Bees are a symbol of nature conservation. People all over the world are studying their fate and the threats posed to them by human activity and biodiversity loss.

The honey bee plays an especially crucial role as one the key pollinators in the ecosystem, yet it is now considered an endangered species.

Honey bee colonies are commonly kept by amateur beekeepers. But honey bees also live wild in European woodlands, where they are almost unnoticed and have
no interaction with humans at all.

This lavish, picture-led book is a unique collaboration between Germany’s leading bee expert, Prof Dr Jürgen Tautz, and one of the world’s top nature photographers Ingo Arndt, who provide a fascinating insight into this mysterious hidden world.

These sensational photographs document a major research project into the life of the wild honey bee, and present images of many behaviours never captured before. It also reveals new scientific insights which promise to revolutionise conventional beekeeping and conservation.