Honey Bee Biology

Description

The most comprehensive and up-to-date general reference book on honey bee biology Honey bees are marvelously charismatic organisms with a long history of interaction with humans. They are vital to agriculture and serve as a model system for many basic questions in biology. This authoritative book provides an essential overview of honey bee biology, bringing established topics up to date while incorporating emerging areas of inquiry. Honey Bee Biology covers everything from molecular genetics, development, and physiology to neurobiology, behavior, and pollination biology. Placing special attention on the important role of bees as pollinators in agricultural ecosystems, it incorporates the latest findings on pesticides, parasites, and pathogens. This incisive and wide-ranging book also sheds vital light on the possible causes of colony collapse disorder and the devastating honey bee losses we are witnessing today. The study of honey bees has greatly expanded in recent years and there is more interest in these marvelous creatures than ever before. Honey Bee Biology is the first up-to-date general reference of its kind published in decades. It is a must-have resource for social insect biologists, scientifically savvy beekeepers, and any scientist interested in bees as a model system. Cover Contents List of Plates Foreword Acknowledgments 1. Introduction 2. Natural History, Systematics, and Phylogenetics 3. Development 4. Anatomy and Physiology 5. Genetics and Genomics 6. Neurobiology 7. Neuroethology and Cognitive Science Color Plates 8. Reproduction 9. Evolution 10. Life History, Ecology, and Nesting Biology 11. The Honey Bee Colony Is a Superorganism 12. Division of Labor 13. Communication, Labor Allocation, and Collective Decision Making 14. Chemical Ecology 15. Foraging 16. Tropical Honey Bees 17. Immunity, Parasites, Pests, and Pathogens 18. Detoxification and Pesticides 19. Honey Bees as Managed Pollinators Literature Cited Index