Bees of California: Art, Science, and Poetry

Bees provide food through the simple but essential act of pollination. There are thousands of bee species in North America, but bees are dying. This book is a collaboration between student artists, scientists and writers at the University of California concerned with bee decline. This book is intended for readers with an interest in contemporary poetry, art, nature, and gardening. Over 20 stunning full color illustrations and haikus were contributed by different artists that will make you fall in love with bees. The ecological, taxonomic, and illustrative works in this book are based on real-world research but paint the problem of bee diversity and bee population decline with art and poetry. The book holds a magnifying glass to several different bee families commonly found in California. It also highlights the most important concepts around bee decline and bee behavior, including nesting habits, floral preferences, and social behavior. Readers will learn how to turn their backyard into a bee-friendly garden for native and wild bees.