Of Mice and Bees

I was in the middle of doing an artificial swarm today and went to get an empty nucleus hive. Opening it up I found a nest of baby mice! I was stopped in my tracks and couldn't bring myself to throw them out, they looked so cute! Even though they were wrecking the comb in the hive, I carefully placed it all back together and put it back exactly where it was.
I went to another nuc and lifted the lid: to be greeted by a nest of bumble bees, lovely reddish bottoms! That hive too went back exactly where it was!
Third time lucky, the next nucleus box was empty and I was able to complete the procedure.

Swarming has begun

The fields of Rape are now truly yellow and the warm weather of the last week (despite the storms) has brought some colonies along. Now charged queen cells have appeared in a few hives and I have had to carry out artificial measures to prevent swarming.