
In the first event Hugh, by Jacob's account, summoned enough bees to block out the sun. He is left with a solitary bee, Henry, who sadly has a broken wing. Hugh loses most of his bees when he commands them to sting on separate occasions: a group of wights (disguised as World War II British Home Guards) at an unknown bunker and civilians who mistook the peculiars as air bomb children evacuees at a London train station. Unfortunately, Hugh never said a proper good bye before Fiona fell off a cliff during the wights' invasion there, leading to her presumed death. He also has an emotional goodbye with Fiona when they have to leave her behind at Miss Wren's menagerie. Unfortunately, he loses the memento when their luggage falls off of Bronwyn's boat. He brought with him a doorknob that was blown off of Miss Peregrine's home. In the beginning of Hollow City, Hugh is in Jacob and Emma's boat and assists in the rowing. Hugh was very concerned about Miss Peregrine after she had been captured, shouting at Enoch when Enoch was saying that their situation was hopeless.

When Horace and Enoch were teasing Olive and Claire, Hugh told them to leave them alone and sent his bees after them.

After that encounter Hugh later notifies Emma and Jacob to report to the home due to Miss Avocet's arrival.

Later, Emma catches him and Fiona "snogging each other's faces off". Hugh also went to the beach with Emma and some of the older kids. Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children

In A Map of Days, he said that his father once sent him to a workhouse, where he had to make rope all day. He met Fiona when he went to find a field of blooming flowers for the bees to pollinate, and found her sleeping among the flowers. Since it didn't seem to mind, he continued eating, and soon he "had a whole hive down there". He started eating honeycomb along with it so ravenously that the first time he accidentally swallowed a bee, he didn't notice until he felt it buzzing around in his stomach.
