40 : Bee Scene


Doubtless apiarists in the north east are looking forward to the dandelion and sycamore fl ows although they are some way off yet.


Association numbers are holding steady, if not increasing. The fi rst week of March sees the start of the extensive beginners’ course at Kirkley Hall, while others will be looking forward, along with myself, to attending the North of England Beekeepers’ Conference in Newcastle on the 28 March. Small lots of local honey remain in the hands of beekeepers, rwith retail prices in the region of £6.00 per lb.


England – North West


The weather thus far in the north west is best described as variable, December being mild but wet. At times, temperatures have dropped to -5°C. Gales and north-east winds have also kept things on the chilly side. The weather at the time of writing can best be described as dry, sunny but still cold. The odd hive has seen some activity but many colonies are keeping warm in the cluster and not venturing out. Snowdrops are breaking


through and hazels are producing catkins in the river valleys. No oilseed rape is grown in our correspondent’s area. Beekeepers will be looking forward to the dandelion bloom which is prolifi c in this region but still a little way off.


Beginners’ courses, workshops


and associations are described as very active. Small lots of locally produced honey from the record season of 2014 are still available, retail prices being very good in the range of £6.00–10.00 per lb with no shortage of customers.


England – Midlands Frosty, cold weather has been


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the norm this winter for the Midlands. There was signifi cant snow for a time on higher ground, but little snow fell over the larger area. There are


no reported beekeeper problems from the


strong gales that passed through


in January.


Temperatures at the time of


reporting were a dry sunny 7°C and bees have been fl ying.


Clusters look OK albeit on the small size. During summer/autumn 2014, many beekeepers opted for MAQS® although queen problems were experienced by some users. Winter oxalic acid treatments are, in the main, complete. Snowdrops, crocuses and wood anemone are all blooming. Very large acreages of oilseed rape have been planted. Against the national trend, beekeeping associations in the region have seen a fall in numbers, one particular association losing one-third of its membership. However, beginners’ courses are being run, the one by our correspondent’s association starting in March in the classroom then hands-on for the duration of the active season. There is still local honey in the hands of beekeepers. 2014 was a good year and retail prices are in the range of £4.00–6.00 for a 12 oz jar.


England – South-west Midlands


To date, it is reported that temperatures in the south-west Midlands have been on the low


side, with bitterly cold nights, colder than the 2013–14 winter. However, visual inspection has shown


that clusters look good as regards size. Bees have, of course, been fl ying on


the brighter days.


Mahonia,


snowdrops, crocuses and hazel are all blooming but


our correspondent reports no pollen seen


being taken into the hives. Despite the colonies being well provisioned from last season’s ivy fl ow, fondant packs are proving to be popular amongst beekeepers.


There is some honey available. Blossom honey retail prices are quite variable in the £2.50– 4.00 per lb range, with one delicatessen in Birmingham


retailing at £4.99 per half pound for locally produced honey. Good attendances are reported at winter meetings and local association membership remains strong.


England – East Midlands


The weather patterns in the east Midlands, as in much of the British Isles, have generally been on the mild side. There have been periods of snowfall of around two inches (5 cm) but they have been short lived. There are numerous spring


fl owers in or about to bloom, but our correspondent reports seeing little incoming pollen. Winter mite treatments are complete in most apiaries and, where counts have been taken, mite drop is reported to be low.


Beekeeping associations


are busy running beginners’ courses and winter meetings. There still appears to be plenty of local honey in the hands of beekeepers and retail sales are in the region of £3.50–5.50 per lb. Sadly, there are reports of thefts of colonies in the region and beekeepers are reminded to check out-apiaries regularly.


England – East Anglia


Wet weather, aided at times by a biting cold north-east wind, has kept things on the quieter side for much of the winter over the region. However, milder days are now beginning to appear, giving the bees their fi rst fl ights of 2015, which will enable collection of fresh pollen. Bee clusters look to be a good size and, where activity has begun, workers have been busy ‘throwing out the dead’. Some interesting plants have come into bloom: winter jasmine, aconite, honeysuckle, along with snowdrops, hazel catkins and primroses. Ample plantings of oilseed rape have also been carried out throughout the region. There have been plenty of enquiries from people keen to attend beekeeping courses and some are fully booked. A certain amount of locally produced honey still remains unsold (2014 was a particularly good season in East Anglia), selling in the £4.00–5.00 per lb range.


England – South East


Our correspondent reports that overwintering clusters appear strong and coping well between weather patterns ranging from relatively mild days to chilly north-west winds. Milder days have given the bees the opportunity to take essential cleansing fl ights, with no dysentery staining noticed on


April 2015 Vol 97 No 4


Photos: Claire Waring


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