With the exception of ants, it’s difficult to imagine an arthropod more colonial than bees. However in thinking of bees this way, we all-to-often forget that not all bees are colonial. In Britain and Ireland, for example, there are approximately ten times more species of solitary bee than bumblebee and honeybee species combined.

I was recently reminded of this very fact myself with the arrival of a copy of Ted Benton’s new Solitary Bees; Naturalists’ Handbooks No. 33 from Pelagic Publishing. Covering the natural history, ecology, and conservation of these diverse and fascinating creatures, Benton’s book comes as a welcome reminder that when we think about bees, we need to broaden our focus beyond the popular and charismatic honeybees and bumblebees to ensure that none of these important pollinators are neglected.