RSPB Spotlight: Bumblebees is packed with eye-catching, informative colour photos, and features succcinct and detailed text written by a knowledgeable naturalist. Bumblebees are some of our most familiar insects, and are among the few that are almost universally viewed as 'friendly' – their low buzzing is the quintessential sound of our gardens in the summertime. Spotlight Bumblebees considers all 24 UK bumblebee species, examining what made the group so successful and how circumstances have led to the survival of some species but the precipitous decline of the majority, highlighting the dangers we all face if populations continue to plummet. Separate chapters cover all aspects of bumblebees' biology and lifestyles, from spring queens emerging from dark overwintering chambers to establish their nests, to the drone swarms that herald the end of the bumblebee season. Bumblebees around the world are studied, including in the southern hemisphere where Europe's declining species can become harmful invaders. While the influence of bumblebees throughout our history and their place in our culture, from Shakespeare to Transformers, is also examined.

With contributions from Dave Goulson and Gill Perkins, founder and CEO of the Bumblebee Conservation Trust respectively, this illustrated pocket guide is the ideal companion for anyone interested in the naturally occurring species of bumblebee that can be found in the British Isles. Thanks to their iconic furry jackets and low hum that embodies the sound of summer, bumblebees are some of the most charismatic and friendly insects you're likely to encounter in Britain. Presented in the same portable and accessible format as the Pocket Guide to the Butterflies of Britain and Ireland by the same author, with a double-page spread dedicated to each species, this guide to bumblebees will appeal to both beginners and more experienced hymenopterists alike. It features stunning artwork by the world-renowned invertebrate artist Richard Lewington, covering the males and queens of all British true bumblebee and cuckoo bee species, alongside their common colour variations. The introduction includes a double-page spread of the 'big 7' species that are most likely to be encountered in gardens, and additional sections clearly explain how the reader can differentiate between the sexes and recognise true bumblebees from cuckoo bees. The 'at-a-glance' guide provides a quick reference to species grouped by tail colour. Identification can then be confirmed by following the reference page number to the appropriate species. Each species account includes a detailed description covering field characteristics, habitat and distribution, nest, flowers visited, parasites and similar species, and is accompanied by a seasonal flight chart and up-to-date distribution map. Species accounts are interspersed with spreads showing similar, confusion species, grouped together for direct comparison, and are followed by an illustrated section showing bumblebee mimics and lookalikes. 1% of net receipts shall be donated to the Bumblebee Conservation Trust when you buy this item

A Journey Back to Nature

A friendly, accessible insight into the weird, but wonderful world of bees in your garden From the common or garden bumblebees that nest in bird boxes, compost heaps and old mouse holes, making ‘Winnie the Pooh’ style honey pots to feed their babes, to the quirky wool carder bee; a solitary bee that combs the fluff from garden plants to line her brood cells and the amazing leaf cutter bee that carves chunks out of plant foliage to seal it’s egg chambers. This book will reveal the secrets and fascinating lives of the bees that live and breed in your garden, from buzz pollination, to the bee robbers that cheat the plants and steal nectar by stealth. With a chapter per season to explore what you are likely to see in your garden, great plants to grow to help them, plus other fascinating information on these secretive creatures, this book is designed to bring alive the world of garden before your very eyes.

Attracting Garden Pollinators is a friendly, accessible, information packed guide to gardening for and with pollinators. Pollinators are in trouble, but our gardens can help. Gardens represent a vast, varied ‘nature reserve’ packed with plants rich in nectar and pollen to sustain these delicate creatures. This book explores the role that pollinators play and how gardeners and people with gardens can do something to help attract and support them. From butterflies (and their caterpillars - with host plant information) to surprising pollinators (moths, wasps, beetles flies and hornets) and of course including honeybees, hoverflies and bumblebees, this book will offer an insight into their fragile existence, lifecycles and their vital role in the food chain and the natural cycle. Jean Vernon is the Best-Selling author of The Secret Lives of Garden Bees.

Brightly coloured and pleasingly patterned, ladybirds are among some of our most beloved and familiar invertebrates. Their role in helping to protect our crops by devouring huge numbers of pests has firmly established these tiny, flying beetles as the gardeners' friend. Spotlight Ladybirds focuses on the 26 species that are resident in the UK, from the widespread but unusual Orange Ladybird to the rare – and aptly named – Scarce 7-spot Ladybird. Ladybird expert, Richard Comont considers the conservation challenges facing these iconic species, whose populations are now at risk thanks to the threat posed by one of their own, the invasive alien Harlequin Ladybird. And he covers all aspects of ladybirds' biology, from tiny larvae emerging from their oval eggs to large aggregations that converge at specific sites around the world. Richard also examines the natural history and cultural significance of this fascinating group of beetles, from Ladybird Books to Thor. The Spotlight series introduces readers to the lives of our favourite animals with eye-catching colour photos and informative expert text.

