Dancing with Bees: A Journey Back to Nature THE SUNDAY TIMES BEST NATURE WRITING BOOKS 2020

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As a naturalist I found the material interesting — certainly with its human touch more engaging than the dry scientific papers I try to keep up with. My fear though, is that the level of detail will be a limiting factor in attracting readership. Sales may be enough for the publisher, but I don't see that many delving into the contents. Dancing with Bees is one of the most important and accessible and entertaining books I’ve ever read. Brigit has poured meticulous detail and research into her book, which has left me with even more respect for our precious bees than I ever thought possible. What’s more, it’s a touching, sensitive account of what makes us human and how we connect to the natural world. Everyone should read it.” —Kate Bradbury, author of Wildlife Gardening and The Bumblebee Flies Anyway The book also outlines how to help bees, including recommending some specific plants that bees love, including ivy and comfrey (which is also a great soil enricher, particularly in the form of 'comfrey tea, the making of which is described here.)

This book is a delightful insight into a hidden world. We are all familiar with bees buzzing around and may know something of their elegant social organisation, but I was amazed by Brigit’s lucid descriptions of the extraordinary diversity of bees, just in this country, of the very different lives they lead, and of the challenges they all face. The remarkable impact that seemingly passive or insignificant living things have upon the world around us: A joy-filled voyage of discovery through the wonderful world of bees.” —Dave Goulson, author of Bee Quest and A Sting in the TaleRecent research, based on the observation of evening primroses, shows that these plants themselves respond to the sound of bees buzzing. Within just minutes of sensing the sound of a nearby bee, the concentration of sugar in the nectar produced by the plants increases by an average of 20 percent. Incredibly, the flowers even seem to be able to filter out irrelevant noises, such as the wind. These important facts and observations do not in any way overshadow the love story that unfolds between Brigit and the bees she so carefully studies with such tenderness and affection, having rediscovered her connection with nature and having made a commitment to nurture this new awakening and help it to grow. It started with an awareness of bees and the discovery that there are at least twenty five thousand different species of bee. This staggering amount was a surprise to me as well, and even more surprisingly, within this figure, there are only 9 types of honey bee, around 250 bumblebees, 500 or so sting-less bees and a greater number of solitary bees. Whilst they are in good condition, peatlands outperform any other ecosystem as carbon sinks. Of the entire world’s surface, only 3 percent is peatland, but this meager 3 percent stores at least twice as much carbon stored by all the forests standing on the planet.

This audiobook was beautifully narrated by the author and the joy and excitement about the subject manner is plain to hear. We are handed a lens – light, bright, beautiful things come into focus. Brigit's flare for observation and description, passion for knowledge, and ease with communication involve us in adventuring through the looking glass to explore with her the intimate life of wild bees. Gently, this timely book reminds us that nature is in trouble and that we must all join the dance." Birgit Howard nimmt einen mit auf eine Reise durch die Natur. Vor allem auf eine Reise durch die Bienenwelt. Sie zeigt bzw. erklärt einem unterschiedliche Arten von Bienen, Hummeln, etc. und geht darauf ein, wie man die kleinen Helferlein schützen und unterstützen kann. Außerdem spricht sie darüber, wie man die Welt um sich herum wieder bewusster wahrnehmen kann, da vielen dieses Gefühl irgendwo auf ihrem Weg verloren geht. Auch schön: Selbst wenn man, wie die Autorin, irgendwann einmal den Bezug der Natur etwas verloren hat, so kann man sich jederzeit wieder dafür interessieren und etwas bewirken. Die Autorin selbst ist das beste Beispiel.Written by Brigit Strawbridge Howard, this is her wildlife journey with British bees. I was very surprised to learn that there are ‘at least twenty thousand different species of bee’ on this planet. Of those only 9 are honey bees and 250 are bumblebees, the rest belong roughly to two other groups, sting-less bees and solitary bees, but all are important pollinators. As my interest in bees has grown, so has my awareness of everything that surrounds them or connects them to the web of life they exist within. I feel as though I have embarked on a never-ending journey, a journey that spirals continuously outwards, gathering momentum and taking on a life of its own as it sweeps up all the wondrous, wild things that fly, swim, walk, or crawl in its wake.”