Tuck in

A less than conventional picture of the winter light, that has been so exquisite for the last two days. The cold provoked a precautionary inspection of the hives, just to make sure they all have a reserve of sugar fondant above the combs. If they run out of stores inside the hive, they can draw on the sugar to keep them going. In low temperatures like this, they use the energy in sugar to generate heat and keep themselves conscious. They can vibrate their wing muscles without actually moving their wings, like us doing isometric exercise. Combined with clustering together to conserve heat, this is enough to keep the temperature within the colony above 30C, even in sub-zero temperatures

To help conserve heat, we put makeshift insulation in the hive 'attic'. Old blankets, cushions, felt and some woollen packaging are all in service this winter. I just need to peel back one corner to check that sugar is still present. In some cases, I could also see bees moving slowly under the plastic wrapping of the fondant. Reassuring but, being a glass-half-empty beekeeper, that just leaves me worrying about the ones where I couldn't. There is nothing else I can do, worried or not. For the next few weeks the bees are entirely in charge of their own destiny

The battle about camping between Dartmoor National Park and the Keep-off-my Landlord who wants to put a stop to it is going to the supreme court. The newspaper story I read described the man as a 'hedge funder'. If only