Brighton is one of the most bee-active urban environments in the south of England — a dense Victorian and Regency city where urban hives, allotment colonies and feral bees in old chimney stacks and soffit boards all contribute to a high swarm rate through May and June. The North Laine gardens, Preston Park and the large cemetery at Extra-Mural all provide city-centre forage, while the chalk Downs are within a mile of the suburbs.
Collectors here are well-practised with urban swarms. The most common call-outs are from chimney stacks and roof soffits in the terraced streets of Hanover, Kemptown and Fiveways, from garden trees in Preston Park and Hollingbury, and from the allotments of Roedale Valley and Tenantry Down where many of the city's hobby beekeepers keep hives.
Nearest BBKA-affiliated associations to help with swarm collection and local advice.
BN7 2LR· approx. 12 km
Visit websiteBN12 5JL· approx. 22 km
Visit websiteBN26 5DF· approx. 27 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.
