THE WORLD OF BEES

by Murray Hoyt ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 27, 1965

An animated description of communal living in a society ""more communistic than communism,"" inhabited by such colorful characters as the drones who spend their lives ""lazily buzzing around in the sun, no work, preoccupied with sex"" (shades of sex and the single bee); the fierce queen who can determine the sex of her young, the selfless workers who are the real rulers of the hive, and the slightly psychopathic robber bees complete the cast. With all the enthusiasm of a proud papa Hoyt displays their abilities, their outstanding engineering prowess, their astonishing ability to communicate through a ""dance"" the exact angle of flight to a rich nectar source, and their economic importance, not only as honey producers, but more significantly as a major pollinating agent. Not to be confined to the hive, he explores the methods and problems of apiculture and the exotic substance--honey, nectar of the gods, Pompey's secret weapon, panacea, cosmetic and staple of the biblical land ""flowing with milk and honey and ten ounces of orange juice."" Sharpened with humor, Mr. Hoyt's apiarian study is fairly stingulating.

Pub Date: April 27, 1965

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Coward-McCann

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 1965

Categories: NONFICTION