A hive of rare bees have been reported stolen from a garden in Scalpay.
Thieves struck while owner Roddy Macleod was off the island for about a fortnight.
The 82-
The species are a strain of the European dark honey bee.
The honey in the hive was also taken.
The perpetrators are suspected to have been specialist black bee thieves as the nature of the crime would require specialist knowledge.
Two hives were stolen from Manish in Harris in April last year when dedicated breeder, Gavin Jones, was away from home.
Since the last Ice Age, the European dark honeybee was the dominant bee in the UK until it was brought to the brink of extinction by disease from imported Italian bees.
Now only a handful of isolated spots in the far north of Scotland are free from the Varroa parasite which decimated the original pure Scottish or British black bee.
A police spokesman said inquiries are ongoing and anyone with information should call Police Scotland on 101.
Specialist thieves steal hive of rare bees
29 August 2018
