Off to the Heather

[biglongdarren]

Plenty of bell out in the Mournes but none coming into my hives at the house here yet, planning to move the first of them over the weekend, the ling is still a while off here yet. No real colour on the hills but bell def out.

 

[Ian123]

Pink tips showing on the heather around me, guessing another week before any flowers appear. I’ll be moving some this weekend or early next week.

 

[elainemary]

Going to check the moors here in south Pennines this weekend. Weather predictions looking v unsettled still til mid Aug though.

Rosebay willow herb is looking bedraggled right now and the best flowers at the bottom gone over. Can tell from bees behaviours at my home apiary (1100 ft) and a field away from the heather there’s not much forage generally around. Think I’d be cautious about moving bees to the moors in the north for a couple of weeks, unless can keep a v close eye on re feed.

The flow has started 15 aug last 2 years and weather was better then in July - this year July been v poor with bees confined on the ‘tops’. Queen laying slowed too.

What do others think who are in the north?

 

[elainemary]

Only thinking of you yesterday when I had a good view of the mountain from SWMBO's grandmother's house, I must say that it's looking the brownest and most barren I have seen it in years I'm hoping to try and get a closer look in the next week or so.

Like that here too. Brown and barren in places. I put that down to 3 factors -
Reports of heather beetle (feed on old shoots); v dry May & June; gamekeepers less able to manage the moors

 

[peterbees]

A walk in the heather on Conwy Mountain yesterday. Plenty of heather in flower, some honeybees working. I'm still hoping for heather honey.

 

[ericbeaumont]

Pink tips showing on the heather around me

Anything coming in, Ian?
Last week at Hankley the ling hadn't opened and the bell long finished.
https://beekeepingforum.co.uk/threads/heather-predictions-this-year.55127/post-877870

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Had to go to the castle today, so went over the mountain right past the heather.
All looking pretty brown on the Taircarn and the Drysgol any purpling I can discern is as much wishful thinking as anything else, not given up on it though as a few years now, all that has just changed overnight.

 

[Ian123]

Anything coming in, Ian?
Last week at Hankley the ling hadn't opened and the bell long finished.
https://beekeepingforum.co.uk/threads/heather-predictions-this-year.55127/post-877870

Don’t know as I’ve not been back but given the weather very doubtful….. it was torrential rain the other afternoon when I was meant to be grafting

 

[ericbeaumont]

torrential rain the other afternoon

But warm, and getting drier and warmer! I'm there this weekend and will have a sniff.

 

[Ian123]

But warm, and getting drier and warmer! I'm there this weekend and will have a sniff.

Yes if it does improve next week as forecast it could be good. May even drop another few down if it looks like the spell of better weather will last! Although that was looking doubtful.

 

[Curly green finger's]

Yes if it does improve next week as forecast it could be good. May even drop another few down if it looks like the spell of better weather will last! Although that was looking doubtful.

The heather is looking good here not brown anyway, but no smell of heather in the hives as yet ,it’s going to be later this year I think it is holding of flowering the hills are starting to purple up though .
I’m going to be gutted if the flow doesn’t happen the colony’s have been prepared more so this season .

 

[ericbeaumont]

it could be good

Ling looking fine and nectar coming in. Weather lovely after the welcome rain. Not exactly covered in bees, but plenty of flowering to come.

 

[biglongdarren]

I am heading up to my girls this evening and expecting big things with all this lovely weather we are having here now.

 

[biglongdarren]

I am heading up to my girls this evening and expecting big things with all this lovely weather we are having here now.

Just home and no real big change from last week so it wasn't what I was expecting to find, although there was fresh nectar shaking out of the frames, its a tough tough gig!

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

not even a sniff of heather around here

 

[John stockburn]

not even a sniff of heather around here

It is grim here in the part of Lancashire where I live and am wondering now if all the dry weather we had in may and June has damaged the Heather , thank goodness for the himalayan balsam