Appreciating the airborne

Last week the bees received a visit from Gavin Pretor-Pinney, author of The Cloudspotter's Guide and founder of the Cloud Appreciation Society. He started the society in 2004 as a way of gathering together people who believe that clouds are a poetic part of nature and one of the most beautiful of her displays. A little like bees, you might say.

Unfortunately we were under horizon-to-horizon Altostratus or "the boring cloud", a pale grey tupperware sky, during the visit. But we hope after his reading that the bees will have some appreciation of life above the hive as well as life at roof and ground level. Gavin kindly made them honorary members of the society.

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Remember, a cloud in the shape of a bee is something to be enjoyed from a car window or grassy hillside, but a dark cloud of bees is probably a swarm and best dealt with by a qualified professional.