Should I move my bees and if so where?

[jackstraw]

My colonies are currently on a top-fruit farm where the cherry, pear, apple blossom has all finished. There is a small amount of oil seed rape around but that is now starting to turn green

I am sure that the bees will find their next source of nectar on their own - no doubt my eyes are blind to clover, bramble etc in a way that theirs are not.

But I have in mind to make it easier for them by moving them closer to a nectar source, even more so given the poor weather and the subsequent restriction on flying time.

I have read that peas and beans are not particularly meaningful to bees as they cannot access the nectar, chestnut is not out yet. Is there a site anywhere on the net which lists the nectar flow calandar and the importance of that nectar to honey-bees? I've looked but i cannot find one.

Thanks

 

[BDCS]

Must be a different Kent to the one I'm in as I've not seen the sun for about two years now. I'd ask the farmer as he should know the crops and where they might be found

 

[jackstraw]

Righteous

Must be a different Kent to the one I'm in as I've not seen the sun for about two years now. I'd ask the farmer as he should know the crops and where they might be found

My advantage is that the sun always shines on the righteous!

Good advice, thanks

 

[nematode]

Plants & Honey Bees by Sally Bucknall David Aston is a good book to look at for which plants the bees use and when they are in flow.

 

[Beeline]

Type in "bbka trees for bees" in your search and you'll find a useful pdf file produced by the BBKA of the flowering times of trees in the UK.

I thought beans were a useful plant to bees - peas not. Mine are on the beans at the mo so only time will time.

 

[enrico]

Try and find an avenue of lime

 

[Skyhook]

White clover and bramble are the biggest crops coming up. Lime is very weather dependant- annoying to move them if it doesn't yield.

.

 

[Gilberdyke John]

White clover and bramble are the biggest crops coming up. Lime is very weather dependant- annoying to move them if it doesn't yield.

.

Fortunately and by chance I planted a row of English Lime trees about five years ago to give some shelter(eventually) to the stable block. With any luck the bees will reap the benefit. Also my son has just given me an early fathers day gift of two one year old bee bee trees in pots. In future years that will be another forage source.