Ted Benton is emeritus professor of sociology at University of Essex, where he has pioneered the integration of ecological understanding with social theory. He has been an active field naturalist since childhood, and is author or co-author of eight books on entomological topics, in addition to his academic publications and a recent book on Alfred Russel Wallace. His two books in the New Naturalist series (Bumblebees (2006) and Grasshoppers and Crickets (2012)) have both been highly praised. He is hon. President of Colchester Natural History Society, a founder member of the Red-Green Study Group and is involved in environmental campaigning.

• 1 Introduction 2 Diversity and recognition 3 Bee lives 4 Cuckoos in the nest 5 Bees and flowers 6 The conservation of solitary bees 7 Approaches to practical work 8 Keys to the genera of bees of the British Isles 9 References and further reading Index

... a highly accessible introduction to the natural history, ecology and conservation of the solitary bees.