Derek Uchman, 54,

I like the smell of the hive. The honey. And I find it very relaxing being around bees. There’s just something about them.

In winter, they are self-sufficient; actively keeping the nest safe and warm; forming a cluster and eating honey. You don’t visit the hives in the cold wet months because you can chill them and put them at risk.

But come spring and summer, it gets very busy. I check on them at least once a week. I always look for the Queen, she’s much bigger than the rest, and she’s the one laying eggs. Plus, I keep an eye on signs of swarming, colony growth and for any disease.

While the Queen lays all the eggs, it’s the worker bees – females – who are in charge – and they can oust her by clustering around her, overheating her to death, if she’s not producing well. She’s essentially an egg-laying machine and can live for years; while the workers live for just six weeks.Worker bees are the ones you see out an about – looking for pollen and nectar.

I think looking after bees attracts the nurturers among us. I also have an allotment near where I live in Monifieth, and I grow my own fruit and veg. Kale. Berries. Cabbage. Potatoes. I think homegrown tastes better. But you also get a sense of achievement, don’t you?

When I was starting out and learning the art of bee-keeping, I accidentally starved my bees by not leaving enough honey in the hive for them to survive on. It had been terrible weather and they hadn’t been able to get out to forage. So I lost them and then later found out why. I still feel sad about that. But I just had to move on and start again.

I’ve been keeping bees and hives for six years – and I’m learning all the time. You could keep bees for 20 or 30 years and still not know all there is to know about these creatures.

I make Blossom honey, which comes from the oilseed rape crops. One of the favourite honeys we make is heather honey. We take the hives to the heather – and leave them to it.

But bee-keeping is not just about the honey. It’s a complex hobby. Bees are a lot more complicated than people think; they have been here since the dinosaurs, so they are highly evolved.

It’s not a surprise that the character Sherlock Homes takes up bee-keeping when he stops being a detective. Each colony is a mystery, a synergy of balance and complexities; it needs to be analysed and solutions to problems need worked out.

I’ve found that if you don’t get the harmony right for the hive, the bees will be angry and tend to sting. And obviously you don’t want an angry hive.

A change in the queen will dramatically affect a hive. The Queen emits pheromones that only the bees can detect; which in turn relaxes them and helps the harmony of the hive.

I’m President of the East of Scotland Beekeeper’s Association and we give our members support and information; as well as encouraging new people to take the hobby up. We have mentors, and I still refer to mine if I feel something isn’t working or things happen. And things do go wrong sometimes.

In fact, I lost thousands of bees last winter. With no explanation. Maybe there had been something sprayed on in the fields or illness. I never got to the bottom of it. But you just must keep going. I recently caught a swarm (when a Queen moves hive) and now have a healthy little hive that’s thriving.

My interest in bees came out of trying to find a cure for allergies. My four children and I all suffer from hay fever. I read that if you consumed honey that was made by local bees you have a better chance of beating the localised hay fever. So, the idea is if you eat the locally made honey, you are creating an immunity. What started as an interest in dealing with allergies has now turned into my passion.

Has it worked? No, I don’t think so. But I’m a bee keeper now and will be for the rest of my life

Elaine Hunter