Typical swarm locations
Collectors are called to swarms in the hedgerow oaks and hawthorn on the farm tracks around the village, in the churchyard yew and lime, and in the older stone-built farm outbuildings along the lanes to Clutton and Timsbury.
Farmborough is a quiet agricultural village on the limestone plateau between Bath and Radstock, set among mixed arable and pasture land with deep hedgerow-lined lanes and an ancient church. The surrounding farmland carries a generous spring flow of hawthorn and oilseed rape, with white clover and field-margin wildflowers following through midsummer.
Collectors are called to swarms in the hedgerow oaks and hawthorn on the farm tracks around the village, in the churchyard yew and lime, and in the older stone-built farm outbuildings along the lanes to Clutton and Timsbury.
Nearest BBKA-affiliated associations to help with swarm collection and local advice.
BA2 9JA· approx. 3 km
Visit websitebs313ep· approx. 7 km
Visit websiteBA3 2DP· approx. 7 km
Visit websiteAssociation data sourced from the British Beekeepers Association directory via SwarmBase.
The season opens on blackthorn and willow along the Avon riverside at Saltford and Keynsham, followed by hawthorn and apple blossom through the Chew valley orchards in May. Lime is the defining June flow in Bath — the plane trees of Great Pulteney Street, the lime avenues of Royal Victoria Park and the Prior Park landscape garden are particularly productive. Mendip-fringe limestone grasslands around Chew Magna, Bishop Sutton and Clutton carry wild thyme, knapweed and marjoram from June into July. Bramble is dense on the coal-measure slopes above Radstock, Midsomer Norton and Timsbury; willowherb and himalayan balsam flush the Avon towpath below Saltford and Keynsham through August. Ivy on Bath stone walls and village churchyards closes the year into October.
More on beekeeping in Bath and North East SomersetReport it in under a minute and a trained local beekeeper will arrange safe collection.