• Foreword

1. Pollen Studies
   1. Pollen, Wind, Insect Pollination
   2. Cross Pollination
2. Pollen Morphology
   1. Form
3. Collecting Pollen
   1. Direct from the Flowers
   2. 'Touch on' to the Microslide
   3. More Difficult Pollen
4. Various Pollen Forms Under the Microscope
   1. Transparency
   2. Polyads
   3. Tetrahedrons
   4. Furrows
   5. Unique Characteristics
   6. Hairs
   7. Jelly
   8. Family Characteristics and Exceptions
   9. The Exine
5. Difficult Identifications
6. Useful Kit
7. Microscopy
   1. Microscope Power
   2. Stereo Microscopes
   3. Coupling Camera to Microscope
   4. Setting up a Compound Microscope
8. Preparing The Pollen Grain for Microscopy
   1. Preparing Slides
   2. Getting the Pollen on to the Slide
   3. Mountants
9. Making the Drawings
10. Bees and Pollen
11. Pollen from a Trap on a Honey bee Hive
    1. Stray Pollen
12. Extracting Pollen from Honey for Microscopy
13. Pollen in Honey
14. Drawings: Pollen Grains and Their Source Flowers

• Acknowledgements
• References
• Index

Reviewed by Ann Chilcott (Scottish Expert Beemaster) and author of THE BEELISTENER

Pollen Microscopy by author, beekeeper and microscopist Norman Chapman is different from other books of its kind in several ways. These include the clarity and concise style of writing, detailed drawings of over a hundred different pollen grains, and the addition of many well-taken and beautiful photographs of the pollen-producing plants represented in this edition. Each example of pollen comes with brief descriptions of key features such as pollen grain surface, shape, size and furrow numbers. The front and back covers are attractive and the simple title is appealing.

Chapman was a highly respected and active member of the dynamic Quekett Microspial Club founded in 1865, and the second oldest club in the world dedicated to microscopy and its advancement. He writes with authority and experience sharing many facets of this absorbing hobby including; essential information on pollen structure, collection of pollen, preparing and preserving pollen slides, using a microscope and the purpose of a condenser, connecting a camera to the microscope, and extracting pollen from honey using a centrifuge.

Chapman doesn’t pretend that identifying pollen is easy but he provides useful tips on identifying the more difficult pollens, and his large drawings provide good references for someone trying to find out the source of a pollen sample. The description of the unique bay tree pollen with its jelly like layer below the exine is so vivid it led me right away to the index at the back to check out the drawing.

This book has been printed on fine quality paper giving it a nice feel to the fingers and a touch of class. The photographs and drawings have been reproduced with clarity and precision and this edition is good value for money.

The author has achieved his aims of writing for a wide readership and sharing his passion for pollen microscopy. Not only will this attractive book be useful to beekeepers and students of beekeeping theory, but; botanists, gardeners, microscopists, naturalists, school students and the general public will learn something interesting and helpful inside its pages. It will also make an appealing coffee table book and an ideal gift.