RSPB Spotlight: Bats is packed with eye-catching, informative colour photographs and features succinct, detailed text written by a knowledgeable naturalist Thanks to their speed, size and nocturnal habitats, bats are among the most interesting, and least understood, mammals that frequent our homes and gardens. From their ability to make sounds that are above the range of human hearing, to their reliance on echolocation to navigate objects and find prey, their unique behaviour means that bats are seldom seen or heard. With nearly 1,400 species worldwide, bats make up around 25 per cent of all mammal species. Spotlight Bats features all 17 species that live and breed in the British Isles, as well as an array of the most fascinating bats from around the world, including some of the more charismatic species such as vampire bats and fishing bats. Nancy Jennings uses up-to-date research to provide insights intothe lives of these elusive mammals, covering the biology, diversity, evolution and ecology of bats, as well as their interactions with humans and folklore. The Spotlight series introduces readers to the lives and behaviours of our favourite animals with eye-catching colour photography and informative expert text.

Watching a garden busy with bees is one of the joys of summer. But can you tell a White-tailed Bumblebee from a Garden Bumblebee? Or confidently distinguish between a Patchwork Leafcutter Bee and a Long-horned Bee? Britain and Ireland are home to more than 270 species of bees, some of which play an important ecological role through their industrious pollination of our crops and wildflowers. RSPB ID Spotlight Bees is a reliable fold-out chart that presents illustrations of 40 of our most widespread and familiar bees by renowned artist Richard Lewington. - Species are grouped by family and helpfully labelled to assist with identification - Artworks are shown side by side for quick comparison and easy reference at home or in the field - The reverse of the chart provides information on the habitats, behaviour, life cycles and diets of our bees, as well as the conservation issues they are facing and how the RSPB and other conservation charities are working to support them - Practical tips on bug houses, planting for pollinators and gardening for bees are also included The ID Spotlight charts help wildlife enthusiasts identify and learn more about our most common species using accurate colour illustrations and informative, accessible text.

The number of currently known, described and accepted plant species is ca 374,000, of which approximately 295,00 (79%) are angiosperms. Almost 90% of this huge number of flowering plants is pollinated by animals (mostly insects) via nectar-mediated interactions. Notably, three-fourths of the leading global crop plants produce nectar and are animal pollinated, which is estimated to account for one-third of human food resources. Nectar can also be produced on tissues outside of flowers, by so-called extrafloral nectaries, and commonly mediate interactions with ‘body-guard’ ants and other pugnacious insects that defend the plant from herbivores. Extrafloral nectar is present in almost 4,000 plant species, a majority of them in the angiosperms. This brief summary on the occurrence of nectar in the plant kingdom is just to highlight that nectar has a fundamental role in two basal functions that allow the maintenance of our ecosystems: sexual plant reproduction and protection of plants from herbivory. Despite playing essential ecological and evolutionary functions, our current knowledge about nectar is largely incomplete; however, new research directions and perspectives on nectaries and nectars have arisen in recent years. In the last two decades, there were only a few ‘moments’ in which nectar was the main character in international meetings or in published books. In 2002, the first (and only) international meeting “Nectar and nectary: from biology to biotechnology” dedicated exclusively to nectar and nectaries was held in Italy (Montalcino, Siena) and in 2003 the proceedings were published in a special volume of Plant Systematics and Evolution (238, issue 1-4). In 2007, the book Nectar and Nectaries was published (Springer) with most of the contributions provided by authors that attended the meeting in Italy. Another book dedicated to nectar was published in 2015 (Nectar: Production, Chemical Composition and Benefits to Animals and Plants, Nova Science Publishers) covering aspects mainly related to nectar chemical composition and plant-pollinator interactions. Similarly, symposia focused on nectar have been organized within the International Botanical Congress in 2011 and 2017. Considering that the last few years has yielded essential developments in the understanding of nectar biology, we thought now is the moment to further stimulate research on this important topic. This aim has been met through 18 papers published in our Research Topic New Perspectives on the Biology of Nectaries and Nectars, with subjects spanning evolution and ecology to nectar chemistry and nectary structure.