The Mind of a Bee

Lars Chittka is professor of sensory and behavioral ecology at Queen Mary University of London. He is the coeditor of Cognitive Ecology of Pollination.

"This book is based on years of scientific research. It is a fascinating read that poses questions we all ought to be asking ourselves."---Claire Waring, Country Smallholder --- "The Mind of a Bee makes for fascinating reading. The book’s tight structure and numerous illustrations make it accessible . . . . [And I have] been thoroughly convinced by Chittka that bees are anything but little automatons."---Leon Vlieger, Inquisitive Biologist --- "A wonderful journey into the fascinating world of bee intelligence and consciousness." --- "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 ​​​​​​​ --- "An entertaining and enlightening read."---Helen Gray, Animal Welfare --- "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 --- "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 --- "[A] devoted, accessible analysis."---Andrew Robinson, Nature --- "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." --- "Written with moments of levity and soaked in curiosity, The Mind of a Bee is a delight."---Eliza Middleton, The Conversation --- "I strongly recommend you read [Chittka’s] book and if you will excuse the pun ‘make your own mind up’. Science and nature writing at its finest and an essential read."---Roy Stewart, British Naturalists' Association --- "This is an amazing book. I give it my highest recommendation."---David Gascoigne, Travels with Birds --- "The Mind of a Bee is a fascinating book that I hope will be read and understood by as broad an audience as possible, so that the important conclusions within may be shared more widely."---Amanda Williams, Buzz about Bees --- "An entrancing journey through the senses and life struggles of bees."---Alun Anderson, New Scientist --- "This is an outstanding book that provides a comprehensive overview of honeybee cognition. It provides a clear introduction to the field for amateur bee lovers as well as a nuanced and up-to-date summary for professionals. By looking at the world through the lens of a bee, readers will develop tools to better understand the distinct and vivid experiences of tiny invertebrates that are too frequently ignored."---Elizabeth A. Tibbetts, Current Biology --- "The knowledge on offer here is as entertaining as it is edifying. Readers won’t look at bees the same way again." --- "The book’s bees astound; so too the clever humans who study them."---Robert Eagan, Library Journal, starred review --- "A thorough and thoughtful primer on the interiority of bees."---Mike Welch, Scientific American --- "Nominated for the Smart Book of the Year Award, Science Category" --- "Finalist for the PROSE Award in Biological Sciences"