Beautifully written and contains some lovely and fascinatingly obscure stories about the lives of beekeepers in different parts of the world. It deserves to be widely read.

Dave Goulson, Biologist, Conservationist, Author of A Buzz in the Meadow, Jonathan Cape

This is an important and timely book relevant for beekeepers, farmers, conservationists and anyone who has an interest in our environment. Sarah has tackled a very difficult and emotive subject rationally, giving the reader an enormous amount of information to digest and consider. It is a very readable book, broken up beautifully with lyrical passages describing her time with bees and the varied landscapes through which she travelled.

John Phipps, Editor, Beekeepers Quarterly



Waring’s writing is lively and engaging, with complex beekeeping issues neatly explored on her colourful travels around Europe. Each chapter parachutes the reader into the lives and preoccupations of beekeeping tribes of Europe, illuminating the craft of beekeeping from the inside. These stories have the precision of embedded journalism, animated by the mindfulness of a prose poet.

Dale Gibson, Apis Consultancy, Bermondsey Street Bees, London

If you're concerned about the health and survival of honeybees, then this book is likely one of the most informative books you will find. Waring’s research and commitment to the study of honeybees shines through every page.

Chris Inch, Beekeeping in Ontario