One final inspection on both hives before we left for our summer holidays showed both hives were doing well, both had eggs, larvae, capped brood, stores and pollen.

The pollen patterns were fascinating.  The variety of colours were remarkable and the black pollen had me stumped for a while until I researched that it was likely to be from Poppies!  Where do they get all the different pollen from?  The dogs and I spent each walk looking at the wild flowers and trees, taking photos and then coming home to identify them.  Another side of beekeeping which is totally fascinating.

Off for a few weeks to Denmark.  Our friend Niall had kindly agreed to keep an eye on the hives during his daily dog walk and Colin from ELBA was on standby should Niall notice anything untoward.  It should be a doddle – a swarm from May surely wouldn’t want to swarm again and a nucleus was too small to cause any bother – right?