Maghera is a small market town on the south-eastern edge of the Sperrins, with the ruins of St Lurach's early Christian church beside the main street. The Sperrins AONB rises immediately to the west, with ling and bell heather covering the open moorland from late July through September — a significant late-summer forage. The Moyola headwaters run through mixed alder woodland and drumlin farmland around the town. Hawthorn and blackthorn hedges are dense on the farm lanes south toward Tobermore; sycamore and lime line the older town streets. Himalayan balsam has colonised the river margins and damp field edges through summer.
Collectors attend swarms along the Moyola headwater willows and alder on the western edge of town, in the hawthorn hedgerows on the drumlin farm lanes south toward Tobermore, on the lower Sperrins heather and bilberry fringe above the town, in the mature sycamore of the residential streets, and in the eaves and stone walls near the old church ruins.
Nearest BBKA-affiliated associations to help with swarm collection and local advice.
BT26 6NH· approx. 63 km
CA24 3HZ· approx. 204 km
Visit websiteCA13 0AU· approx. 213 km
Association data sourced from the British Beekeepers Association directory via SwarmBase.
Coastal gorse on the north coast carries an early flow. Blackthorn, hawthorn and sycamore fill May. Lime dominates June in Derry, Coleraine and Limavady. The Sperrins contribute bell and ling heather from late July. The Roe and Bann valleys bring himalayan balsam into a strong late-summer flow; coastal sea-thrift and sea-aster at Magilligan add seasoning; ivy closes a long year on whitewashed cottage walls.
More on beekeeping in County LondonderryReport it in under a minute and a trained local beekeeper will arrange safe collection.
