Haven’t mentioned the hive for a while.

For the second time, the Queen has gone missing. It was replaced the first time (£70 or so), but this time Martin isn’t importing one. The result is that the hive will die.

Noise at the gate, Martin rushes in with part of a hive to say he has a swarm – back in 20 minutes!

Martin (light blue) and wife Gwen (fetching lilac) spread out the humming sheet holding the swarm and attempt to find the queen to get her into the hive. If you enlarge the photo, you might just see the myriad bees, and the bees at the doorstep.

I didn’t/couldn’t get too close!