When to move to the heather

[snimmo243]

Hi everyone, as you know I'm going to the heather for the first time this year and was wondering about the best date to move the bees. Looking at my shifts my days off around the start of August would allow for 23/24 July or 4/5 Aug any suggestions?

[gavin]

Plan for 23/24 July but check the state of the heather or ask here. Not yet sure whether it will be another early year, I suspect yes.

However if your site has little else you don't want them sitting starving for 10 days or so.

G.

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[snimmo243]

Thanks Gavin so should I make a visit to the heather just before this?

[Bridget]

August will def be too late. The commercial beekeepers move up here in mid July and away again the second week in September. However bell heather is well out now in Invernessshire and I expect the erica heather will be a bit earlier this year


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[gavin]

The bell heather (Erica) has been out in Tayside here for a good 10 days or more which seems early. It does seem likely that the ling heather (Calluna) will be early too. The days of taking the bees on the 12th August are long gone.

Yes, I'd get some info on what's happening to the heather at your site. Take the bees as it opens. Sometimes if there is a lime flow on beekeepers are uncertain whether to leave it in favour of the heather, or wait. You are not guaranteed to get a heather crop of course, even with strong colonies bursting with young bees. You might get one week out of the six or so when everything goes right, or a sharp frost may bring it all to an early close.

[snimmo243]

Thanks for the replies I will head up in the next week or so to see what it's like but so far my beekeeping this year chimes with burns, the best laid plans o mice and men gang aft a gley