Too many beekeepers in London??

[Joseph]

http://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/celebrity-beekeepers-told-to-buzz-off-7854420.html

I don't know what to make of this article. I suspect however, that the figure of 31lbs is a complete farce. It is based upon the Regional bee inspector - Alan Byham's honey survey for 2011 which gives 31lbs for SOUTH EAST ENGLAND and not London alone. And that was down to the wet June and July according to the survey. For practically every other year London has had above average yields.

This year too might be worse in the South East but again because of the weather.

 

[Hivemaker.]

This thread may also be of interest...........http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=17848&highlight=london+beekeepers

 

[BBG]

According to London Beekeepers' Association Chair and some others we were talking to a couple of months ago, honey yields have been falling and dismal.

Reason given - overstocking.

Nothing to do with Fera figures.

 

[Baggyone]

Lots of new beekeepers in the last two years. Last years weather not sparkling in june and july. This year complete rubbish, only a couple of weeks of good weather prior to Jubilee weekend saved mine, and its clearly OSR.

You need a few years of data collection before stating average yield figures.

Baggy

 

[MuswellMetro]

According to London Beekeepers' Association Chair and some others we were talking to a couple of months ago, honey yields have been falling and dismal.

Reason given - overstocking.

Nothing to do with Fera figures.

London BKA covers central london, more like the 1898 london county council than the area than in 2012 is called London

That leaves a vast suburb area of Greater London covered by BKAs affiliated to the counties of Essex,Middlesex , kent and Surrey and not forgetting the independents like Twickenham BKA

The inner london area with lowering yeilds is not representative of the area most beehives are located in but "City" ..hotels, shops, High density flats and neat manicured parks...it has little forage and is not typical of most the greater London area

The surburbs however are a mix of open space and low density house with gardens....the yeilds are therefore much lower in the inner city than the suburbs...but last year and this year it been a dearth out to the M25.............drought then cold and rain.....hopefully next year it will be normal again

 

[BBG]

Yes, central London and

Buck house, Clarence house, St James Park ...

 

[MuswellMetro]

Yes, central London and

Buck house, Clarence house, St James Park ...

i help with a beehive that is on the roof that overlooks the london Colesium and you can see Nelson on his column ( if you stand on a box) and it is suprisiong how little forage there is in st james park....no brambles, no dandelions ,all double flowers and japense cherry with no nectar...nothing wild, but buck house is said to be "bee friendly"

 

[richardbees]

Central Lo0ndon may have a problem with too many Beekeepers competing for limited forage but Greater London is different.

A few minutes with GoogleEarth will show the huge % of waste land e.g. at railway junctions and derelict industrial sites, that is packed with wildflowers, brambles etc.

imho recent poor yields reported by lbka hives is probably due to weather and/or new beekeepers not managing their hives.....I've certainly not noticed it.

Probably the biggest problem is new beeks tolerating vicious bees to the extent they go on to sting neighbours/passers-by because so far beekeeping has a benign connotation!

 

[Tom Bick]

London BKA covers central london, more like the 1898 london county council than the area than in 2012 is called London

That leaves a vast suburb area of Greater London covered by BKAs affiliated to the counties of Essex,Middlesex , kent and Surrey and not forgetting the independents like Twickenham BKA

The inner london area with lowering yeilds is not representative of the area most beehives are located in but "City" ..hotels, shops, High density flats and neat manicured parks...it has little forage and is not typical of most the greater London area

The surburbs however are a mix of open space and low density house with gardens....the yeilds are therefore much lower in the inner city than the suburbs...but last year and this year it been a dearth out to the M25.............drought then cold and rain.....hopefully next year it will be normal again

 

[Joseph]

You need a few years of data collection before stating average yield figures.

Baggy

And, I think we know where the 31lbs figure comes from, here: https://secure.fera.defra.gov.uk/beebase/downloadDocument.cfm?id=582 which is the 2011 honey survey for the South East of England.

There may or may not be too many hives in London, but until a year with weather comparable to other years comes along we won't know.