Los Angeles Times Best Science Books of 2025 Journey through the world of California native bees, one letter at a time. "Krystle Hickman's travels across wild landscapes reveal rare and elusive pollinators, each one meticulously photographed and arranged in a brilliant A-to-Z tribute." — Olivia Messinger Carril , coauthor of The Bees in Your Backyard National Geographic Explorer Krystle Hickman has spent a decade capturing exquisitely detailed photographs of native bees and making exciting discoveries about their behavior in the field. In her debut book of natural history, she offers an intimate look at the daily habits of rare and overlooked native bees in California: those cloaked in green or black or red, that live alone in the ground or sleep inside flowers, that invade nests and pillage resources like infinitesimal conquerors, or that, unlike more generalist honeybees, are devoted exclusively to the pollen of a single type of flower. A committed conservationist and community scientist who knows all too well how precarious the wellbeing of these insects is, Hickman shares her adventures in local native plant gardens and throughout the far reaches of California to bring the beauty of such diverse ecosystems into wondrous bee's-eye view. Meant for all curious readers, this collection of bee stories—one for each letter of the alphabet, matching the first letter of a bee's scientific name—will leave you both wowed and compelled to help save these fascinating beings and the lands they call home. Los Angeles Times Best Science Books of 2025 Los Angeles Times Best Affordable Books for Plant Lovers of 2025 2025 Foreword INDIES Award Finalist, Environment & Ecology  "From windswept deserts to coastal bluffs and alpine meadows, Krystle Hickman's travels across wild landscapes reveal rare and elusive pollinators, each one meticulously photographed and arranged in a brilliant A-to-Z tribute. Her evocative writing brings each bee's story (and her own) to life." — Olivia Messinger Carril , coauthor of  The Bees in Your Backyard "When Krystle Hickman talks bees, I listen. This book is a stunning portrait of the landscape around us, and then Krystle draws us in closer to a macro look at the overlooked, diverse, gorgeous, fascinating bees that deserve our attention and awe. As readers, we are so lucky to experience these creatures' stories through her eyes and words." — Alie Ward , host of the Ologies podcast "Nat Geo Explorer Krystle Hickman takes us with her on several years of adventures discovering the myriad fascinating native bees of California. If you've ever wanted to know more about our unique native ground and twig-nesting bees, this is the essential bee primer for you. I encourage you to dive in and enjoy this vibrant bestiary, illustrated with 237 of her breathtakingly beautiful original photographs." — Stephen Buchmann , co-author of The Forgotten Pollinators "Be warned. This book might induce readers to become more careful observers of bees, seek venues for nature walks or become curious about native plants. [...] A fascinating read [with] superb photographs." — California Review of Books Krystle Hickman is a National Geographic Explorer and community scientist based in Los Angeles. With a passion for nature and an eye for artful photography, Hickman strives to elevate awareness of the decline of native bee species and shed light on their intricate and biodiverse ecosystems. Hickman's commitment to conservation takes her across the globe, documenting rare native bees without resorting to any form of lethal collecting. Hickman’s influence extends beyond the lens: She has graced multiple television and online broadcasts, been interviewed on podcasts such as Ologies , presented at the 2024 United Nations Biodiversity Conference (COP16) in Colombia, and lectured at colleges such as Harvard, UC Irvine, UCLA, and more.