Apiary Forage Group.

This group came together to improve the forage at Lancaster beekeepers Apiary. The 2.4 acre site is on the edge of ancient woodland (managed by the Woodland Trust) and has fields surrounding the site on two sides.

The forage group is made up of some fourteen volunteers from Lancaster Beekeepers with an interest in habitat and biodiversity. Some members of the group have lots of experience in horticulture and landscape gardening. Most members have no experience whatsoever but lots of enthusiasm! We have a policy of being very relaxed and informal but a determination to carry out the work and achieve our aims.

The project started by doing a walk over survey of the complete site and making a plan to improve forage year round for honey bees. However, it is also our aim to improve habitat and biodiversity in general. This is a rough sketch of the Apiary site.

The main areas we have started working on to achieve or aims are;

The planting of a large native hedge along the boundary of the apiary.

This will provide forage for the bees and help declining woodland birds by providing shelter and nesting areas and act as a food source of insects and berries. In addition it will provide a wind shelter for the site.

The planting of a windbreak along two sides of the training apiary

This includes bramble, ivy, native honeysuckle and dog rose. This will provide additional year round forage and act as a wind break for the training apiary where we keep the bee hives

Planting of a perennial bank

This is a long thin bund by the training apiary . We wanted to achieve a quick solution to achieving colour and interest in the apiary so we have devised a planting scheme of foxgloves, teasel, loostrife, verbascum and wild angelica plants to achieve this. All the plants have been raised by members and this area has been planted.

Planting of a wild flower meadow.

We realise that on this beautiful woodland site we will never achieve a picture postcard wild flower meadow because the soil is too rich. We have planted a meadow area with nectar and pollen rich native plants. A list of these plants is on the website.

The creation of a wetland area with native wetland planting.

This is a project which we hope to develop in the area of the bee drinking pool. The aim is to create a series of ponds and wetland areas with pollen and nectar rich bog plants. We are waiting to see if we have been successful in a funding bid for this large scale project.

The construction of composting bins.

These are being constructed to compost all the leaves which fall on the apiary site.

The plan below shows how we are planning on developing the site.

With the very kind help from  Alayne Robin Llancaster Bee Keepers have produced a planting list which will be used for the club apiary.