Natural History of Bumblebees

Can insects be charming? Even people who generally dislike "bugs" make exceptions for bumblebees. Their bright colors and intriguing behaviors can engage the curiosity of anyone from schoolchildren to accomplished scientists. And because one can usually study their behaviors without the use of elaborate equipment, valuable information can still be discovered by the simple technique of observation. In The Natural History of Bumblebees, biologists Carol A. Kearns and James D. Thomson give amateurs and professionals alike the basic knowledge to pursue the joys of observing and investigating these attractive and amenable subjects.Packed with information on bumblebee colonies, bee bee development, foraging behavior, as well as instructions for maintaining bumblebees in captivity, this lively and colorful book also includes an easy-to-use photographic field guide to aid in the identification of over fifty species of North American bumblebee -- virtually every known species on this continent. Until now, even the basic identification of North American bumblebees has been through the use of highly technical regional keys. Kearns and Thomson also provide detailed instructions for constructing simple equipment that facilitates bee wrangling; the handling, tagging, studying, and raising of bumblebees.