Few insects seem as friendly and well-loved as the bee. Sartorially snappy in stripes, B rivals other mini-beasts in the garden and is far from bumbling as she floats elegantly from plant to plant. Commonly associated with honey and flowers; it’s no wonder she has such an excellent reputation. When we add to this the fact that she’s also a great dancer, B is catapulted to another level of creepy-crawly cool.

So it’s unsurprising that bees have generated a bit of a buzz in the media this year, due to Scientists’ worries over the decline of the Honeybee. But have you noticed that this interest in bees is cross pollinating into other fields (sorry, last pun), including literature and fashion? Perhaps we have bees on the brain as we’re reminded of their importance in our ecosystem. Their fascinating behaviours sure do arouse our imaginations.

The hierarchy of the hive proves an inspiration to Laline Paull in this year’s The Bees, and Sue Monk Kidd’s excellent title (The Secret Life of Bees) intrigued us all the way from page to cinema, back in 2003. The brilliant Laurie R King’s Mary Russell books, beginning with The Beekeeper’s Apprentice – follow Sherlock Holmes into a retirement quietly engaged in the study of honeybees. Needless to say, retirement doesn’t stay peaceful for all too long…

Kathryn, Publishing Assistant