Mark Winston's reflections on three decades spent studying these creatures, and on the lessons they can teach about how humans might better interact with one another and the natural world. Like us, honeybees represent a pinnacle of animal sociality. How they submerge individual needs into the colony collective provides a lens through which to ponder human societies. Mark Winston is Academic Director of the Centre for Dialogue at Simon Fraser University in British Columbia.

Beginning with bees -- Honey -- Killer bees -- A thousand little cuts -- Valuing nature -- Bees in the city -- There's something bigger than Phil -- Art and culture -- Being social -- Conversing -- Lessons learned from the hive.