Where do the Bees Go? Jacques NDB
£20.00
Where do the Bees Go?
£20.00
This book was conceived following work carried out in pursuit of the UK National Diploma in Beekeeping. As a UK programme, the NDB necessarily focuses on a select group of plant species which are key to honey bees in the British Isles. However those plants that are of value to honey bees are often equally valuable to other UK pollinators and so of interest to anyone who has a love of insects, or indeed, botany. The original work contained pressed botanical samples; these have been scanned to high resolution for inclusion in this book, preserving much of the detail that would be lost in either photographs or illustrations. Those scans are augmented by photographs of each species at different life stages and photomicrographs of the pollen from each species. This is brought together with information around the plant families, ecology, and for the beekeepers’ benefit, potential for honey production.
Lesley Jacques is a Master Beekeeper who took up the craft almost by accident after a swarm of honey bees arrived in her garden in 2011. She very quickly became fascinated by the bees she was tending, and committed to learn more about them and their environment, working her way through the BBKA Module and Husbandry exams. She was awarded her Master Beekeeper qualification in 2021 and gained the NDB in 2024. Throughout this time, Lesley has been actively involved with the British Beekeepers’ Association and her local group, Cheshire Beekeepers’ Association, providing beginners through to advanced level teaching programmes for beekeepers at all levels, including structured teaching for those studying for their own Master Beekeeper qualification. As a scientist by profession, she takes a particular interest in the biology and botanical aspects of beekeeping, and in conveying this to others. Lesley lives in Cheshire with her husband Tony, where she manages three apiaries and more honey bee colonies than she admits to.
VIEW Contents
- Content notes
- Paperveraceae
- Papaver spp. (poppy)
- Ranunculaceae
- Clematis vitalba (wild clematis)
- Grossulariaceae
- Ribes nigra, Ribes rubra (black and red currant)
- Ribes uva-crispa (gooseberry)
- Fabaceae
- Vicia faba (field bean)
- Trifolium pratense (red clover)
- Trifolium repens (white clover)
- Onobrychis viciifolia (sainfoin)
- Lotus corniculatus (bird’s foot trefoil)
- Rosaceae
- Crataegus spp. (hawthorn)
- Prunus spp. (cherry)
- Prunus laurocerasus (cherry laurel)
- Malus pumila (apple)
- Rubus fructiosus (blackberry)
- Rubus ideus (raspberry)
- Cotoneaster spp. (cotoneaster)
- Salicaceae
- Salix spp. (willow)
- Lythraceae
- Lythrum salicaria (purple loosestrife)
- Onagraceae
- Chamaenerion angustifolium (rosebay willowherb)
- Sapindaceae
- Aesculus hippocastanum (horse chestnut)
- Acer spp. (maple)
- Acer pseudoplatanus (sycamore)
- Malvaceae
- Tilia spp. (lime)
- Brassicaceae
- Brassica napus (oil seed rape)
- Plumbaginaceae
- Limonium vulgare (sea lavender)
- Balsaminaceae
- Impatiens glandulifera (Himalayan balsam)
- Ericaceae
- Erica cinerea (bell heather)
- Erica carnea, Erica tetralix (winter heath, cross-leaved heath)
- Calluna vulgaris (ling heather)
- Rhododendron ponticum (rhododendron)
- Boraginaceae
- Borago officinalis (borage)
- Myosotis spp., Myosotis arvensis (forget-me-not)
- Echium vulgare (viper’s bugloss)
- Phacelia tanacetifolia (phacelia)
- Oleaceae
- Ligustrum vulgare (privet)
- Lamiaceae
- Thymus spp. (thyme)
- Mentha spp. (mint)
- Lavendula angustifolia (lavender)
- Salvia rosmarinus (rosemary)
- Aquifolaceae
- Ilex aquifolium (holly)
- Asteraceae
- Taraxacum officinale (dandelion)
- Senecio jacobaea (ragwort)
- Helianthus annuus (sunflower)
- Centaurea nigra (knapweed)
- Aster tripolium (sea aster)
- Araliaceae
- Hedera helix (ivy)
- Apiaceae
- Daucus carota (wild carrot)
- Iridaceae
- Crocus vernus (spring crocus)
- Amaryllidaceae
- Allium schoenoprasum (chives)
- Galanthus nivalis (snowdrop)
- Asparagaceae
- Hyacinthoides non-scripta, H. hispanica (bluebell)
- Asparagus officinalis (asparagus)
- References
VIEW Book Review
Reviewed by Ann Chilcott (Scottish Expert Beemaster) and author of THE BEELISTENER
Where do the bees go? An exploration of key UK forage species for pollinators by Lesley Jacques is a detailed guide to 24 of the key UK families of important pollinator plants for bees. Jacques is a scientist by profession with a special interest in biology and botany relating to beekeeping. She is a Master Beekeeper and was inspired to compile this plant portfolio while studying for the National Diploma in Beekeeping which is unique to the UK.
What makes this publication stand out from similar beekeeping books is the attention to detail and its timely focus on all UK bee pollinators which are currently under threat from climate change, habitat loss, disease, and pesticides. It is a beautifully illustrated book and the pressed flower photographs are superb. The author has painstakingly and skilfully collected and preserved an elaborate herbarium, and photographed pollen grains from each collected plant.
The book is written in a field guide format though its A4 size probably restricts its use to indoors. We find information relating to each plant family including the number of genera and species, and features such as leaf shape, petal numbers, fruit type, flowering times and habitat. The most valuable information for the beekeeper or conservationist relates to the food value of each plant which is reflected in its nectar and pollen production. The protein value of each pollen is explained and shown as a crude protein level. We learn that plants whose pollen falls in the crude protein range of above 25% are considered to be of most value to foragers. The other key features are bee forage potential, and notable foraging bee species which are shown in tabulated form. We learn whether a particular plant produces pollen, nectar, or both, and if it is of value to honey bees, long-tongued or short-tongues bumble bees, or solitary bees. The different foraging bees are listed by both common and binomial names.
Some families contain more useful plants than others and here the pea family (Fabaceae) section, for example, features five important plants all with similarly sized and shaped pollen grains and crude protein values.
Unavailable