Heather predictions this year

[elainemary]

For those beekeepers on or near the heather, what’s your gut feel re the crop this year?

I’ve got to know my local gamekeeper recently. He reckons the last 2 years have cost him 50 years; local ‘politics’ means he can’t manage the moor as well through burning.

There have been lots of sightings of the heather beetle, see pic - from non beekeepers, saying they’ve seen loads in their gardens up on the ‘tops.’ I asked for my local gamekeepers view on the beetle “ I’ve never seen a heather beetle swarm so big as this year. I lost 60 percent last year so not looking good” then you can’t predict the damage from the beetle each year: “ some year big swarms no damage.Last year massive damage”

Whilst has been a cold windy spring, there has been a bit of rain which the heather needs, in may and June I understand but then glorious warm humid weather in august

Any other factors from your experience? Any beetle concerns and your predictions for this season?

Elaine

 

[Antipodes]

I had a quick scan of this...quite interesting and complicated, as always!

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/304571759_The_heather_beetle_a_review

 

[peterbees]

We had good heather honey here in the Carneddau mountains, North Wales in 2021 and 2022. Hoping for another good year. Sycamore is yielding well in the Conwy Valley and plenty of swarms reported. We're always optimistic!
Some of my hives still have heather stores from last year.

 

[elainemary]

I had a quick scan of this...quite interesting and complicated, as always!

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/304571759_The_heather_beetle_a_review

Only skim read the beginning so far but looks an interesting read. Thanks v much!

 

[Wilco]

Down here there was a wildfire on part of the heather last year so some of it should be beetle free!

The main factor for honey here seems to be rainfall. Last summer was so dry I got nothing. Will see what June/July brings, I reckon it's a bit early to tell although looking hopeful.

I'm sure I'll regret that hope come extraction time if it's realised!

 

[elainemary]

Been in touch this week
with Murray McGregor, the biggest commercial heather honey producer in the UK. regarding his prediction for the heather this season. Thought I’d share his insights…he’s happy for me to do that:

“Heather was going to be very early but the weather of the last few weeks has slowed it a lot. The amount of sun it got in the growing period should put good sugar levels in the plants...so IF we get a good weather window it could still be a good year.
The flowering will still be early...but less so than it was looking. Keep having a look and dont miss it. A lot of poor heather years are down to beekeeper error on timing and not the actual heather. Any textbooks older than about 1990 need to go in the bin.....and in particular traditional dates. Now you usually need to be up a couple of weeks before the traditions of 12th August. We now aim for everything up for 1st Aug. Early this year so we finish on Sunday or Monday 23 or 24 July. Yorkshire...due to being drier....can sometimes run later than us.
Sounds counterintuitive but heather goes into a dry suspended state if there is not enough moisture and it can be hard to tell what is going on...then it rehydrates and pushes on once it gets enough rain. More crops lost to dry than wet.

Long answer....does not tell you much other than keep watching it”

“
.....we have had no nectar here in most places since late June. Only maintenance amounts coming in. Yes...the queens will have slowed in response to the lack of nectar....they are likely to pick up a bit once the heather starts but not for long before they start their run in to winter. Some of ours have the drones out already...so they are into winter prep”

Hope you find Murrays thoughts of interest - I did. Also he is spot on Yorkshire flow last couple of years has been around mid Aug rather than early Aug in Murray’s heather stances in Scotland

Elaine

 

[Erichalfbee]

Murray updates his heather news on Twitter and there are some lovely pictures from him and his team

 

[elainemary]

Murray updates his heather news on Twitter and there are some lovely pictures from him and his team

Will check it out, don’t tend to go on Twitter much. Thanks

 

[Into the lions den]

Will check it out, don’t tend to go on Twitter much. Thanks

The big push is over. Now tidy up and wait.......relatively quiet month or more ahead..just adding boxes if needed up on the moors. Slightly down on numbers this year.....but only about 2%. 4961 on the heather. Got a lot of work between now and September on the nucs unit. Much subdividing, feeding, queen introduction to go....so this is an 'in once and gone again till autumn' interjection.

 

[elainemary]

The big push is over. Now tidy up and wait.......relatively quiet month or more ahead..just adding boxes if needed up on the moors. Slightly down on numbers this year.....but only about 2%. 4961 on the heather. Got a lot of work between now and September on the nucs unit. Much subdividing, feeding, queen introduction to go....so this is an 'in once and gone again till autumn' interjection

. I walked up to the moor above where I live yesterday. Heather in bud, just need a bit of sun rather than rain , I reckon end of 1st week in aug the flowers will open. Fingers crossed.

Some areas about a mile away are v damaged - heather beetle on old shoots I reckon and combination of dryness. Other places the heather looks good

 

[elainemary]

Some areas about a mile away are v damaged - heather beetle on old shoots I reckon and combination of dryness. Other places the heather looks good

Not sure why my reply has embedded in Murray’s but hopefully makes sense!

 

[elainemary]

The big push is over. Now tidy up and wait.......relatively quiet month or more ahead..just adding boxes if needed up on the moors. Slightly down on numbers this year.....but only about 2%. 4961 on the heather. Got a lot of work between now and September on the nucs unit. Much subdividing, feeding, queen introduction to go....so this is an 'in once and gone again till autumn' interjection.

It’s hard work and a lot for you to do in a short time. Hope it all goes well for you. Being small scale hobbyist I find it exciting waiting for that first smell of heather and the grey cream pollen coming in…

 

[Curly green finger's]

Looking like this here in places I have the colony’s up on the heather well in advance. Scree rock not the main part of the moor.

 

[Ely]

Is anyone expecting much of a nectar flow over August other than Heather?

 

[Curly green finger's]

Is anyone expecting much of a nectar flow over August other than Heather?

Yes if the weather picks up I’m not holding much hope though

 

[Erichalfbee]

Is anyone expecting much of a nectar flow over August other than Heather?

Not me. There is clover out but by the time it might warm up it will have gone. Lot of balsam here but my lot get little off it. It’s for them now.

 

[Ely]

Not me. There is clover out but by the time it might warm up it will have gone. Lot of balsam here but my lot get little off it. It’s for them now.

That's a shame. There are still a few buds on the bramble where I am near Great Yarmouth but it has been raining almost everyday. No Balsam or heather near me unfortunately. I can't think what else might be around in August. I reckon I'll extract this weekend before they munch it all!

 

[Amari]

No Balsam or heather near me unfortunately.

Not all that far - you're 28 miles from Dunwich, centre of Suffolk Coast and Heaths ANOB. Many hectares of heather but it grows on sandy soil so no good in the drought of 2022 & 3 - but I might do a recce if we have more rain. I've had some good crops.

 

[Ely]

Not all that far - you're 28 miles from Dunwich, centre of Suffolk Coast and Heaths ANOB. Many hectares of heather but it grows on sandy soil so no good in the drought of 2022 & 3 - but I might do a recce if we have more rain. I've had some good crops.

Nice. I'll remember that if I start migrating the hives. I don't have time at the moment. I know there is lots of lavender fields further north as well.

 

[Curly green finger's]

bees in the air the heather flow has started here just pulling a few frames to look at and they are also drawing comb .
Thankfully