For making it happen: my agents Simon Trewin, in London, and Dorian Karchmar, in New York. Thank you both so much.
For making it better: my editor, Lee Boudreaux—an education and a pleasure to work with you; my thanks also to Clare Reihill for her insight, and to Iris Tupholme for her support.
My thanks to all the teams at Ecco, 4th Estate, and HarperCollins Canada, and to my foreign rights agent at WME, Annemarie Blumenhagen. For the two superb covers: Steve Attardo and Alison Saltzman for Ecco, and Jo Walker for 4th Estate.
For good fellowship: Richard Skinner and the Faber group of 2012, with honorable mention to the most generous polymath that is Cal Moriarty.
For sharing her knowledge and guiding my research: Dr. Margaret Couvillon. I am also indebted to the work of biologists Dr. Francis Ratnieks, Dr. Thomas Seeley, and Bert Holldobler and E. O. Wilson. All mistakes are my own.
For support in many forms: Isabelle Grey, Heidi Berry, Kate Duthie, Sasha Slorer, Debs Shuter, Debra Gonzalez, Maggie Doherty, Linda King, Emmy Minton, Megan and Danis Dauksta, Janet Lyon, Emerald-Jane Turner, Sarah Kowitz, and for his words dronewood and dronesong, Sean Borodale.
For lighting my path: Professor Julia Briggs and beekeeper Angie Biltcliffe.
Love and thanks to my family, including early reader Gordon Paull; early listener Rider Peacock (who advised more violence); Jackson Peacock (for his sketch of the hive); and most of all to my daughter, India Rose, for all the ways in which she has enabled me to write this book.
Finally, my love and gratitude to my husband, Adrian Peacock: for everything.