Holyrood bees

[gavin]

Goodness. I never knew that the queen (Her Majesty, Elizabeth) had bees at Holyrood Palace. They seem to be getting the blame for the swarm at the Scottish Parliament:

http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/75947000/jpg/_75947787_photo.jpg

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-28090435

They look kind of dark from this distance. Good. But (if they are, and press reports say that they are not Buckfast bees) did anyone tell the Queen that the Scottish Parliament were going to bring in bees that are incompatible, when crossed, with the queen's bees? And did anyone responsible for bringing in bees to the Scottish Parliament know that the queen had bees over the road that might cross with hers, making potentially unpleasant hybrids?

Let the hyperbole commence:

https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/news/politics/holyrood/271613/winged-visitors-at-holyrood/

'The insects are responsible for over half of the annual pollination of all crops, produce, fruits and trees in Scotland.'

http://news.stv.tv/east-central/281073-buzz-as-20000-invading-bees-swarm-entrance-to-scottish-parliament/

'The Buckfast bees were moved into beehives at the Scottish Parliament two weeks ago.
The installation of the hives came amid growing concern about the dramatic decline in Edinburgh's honey bee population.'


Ho-hum.

G.