Read About Bees: 36 Books about Bees Available on Amazon

Last updated on September 20th, 2023 at 08:39 pm

There are a tonne of books about bees available if you’re interested in learning more and reading about them. These books cover everything from their biology and behaviours to the dangers they face and how we can protect them.

Understanding bee behaviours and the difficulties they experience is fundamental to our survival because bees are interesting organisms that are important to our ecology.

Not only are bees cool, but they are also vital to the health of our world. Bees are essential to our food supply because they support our ecosystems and help pollinate more than 75% of the world’s food crops.

Bees are not only crucial to the food production on our planet, but they also play a big part in preserving our ecosystems’ biodiversity. Bees aid in the pollination of wildflowers and other plants, which promotes plant species’ reproduction and the survival of other wildlife-supporting species.

The degradation of their natural habitats and the use of pesticides in industrial agriculture both pose serious threats to bee populations. This is why it is so important to protect bee populations and take measures to ensure their success. Learn as much as you can about bees and their behaviour as one strategy to do this.

Beekeeping and Honey Production Books

Numerous books about bees have been published, covering everything from beekeeping and honey production to the ecological impact of bees and the dangers of habitat loss and changes in the environment. There is no shortage of stellar reading material offered to people who want to learn more about these amazing creatures.

The amazing social structure of bees is one of the coolest things about them. Thousands of individual bees collaborate in a beehive in a very organised and effective way. Every bee in the hive has a distinct function, from gathering nectar and pollen to tending to the young and protecting the hive from predators. It is genuinely amazing how these individual bees function as a group, and beekeepers and scientists have been captivated by it for generations.

Bees’ significance is also attributed to their function in pollination. Almonds, avocados, sunflowers, strawberries, and other crops and plants are all pollinated by bees. Many of these plants would be unable to reproduce without bees, which would have catastrophic effects on ecosystems and agriculture all across the world. This underscores the necessity of protecting and assisting bees wherever possible as they become an essential component of our food systems and economy.

Sadly, bees are being threatened by a number of factors, such as habitat loss, chemical exposure, and climate change. Books about bees can be especially helpful in this situation since they can promote awareness of the value of bees and the need to protect them.

People may learn about the problems bees are now experiencing and what they can do to assist by reading books on bees. This may entail growing bee-friendly plants in their gardens, helping out their neighbourhood beekeepers, or supporting laws that safeguard bee habitats and lessen the use of dangerous chemicals.

The Best Books about Bees

Some of the best books about bees include The Beekeeper’s Bible by Richard Jones and Sharon Sweeney-Lynch, which provides a comprehensive guide to beekeeping and honey production, as well as fascinating insights into the life and behaviour of bees. 

Another excellent book is The Buzz About Bees: Biology of a Superorganism by Jürgen Tautz, which explores the complex social structure of bees and the critical role that they play in pollination and ecosystem health.

For those interested in the history and cultural significance of bees, The Sacred Bee in Ancient Times and Folklore by Hilda Ransome is a fascinating read that explores the myths, legends, and symbolism associated with bees throughout human history.

Reading Books About Bees

People can have a clearer understanding of the significance of these creatures and the difficulties they confront today by reading books about bees. The world of bee writing has something to offer everyone, whether they keep bees, garden, or are just concerned about the environment.

We’ve collated a list of the best books for you to read about bees, all of which are available on Amazon.

Here’s our top picks for the 36 best books to read about bees:

