A Buzz in the Meadow: The Natural History of a French Farm

About this book

A CONSERVATIONISTS DEEPLY PERSONAL AND FASCINATING REFLECTION ON OWNING AND REVITALIZING A FARM IN RURAL FRANCE A Sting in the Tale Dave Goulsons account of a lifetime studying bees was a powerful call to arms for nature lovers everywhere. Brilliantly reviewed it was shortlisted for the Samuel Johnson Prize for the best nonfiction book of the year and debuted the already renowned conservationists ability to charm and educate and tell an absorbing story. In A Buzz in the Meadow Goulson returns to tell the tale of how he bought a derelict farm in the heart of rural France. Over the course of a decade on thirty-three acres of meadow he created a place for his beloved bumblebees to thrive. But other creatures live there too myriad insects of every kind many of which Goulson had studied before in his career as a biologist. Youll learn how a deathwatch beetle finds its mate why butterflies have spots on their wings and see how a real scientist actually conducts his experiments. But this book is also a wake-up call urging us to cherish and protect life in all its forms. Goulson has that rare ability to persuade you to go out into your garden or local park and observe the natural world. The undiscovered glory that is life in all its forms is there to be discovered. And if we learn to value what we have perhaps we will find a way to keep it.