THE WORLD OF THE HONEYBEE. By Colin G. Butler. New Naturalist No. 29.

(1954) 1970's reprint. 8vo (150 x 223mm). Ppxiv,208,ad. Colour frontispiece, b/w photograph plates, b/w line illustrations, bibliography. Green buckram, spine titled in gilt.

A detailed account of the biology, behaviour and habits of the honeybee. Chapters include: The origin of the honeybee, and evolution of the relationship between bees and flowers; The honeybees and their distribution today; The evolution of social amongst bees; The origin of the members of the colony; On the survival of colonies that have lost their queens; The life of a queen - mating, egg-laying behaviour, etc; Division of labour amongst the workers of a colony; Recognition by a colony of honeybees of the presence of its queen; Clustering and the maintenance of colony cohesion; The world of the worker honeybee; Bee stings and bee venom; Colony odour and defence; Colony reproduction or swarming; The food of the honeybee; Foraging behaviour; Direction finding and communication; Epilogue.