With senses that often seem alien to us, bees navigate complex decisions about where to find food, when to fight or flee, and how to work together. The Language of Bees invites readers into the hidden world of bee communication, a realm where creatures less than an inch long use scent, vibration, movement, and sound to cooperate, share information, and survive.
Drawing on decades of groundbreaking fieldwork, James Nieh sheds light on the remarkable signals that bees use and the evolutionary forces that shape them. Focusing on social species like bumble bees, honey bees, and stingless bees, he explores how colonies rely on these signals to organize all aspects of their lives, from foraging and warfare to espionage and defense. From the famous waggle dance of honey bees to the secretive trails and potentially coded sounds of stingless bees, he shows how their intricate communication systems reflect a delicate balance between cooperation and conflict and how a changing world disrupts these finely tuned systems. Along the way, Nieh shares key breakthroughs in animal behavior and offers new insights from his own research on how bees signal, eavesdrop, and adapt. Readers will learn how bees waggle dance better if they have teachers and an engaged audience, how predators and competition help shape bee language, and other astonishing findings.
The Language of Bees is also a story about how failure and unexpected turns lead to discoveries. Blending personal insights with cutting-edge science, this illuminating and informative book reveals how the study of bees continues to deepen our understanding of intelligence, resilience, and the diverse ways that life communicates.
James C. Nieh is a Professor in the Department of Ecology, Behavior, and Evolution and an Associate Dean in the School of Biological Sciences at the University of California, San Diego. He is a Fellow of the Royal Entomological Society and a recipient of the Hambleton Award for his bee research and the Springer Nature Editor of Distinction Award.
"A thoroughly researched, well-documented, and highly readable compilation of decades of scholarship on bee conversation."鈥�Kirkus Reviews
"The author's personal anecdotes enliven the text. . . . Well researched and accessibly written, this lively and informative guide provides an in-depth exploration into the communication systems of bees."鈥擬aren Ostergard, Booklist
“A truly superb book about studies of the sensory abilities and communication skills of social bees. In this beautifully written work, James Nieh presents a lovely blend of historical contexts, personal experiences, and wonderful discoveries.”—Thomas D. Seeley, author of Honeybee Democracy
“This book is a dazzling exploration of the diversity and complexity of communication systems of bees. Having worked with multiple species of honey bees, bumble bees, and stingless bees, James Nieh is our perfect guide into the alien ways by which the animal world’s most sophisticated societies exchange information. It will forever change the way you see these creatures and the hidden worlds inside their nests.”—Lars Chittka, author of The Mind of a Bee
“Nieh takes us on an epic journey of discovery, expertly weaving together personal anecdotes, neurobiology, natural history, and evolutionary theory. The Language of Bees encourages us to learn from the bees and other animals in our backyards and will inspire the next generation of scientists to make their own discoveries. This book is a true joy to read.”—Christina Grozinger, coauthor of The Lives of Bees
“In this beautifully written and deeply insightful book, James Nieh opens an extraordinary window into the communication systems of bees. From the famous waggle dance to newly discovered signals, he reveals how colonies share information and make collective decisions. A fascinating and authoritative guide to one of nature’s most remarkable languages.”—Stephen Buchmann, author of What a Bee Knows
