Prepare To Feed
The Bees
Autumn is in the air and now is the time to prepare to feed the bees.
As the temperature drops Britain’s bees are already preparing for
winter.
Honey bees are now in the process of removing the Drones (males)
from the colony and the overwintering bees begin to emerge; as
the summer foraging bees die after their late summer/early autumn
foraging expeditions. Unlike the Bumblebee and Solitary bees they
will not be in hibernation but living in a colony of 20-25,000 strong
and look forward to a winter living off their summer stores – honey.
Honey bees will come out for cleansing flights and to forage on
bright days, you’ll spot them on the Winter flowering Mahonia and
Honeysuckles during the winter months. NOW is the time to sow the
flowering spring annuals, infill the gaps in the borders, verges with
valuable early nutrition rich flowering bulbs. Extend the flowering
season by planting trees for bees – a flowering tree can be the
equivalent of an acre of forage in the sky which will provide colour,
form and interest as well as fruits/nuts/seeds, for us or wildlife to
enjoy.
So in your autumn planning and planting remember to help the
bees and provide them with nectar and pollen rich flowering
plants needed to build strong colonies in the Spring. By extending
the flowering season by having something always in bloom from
February to October we will be helping to build a thriving healthy
bee population.
Get involved in supporting our bees and help Build the
Buzz (www.buildthebuzz.co.uk) with the British Beekeepers
Association. For information on planting for bees visit
www.bbka.org.uk.
Landscape & Urban Design Issue 15
13