Bexhill-on-Sea is a seaside town between Hastings and Eastbourne with a long promenade, substantial Edwardian suburbs and the Combe Valley Countryside Park at its northern edge. The valley park carries scrubby sallow, bramble and wildflower meadow that give local hives a good late-spring flow, and the town's mature garden trees add lime and horse chestnut to the mix through June.
Collectors here regularly handle swarms in the large Edwardian garden trees of Collington and Egerton Park, in the hedged boundaries of the Combe Valley park margins, in the chimney stacks and mansard roofs of the seafront terraces on De La Warr Parade, and in the garden hedgerows of the outlying village of Sidley.
Nearest BBKA-affiliated associations to help with swarm collection and local advice.
TN33 9QA· approx. 11 km
Visit websiteBN26 5DF· approx. 16 km
Visit websiteTN6 3LJ· approx. 29 km
Visit websiteAssociation data sourced from the British Beekeepers Association directory via SwarmBase.
The early flow starts on blackthorn and wild cherry, before hawthorn lights the hedges of the Weald. Late May to July carries the colonies on sweet chestnut around Heathfield, bramble across every common and hedge bank, and — most characteristically — heather on Ashdown Forest from late July into August, giving the dark, jelly-like Ash Down heather honey some members still cut-comb for show. Ivy closes the year on sheltered sandstone lanes and the tall old churchyards of Rye, Lewes and Battle.
More on beekeeping in East SussexReport it in under a minute and a trained local beekeeper will arrange safe collection.
