Bee Quest

You'll learn all sorts of interesting things without effort because he's a natural storyteller with a particular gift of understatement that is often laugh-out-loud funny - which you don't expect from a bee book... It's warmly personal, and stuffed full of the inescapable poetry and beauty of the natural world... Going on Bee Quest with him puts the natural world within our reach - to enjoy but also to protect... This is a truly positive and empowering read - you closed it better informed, filled with poetry, pies and ready to get out there and make a difference. -- Laline Paull * Observer * This is a quest that takes us from Patagonia to Poland, from Ecuador to Essex, fueled by Dave Goulson's extraordinary passion for the bumblebee... Goulson's search for some of the world's rarest bees has led him on a geographical and intellectual exploration that combines bizarre facts about bumblebees...with passionate ideas about conservation. -- Martha Kearney * The Times * Dave Goulson... has perfected the art of turning the entomologist's technical expertise into easy-reading everyman's prose. He also laces his stories with rich helpings of wit and humour. -- Mark Cocker * Spectator * In this delightful book [Goulson] tells us of the discoveries he has made during his 'bee travels'... a humorous, beautifully written tribute to these insects, and hope-filled examples of nature's resilience. * Outdoor Photography * Entomologist Dave Goulson journeyed as far as Patagonia to track down populations of the world's rarest bumblebees. The result is this fun serial travelogue and ode to diverse countryside... In a world skewed towards saving photogenic mammals, Goulson extols the intrinsic importance of insects, rather than their economic value. -- Barbara Kiser * Nature * Every now and then you come across a book that changes the way you look at the world. This is one of those books. Ostensibly about bumblebees and Goulson's quest to find some of the most endangered ones around the globe, it proves to be much more than that... Bee Quest is as much a travel guide as a bee compendium... Along the way he conjures up the history, atmosphere and landscape of his surroundings with an infectious enthusiasm and descriptive flair that more than makes up for the lack of illustrations... You may well find yourself building a bee hotel and ordering wild flower seeds long before you reach the end of the book. -- Patricia Carswell * WI Life * Goulson has written his best book yet, his writing keeps getting better and his infectious enthusiasm for his furry subjects is catching. Not only is it a wonderful read, but it is a prescient warning of our meddling with the environment... If you are a fan of natural history books then this is a necessary addition. -- Paul Cheney * Nudge * A rather sweet take on the intricate lives of the furry pollinators... This buzzy travel companion has a light touch and inquisitive tone. * Monocle * Highly recommended. * Esther Pepper * Gloriously entertaining... Goulson's writing is strikingly elegant and very funny. -- Jane Shilling * Daily Mail * Dave Goulson is a distinguished professor of biology, but his books about the natural world possess a thrilling immediacy that's light years from the image of academia. His passion is evident on every page of this fascinating and informative foray into the world of bees -- Simon Shaw * The Mail on Sunday *