Hi Bill and Gavin

>The problem was probably not the lack of bumblebees but the lack of other 
>pollinators, including honeybees.

The problem here was the weather - causing stunted plants and a lack of 
pollinators.  This is the second time in recent years where we have seen 
beans in full flower when they were only six inches high.  None of these 
flowers set, but when the warmer weather arrived the plants grew rapidly and 
continued to flower; these later flowers were pollinated successfully and 
set beans.

Best wishes
Peter Edwards
beekeepers at stratford-upon-avon.freeserve.co.uk
www.stratford-upon-avon.freeserve.co.uk/

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