From making a nest in spring to leaving her flourishing colony in autumn, a bumblebee queen's life is a busy one.

She pollinates plants, builds wax honey-pots and lays eggs to produce future queens, male drones and all the workers who make honey and defend the colony against intruders.

This lyrical life-story, illustrated by an acclaimed wildlife artist, introduces young readers to a complex, fascinating creature and suggests simple ways to encourage bees, whose numbers are in dramatic decline and need all the help we can give.