1. The Beekeeper’s Bible: Bees, Honey, Recipes & Other Home Uses by Richard Jones (UK) – Non-fiction – View on Amazon
2. The Backyard Beekeeper, 4th Edition: An Absolute Beginner’s Guide to Keeping Bees in Your Yard and Garden by Kim Flottum (USA) – Non-fiction – View on Amazon
3. The Hive and the Honey Bee by Joe M. Graham (Editor) (USA) – Non-fiction – View on Amazon
4. The ABC and XYZ of Bee Culture: A Encyclopedia Pertaining to the Scientific and Practical Culture of Honey Bees by A. I. Root and E. R. Root (USA) – Non-fiction – View on Amazon
5. Bees: A Natural History by Christopher O’Toole (Canada) – Non-fiction – View on Amazon
6. Beekeeping For Dummies by Howland Blackiston (USA) – Non-fiction – View on Amazon
7. The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Beekeeping by Dean Stiglitz and Laurie Herboldsheimer (USA) – Non-fiction – View on Amazon
8. The Buzz about Bees: Biology of a Superorganism by Jürgen Tautz (Germany) – Non-fiction – View on Amazon
9. The Thinking Beekeeper: A Guide to Natural Beekeeping in Top Bar Hives by Christy Hemenway (USA) – Non-fiction – View on Amazon
10. The Complete Guide to Beekeeping for Fun and Profit: Everything You Need to Know Explained Simply by Cindy Belknap (USA) – Non-fiction – View on Amazon
11. Honey Bee Biology and Beekeeping, Revised Edition by Dewey M. Caron and Lawrence John Connor (USA) – Non-fiction – View on Amazon
12. The Bee-Friendly Garden: Design an Abundant, Flower-Filled Yard that Nurtures Bees and Supports Biodiversity by Kate Frey and Gretchen LeBuhn (USA) – Non-fiction – View on Amazon
13. A Book of Bees: And How to Keep Them by Sue Hubbell (USA) – Non-fiction – View on Amazon
14. The Queen Must Die: And Other Affairs of Bees and Men by William Longgood (USA) – Non-fiction – View on Amazon
15. The Beeswax Workshop: How to Make Your Own Natural Candles, Cosmetics, Cleaners, Soaps, Healing Balms, and More by Chris Dalziel (Canada) – Non-fiction – View on Amazon
16. The Song of the Bee by Dr. K. S. Jayappa (India) – Poetry – View on Amazon
17. The World History of Beekeeping and Honey Hunting by Eva Crane (UK) – Non-fiction – View on Amazon
18. The Bees: A Novel by Laline Paull (UK) – Fiction – View on Amazon (Editor’s Pick / Best Science Fiction and Fantasy)
19. Beekeeper’s Lab: 52 Family-Friendly Activities and Experiments Exploring the Life of the Hive by Kim Lehman (USA) – Non-fiction – View on Amazon
20. Buzz: The Nature and Necessity of Bees by Thor Hanson (USA) – Non-fiction – View on Amazon – View on Amazon
21. Beekeeping at Buckfast Abbey by “Brother Adam” (Karl Kehrle) (UK) – Non-fiction – View on Amazon
22. Honeybee Democracy by Thomas D. Seeley (USA) – Non-fiction – View on Amazon
23. The Beekeeper’s Handbook by Diana Sammataro and Alphonse Avitabile (USA) – Non-fiction – View on Amazon
24. The Beeman by Laurie Krebs and Valeria Cis (Mexico) – Children’s Fiction – View on Amazon
25. The Honey Thief by Najaf Mazari and Robert Hillman (Australia) – Non-fiction – View on Amazon
26. Bees of the World by O’Toole and Raw (Canada and Australia) – Non-fiction – View on Amazon
27. The Honey Trail: In Pursuit of Liquid Gold and Vanishing Bees by Grace Pundyk (USA) – Non-fiction – View on Amazon
28. The Beekeeper’s Lament: How One Man and Half a Billion Honey Bees Help Feed America by Hannah Nordhaus (USA) – Non-fiction – View on Amazon
29. Natural Beekeeping: Organic Approaches to Modern Apiculture by Ross Conrad (USA) – Non-fiction – View on Amazon
30. The Life of the Bee by Maurice Maeterlinck (Belgium) – Non-fiction – View on Amazon
31. Robbing the Bees: A Biography of Honey–The Sweet Liquid Gold that Seduced the World by Holley Bishop (USA) – Non-fiction – View on Amazon
32. The Dancing Bees: An Account of the Life and Senses of the Honey Bee by Karl von Frisch (Austria) – Non-fiction – View on Amazon
33. The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd (USA) – Fiction – View on Amazon
34. The Beekeeper: Rescuing the Stolen Women of Iraq by Dunya Mikhail (Iraq) – Non-fiction – View on Amazon
35. Keeping Bees with a Smile: A Vision and Practice of Natural Apiculture by Fedor Lazutin (Russia) – Non-fiction – View on Amazon
36. The Bee Book by Charlotte Milner (UK) – Children’s Non-fiction – View on Amazon

If there’s a book about bees that you’ve read and you think should bee on our list, please let us know.

Featured Image: Photo by Douglas Raggio on Unsplash