We have in Ealing what I’m sure Phillip and his bees over at the Mud Songs blog in Newfoundland, Canada would think of as a light dusting of snow, a mere icing sugar like sprinkling. Personally I am enjoying it. London in winter can be a grey place; the snow covers up all the dirt with sparkling light.

But how are the bees doing? I went down to the apiary today to find out. Someone had got there before me…a male beekeeper, by the looks of it, possibly in wellies. I left slightly more delicate tracks behind.

The apiary lay still. Of all the hives in this picture, only two (which are mine and Emma’s) still contain bees.

The snowdrops are snowed in.

The crocuses are wilting. They came too early.

With a dusting of snow on the ground, I assumed our ladies would not be flying. How wrong I…