The Mind of a Bee

"A rich and surprising exploration of the intelligence of bees. Most of us are aware of the hive mind--the power of bees as an amazing collective. But do we know how uniquely intelligent bees are as individuals? In The Mind of a Bee, Lars Chittka draws from decades of research, including his own pioneering work, to argue that bees have remarkable cognitive abilities. He shows that they are profoundly smart, have distinct personalities, can recognize flowers and human faces, exhibit basic emotions, count, use simple tools, solve problems, and learn by observing others. They may even possess consciousness. Taking readers deep into the sensory world of bees, Chittka illustrates how bee brains are unparalleled in the animal kingdom in terms of how much sophisticated material is packed into their tiny nervous systems. He looks at their innate behaviors and the ways their evolution as foragers may have contributed to their keen spatial memory. Chittka also examines the psychological differences between bees and the ethical dilemmas that arise in conservation and laboratory settings because bees feel and think. Throughout, he touches on the fascinating history behind the study of bee behavior. Exploring an insect whose sensory experiences rival those of humans, The Mind of a Bee reveals the singular abilities of some of the world's most incredible creatures."--

About the author

Lars Chittka

Additional text

"This book is based on years of scientific research. It is a fascinating read that poses questions we all ought to be asking ourselves."---Claire Waring, Country Smallholder

Product details

• Authors: Lars Chittka, Chittka Lars
• Publisher: Princeton University Press
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 10.10.2023
• EAN: 9780691253893
• ISBN: 978-0-691-25389-3
• No. of pages: 344
• Dimensions: 135 mm x 205 mm x 20 mm
• Subjects: Education and learning > Teaching preparation > Vocational needs; Natural sciences, medicine, IT, technology > Biology > Zoology; PSYCHOLOGY / Emotions, popular science, SCIENCE / Life Sciences / Zoology / Entomology, NATURE / Animals / Insects & Spiders, PSYCHOLOGY / Cognitive Psychology & Cognition, Psychology: emotions, Insects (entomology), Animal behaviour, Cognition & cognitive psychology, Cognition and cognitive psychology, Ethology and animal behaviour