New observations on the natural history of bees

"New Observations on the Natural History of Bees" by François Huber is a scientific publication written in the late 18th century. This work is a thorough exploration of bee behavior and reproduction, providing insights into their complex social structures and biological processes. The book appears to delve into multiple aspects of bees, particularly focusing on the impregnation of queen bees and the methods of experimentation that reveal their reproductive habits. The opening of the book introduces a series of letters addressed to a fellow naturalist, detailing Huber's observations and experiments on the fecundation of queen bees. Huber discusses his innovative methods for observing bee behaviors through specially designed hives that enable a clearer view of their activity, and he critiques existing theories about the reproduction of queens. He presents evidence supporting that queen bees are not self-impregnated but require copulation outside the hive, detailing various experiments that refute previous conjectures made by notable naturalists. This introductory section sets a scientific tone, aiming to clarify misconceptions and contribute original findings to the study of bees. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

François Huber, also known as Francis in English publications and Franz in German publications, was a Swiss entomologist who specialized in honey bees. His pioneering work was recognized all across Europe and based on thorough observation with the help of several assistants due to his blindness.