Bee swarm collection in Argyll and Bute

Heather is the defining flow of Argyll — Calluna vulgaris covers the hills, glens and island moors from late July into September, offering one of the longest heather seasons in Scotland. Gorse and broom flower in two flushes — April and again in late summer — on every rocky coastal headland and glen-side. Sycamore is the principal woodland forage tree, prolific in the sheltered sea-loch valleys and estate policies from late April. Bramble is abundant on the lower ground and forest clearings from July. White clover grows on the improved coastal grassland of the Kintyre plain, the Isle of Bute and the Oban hinterland. Cross-leaved heath in the wetter blanket bogs supplements the main heather flow on the islands.

Argyll Beekeepers' Association covers the mainland and major islands. The challenging Atlantic climate — late springs, cool summers and damp autumns — means winter losses can be higher than on the east coast. The native Scottish black bee has a stronger presence here than almost anywhere else in Scotland, with established conservation programmes on some of the more isolated islands where genetic purity can be maintained.