NOVEMBER 2022 - AudioFile
Narrator Michael Butler Murray has a quirky timbre that makes this exploration of all things bee very listenable. He particularly enlivens the somewhat dull and rather lengthy chapters that provide historical background on bee science. What scientists have discovered about bee perception and intelligence is fascinating to hear, but the nitty-gritty of how they figured it out—not so much. The author fails to provide a narrative hook to keep listeners from wandering, making Murray’s job quite difficult. Listeners who do hang on will be astounded by what scientists have learned about the bee brain and nervous system, as well as the perceptive abilities bees closely share with humans. J.T. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine
Publishers Weekly
04/11/2022
Chittka, a behavioral ecology professor at Queen Mary University of London, combines cutting-edge science with a rich historical perspective in this take on what it means to be a bee. His goal, which he accomplishes remarkably well, is to dispel the belief that an individual bee is nothing more than “a mindless cog” in a hive; instead, he argues, bees have “beautifully elaborate brains.” He considers whether bees have individual personalities, experience consciousness, or dream, and in each case, using experiments he and his coworkers have undertaken, explores the likelihood of answers in the affirmative. He demonstrates that bees can be trained to recognize faces, “have a visual processing speed five times faster than humans,” are capable of learning certain tasks that prove they comprehend the concepts of “above” and “below” quicker than primates, and can learn to use tools. Throughout, Chittka offers evolutionary explanations for many of the behaviors he describes—insects, for example, “were pre-adapted for flower color-coding hundreds of millions of years before there were any flowers.” The knowledge on offer here is as entertaining as it is edifying. Readers won’t look at bees the same way again. (June)
Conservation Biology
"A wonderful journey into the fascinating world of bee intelligence and consciousness."
Beekeepers Quarterly
"Chittka has managed the extraordinary feat of condensing over three decades of research into a single book and in such a way as to make it accessible to the non-expert."
From the Publisher
"[A] devoted, accessible analysis."—-Andrew Robinson, Nature
"Bee behaviour is undoubtedly fascinating and Chittka is the ideal author to explain the intricacies of how bees learn and make decisions."—-John Badmin, British Journal of Entomology and Natural History
"Engaging and intellectually stimulating. . . .Despite it being basically a science book, The Mind of a Bee keeps you glued like it were an action-packed story where you just need to know the final conclusion."—-Mihai Andrei, ZME Science
"An entertaining and enlightening read."—-Helen Gray, Animal Welfare
"Lars Chittka's book is timely indeed, as it vividly describes and scientifically underpins the stunning intellectual power of these little creatures. . . .Highly recommend this book to everybody interested in nature- layman or professional."—-Rudolf Alexander Steinbrecht, Arthropod Structure & Development
AudioFile
Narrator Michael Butler Murray has a quirky timbre that makes this exploration of all things bee very listenable.
Library Journal
★ 04/01/2022
A leading expert on bee psychology takes readers on a fascinating journey into the mind of man's best insect friend. Chittka (sensory and behavioral ecology, Queen Mary Univ., London) argues that bees, even with brains the size of a pinhead, are far from being "reflexive robots." His book examines bees' sensory world, their instinctual repertoire, and how it relates to learned behaviors. He also studies the evolutionary roots of bee intelligence, how they navigate the "flower supermarket," the possibility of bees having "personality" and possessing some form of consciousness (and the ethical implications of that), and much more. Chittka cites extensive scientific research, including his own, that shows bees pulling off surprising cognitive feats (recognizing flowers and human faces, displaying emotions, counting, and using tools). Bees have long fascinated humanity, so it's fitting that Chittka also surveys the insights of eminent historical entomologists—adding another layer of interest and stylistic flair to the text's scholarly content. While some of Chittka's topics are challenging, the book's cogent structure, nifty illustrations, and smartly written chapter summaries and transitions will help pop-science readers through it. VERDICT The book's bees astound; so too the clever humans who study them.—Robert Eagan
NOVEMBER 2022 - AudioFile
Narrator Michael Butler Murray has a quirky timbre that makes this exploration of all things bee very listenable. He particularly enlivens the somewhat dull and rather lengthy chapters that provide historical background on bee science. What scientists have discovered about bee perception and intelligence is fascinating to hear, but the nitty-gritty of how they figured it out—not so much. The author fails to provide a narrative hook to keep listeners from wandering, making Murray’s job quite difficult. Listeners who do hang on will be astounded by what scientists have learned about the bee brain and nervous system, as well as the perceptive abilities bees closely share with humans. J.T. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine
