Book list
From Booklist, Copyright © American Library Association. Used with permission.

Although the honey bee is the poster child for all manner of pollinators, there are more than four-thousand species of native bees whose work in guaranteeing an abundant and diverse food supply is just as critical; yet when quizzed, few people would be able to name even one. Though she is a horticultural professional, Embry counted herself among the woefully uninformed, a situation she sought to correct by becoming a self-proclaimed bee nerd, capable of identifying even the most obscure Anthophora or tracking down an elusive Halictus. She traveled the country, from California's almond groves to Maine's blueberry farms, to find the respected experts and fellow enthusiasts who could assist her in her mission to bring the plight of endangered native bees in all their underappreciated diversity to light. Designed to educate everyone from bee and honey enthusiasts to amateur gardeners and agricultural professionals, Embry's captivating profiles of just a few of the myriad native bee species and the dedicated individuals and institutions committed to their survival are as entertaining as they are enlightening.--Haggas, Carol Copyright 2017 Booklist

Choice
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.

Bees are among the most well-known insects. Playing invaluable roles as pollinators, they are integral components of modern-day agriculture. Most of us, however, are only familiar with honey bees, and perhaps bumblebees. Despite their ubiquity in the US, honey bees are a European import. Fascinated by the 4,000 bee species native to the US and Canada, Embry--an independent scholar--shares her enthusiasm and concerns for these lesser-known but important insect pollinators. Focusing on a few select species, the chapters present short vignettes of their natural history, outline their potential impacts as pollinators, and introduce relevant aspects of conservation biology (including discussion of several interesting corporate and citizen-science conservation and pollination projects). Several chapters recount the author's time spent in the company of bee biologists, in both the lab and the field, as she sought to learn more about North America's native bees. Keeping jargon to a minimum, Embry writes in an easygoing, conversational style. Nicely illustrated with a variety of full-color photographs, this book is an enjoyable read, suitable for both bee enthusiasts and general-interest readers who have no particular background in either apiculture or entomology. Summing Up: Recommended. Lower-division undergraduates and general readers. --Danny A. Brass, independent scholar