Bees are fascinating little creatures. These enterprising insects set up well organized colonies that put human societies to shame. Did you know that an average worker bee will gather enough nectar to produce 1/12 teaspoon of honey during her lifetime?
In Bees and Their Keepers, Lotte Moller takes us on an interesting journey through the beekeeping world. Beekeeping to many is not just a profession, but an emotion. The first part of the book is divided into chapters for each month and each chapter delves into an important facet of the history of bees and beekeeping. These creatures are often upheld as role models for humans for their industriousness and organization. There is a small section explaining how honeybees decide which site would be the location for their next colony. The democratic process that they follow is impressive and I would like to direct my readers to another engrossing book called The Honeybee Democracy where the entire exercise is described in more detail. Moller also shares several myths associated with bees and their subsequent debunking after more evidence was collected. One such belief was that the bee colony could only have been ruled by a male bee. Talk about humans projecting their inherent misogyny onto other species!
The second half of the book is devoted mainly to beekeepers and we meet several quirky and passionate characters in this section. The debate between 'natural' and more 'artificial' forms of beekeeping are highlighted as bees are increasingly being exploited by humans. There is an interesting story about an island that was divided into two factions that wanted to keep different varieties of bees (yellow Italian vs. the native brown, if my memory serves me right) in their apiaries. For me, this story underscores the fact that we humans have made this planet all about us.
We have much to learn from bees, and the author has made it possible to navigate their world through her experiences. I listened to the audiobook on Audible, and I highly recommend this version. Julie Maisey, the narrator has a soothing voice and is perfect to listen to while completing mundane tasks. It is just over 4 hours long and can be completed over a couple of days. Overall, this was an excellent book, and I am glad that I learnt so much about bees from it.
My rating: 4.5/5
Image source: www.amazon.in
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