Writing

The life story of the Garden Bumblebee is quite extraordinary. The book only touches on some details but there is plenty to provoke discussion. Bumblebee Queens are vegetarian single mothers who don’t like to go out in the rain. The girls do all the work and the boys leave home and never come back. In the book the nest is invaded by a cuckoo bee who enslaves the worker bees. This is a common occurrence and one of the many dangers they face.

The flowers in the illustrations are all frequent and might be found on any piece of wild ground, although they often go unnoticed. . Shepherds purse is a tiny flower that can grow between paving stones and lesser celandine appears like a yellow star in uncut grass. Even bee orchids can appear in surprising places. The flowers illustrated are from the most common flower families.

This book was written to inspire readers to take an interest in the humble bumblebee! It is a children’s picture book, which can be enjoyed with an adult. There is a bee to look for on every page.