplay of physical, chemical, and biological processes in the superorganism of the bee colony …" (Martin Dambach, in: Entomologie heute, 2007, Issue 21, p. 221) From the reviews: “Excellent and Informative, July 26, 2008”“I found this book to be extremely well written and easy to understand. The detail provided in all the information in this book really gives excellent insight into the structure of the hive and the behavior of the bees without getting bogged down in incomprehensible jargon. Additionally, the plentiful photographs are incredible. Anyone who is interested in hon
