Apiary Location Google Earth

[JohnyP]

Hi All,

Trying to look at my local area using Google earth, with a bee-keepers eye. Fascinating

What's the best area for an apiary? Woodland / parks / gardens / small fields / rough pastures / a mixture ? Obviously large acreages of cereals or grass and pine forest will be devoid of forage, but some areas must be better than others?

 

[For want of a better word]

Be aware many of the images are ancient...... a motorway or a large social housing conurbation could have been developed since the googleearthy man passed by !

 

[tonybloke]

gardens and parks seem to be best for all year round forage

 

[Poly Hive]

The sure test for a site is to have bees on it for five years. Manley said so and he knew his stuff.

PH

 

[Davelin]

Don't think there are too many large areas of cereal crops down here in Somerset, and they certainly haven't built any new motorways. Don't discount pasture, if it is permanent pasture it will have a wealth of flowers, it's one of my main sources.

 

[bee ginnner]

cereals often use rape in the rotation that would yield well also borage and beans to a lesser extent.

grassland can often have white clover which can yield well when conditions suit it,plus there are often other flowers ie thistle ect.

pine can also be a source of food although i have no idea how well. so dont discount these out of hand, although urban gardens are probably your best bet

 

[SixFooter]

Close to Middle class housing estates with big gardens. Not council estates as people there do not tend to spend a lot of money on plants. If you can find somewhere close to houses but also close to untended balsam infested land, so much the better.

 

[tonybloke]

Close to Middle class housing estates with big gardens. Not council estates as people there do not tend to spend a lot of money on plants. If you can find somewhere close to houses but also close to untended balsam infested land, so much the better.

I live on one of the largest council estates in the country, built just after WW2, with one of the lowest crime rates in the country,and some of the best garden in the borough.verges and trees everywhere, and parks and cemeteries too!!
the 'middle-class' estates are all brick-weave and low maintenance gardens these days.

 

[stephenpug]

I live on one of the largest council estates in the country, built just after WW2, with one of the lowest crime rates in the country,and some of the best garden in the borough.verges and trees everywhere, and parks and cemeteries too!!
the 'middle-class' estates are all brick-weave and low maintenance gardens these days.