Wet supers

[Ely]

I'd love to have a go at a heather crop just for the smell if anything else. Alas the nearest heather is too far from me. Lavender too but the lavander fields are also a bit too far in north Norfolk.

Oh..for the topic, I also store my supers wet with not problems with the fermented honey, mouldy pollen, crystallised honey, dead earwigs or whatever else

 

[Antipodes]

I'd love to have a go at a heather crop just for the smell if anything else. Alas the nearest heather is too far from me. Lavender too but the lavander fields are also a bit too far in north Norfolk.

Oh..for the topic, I also store my supers wet with not problems with the fermented honey, mouldy pollen, crystallised honey, dead earwigs or whatever else

Would you consider moving some hives to heather and lavender spots, and then bringing them back to your home apiary once the relevant flow is over?

 

[Ely]

Would you consider moving some hives to heather and lavender spots, and then bringing them back to your home apiary once the relevant flow is over?

I suppose I could do for heather as you don't need to do weekly inspections at that time of year. It is something to think about if I could source an apiary where there are large amounts of heather. Possibly in Suffolk

 

[ericbeaumont]

Possibly in Suffolk

It is an unreliable source in these Southern parts, Ely, and success depends on soil moisture levels in the first half of the year. As East Anglia is dryer than dry, it needs a keen eye on local conditions before driving colonies out.

One year I spent time on the North Norfolk coast exploring the idea of putting colonies on the sea lavender, which stretches roughly from Wells to Burnham Overy. It was fun driving down rocky lanes, knocking on farmhouse doors and establishing a picture of possibilities; by the end the notes and circles on my OS map looked like I was planning a military manoeuvre.

What I found was that locals had tied up the likely sites (one farmer cursed his incompetent beekeeper, and wanted rid) and the rest is owned by the Holkham Estate, which had its own beekeeper, the local RBI, so that was out.

I did find one location where the farmland (which abutted the marshes) was owned by a business in Peterborough; however, by that time I'd found a site for Surrey heather, and it seemed a trek too far. You might have look around Sandringham, another heather area.

Lavender farms usually have beekeepers on site, and you would need to sweet-talk a farmer working adjacent land.

 

[Lolly Bee]

We have lots of Heather near us in the New Forest. But with only three hives the standard charge of 1 - 10 hives to move them there is £75 I'm somewhat taken aback and rethinking about who to approach that neighbours the Forest without charging me ... !

 

[Penninetrader]

We have lots of Heather near us in the New Forest. But with only three hives the standard charge of 1 - 10 hives to move them there is £75 I'm somewhat taken aback and rethinking about who to approach that neighbours the Forest without charging me ... !

I wonder how many take up the offer, I imagine it would predominantly be those who could place the 10 making the cost 7.50 each. Would it be a guaranteed productive area and is it more secure etc. ? All considerations to take into account. Are swarm traps allowed outside of the Heather season ?

 

[drex]

I know that Amari usually takes a hive or two to the heath in Dunwich ( Suffolk). Might be worth a DM.

 

[ericbeaumont]

hive or two to the heath in Dunwich ( Suffolk)

Yes, and I recall that yields were variable and often disappointing; 60% of plants died in the 2022 drought.
https://www.farmonlineweather.com.au/station.jsp?lt=site&lc=40537&list=rb
https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/se...ather-back-in-bloom-after-remarkable-recovery

 

[Ely]

It is an unreliable source in these Southern parts, Ely, and success depends on soil moisture levels in the first half of the year. As East Anglia is dryer than dry, it needs a keen eye on local conditions before driving colonies out.

One year I spent time on the North Norfolk coast exploring the idea of putting colonies on the sea lavender, which stretches roughly from Wells to Burnham Overy. It was fun driving down rocky lanes, knocking on farmhouse doors and establishing a picture of possibilities; by the end the notes and circles on my OS map looked like I was planning a military manoeuvre.

What I found was that locals had tied up the likely sites (one farmer cursed his incompetent beekeeper, and wanted rid) and the rest is owned by the Holkham Estate, which had its own beekeeper, the local RBI, so that was out.

I did find one location where the farmland (which abutted the marshes) was owned by a business in Peterborough; however, by that time I'd found a site for Surrey heather, and it seemed a trek too far. You might have look around Sandringham, another heather area.

Lavender farms usually have beekeepers on site, and you would need to sweet-talk a farmer working adjacent land.

Ah yes I thought as much. Still, a beautiful area for wind swept walks.

 

[ericbeaumont]

standard charge

Surprised they allow honey bees on site; usual reply from natural land managers is that honeybees are not welcome. On closer inspection, although the New Forest comes under the regulatory umbrella of Natural England, only 53% is managed under conservation regs.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I think most of the New Forest is still controlled by verderers and other such mediaeval pantomime tricks.