Stratford-upon-Avon is Shakespeare's birthplace and a market town on the Avon in south Warwickshire, surrounded by the orchard country of the Vale of Evesham fringe and the rolling Arden countryside to the north. The South Warwickshire BKA covers the town, and the surrounding landscape — the Avon watermeadow willows and meadowsweet, the old parkland limes of the Shakespeare properties, the orchard country of the Long Compton and Welford-on-Avon fringe and the ancient hedgerow oaks of the Forest of Arden edges — gives local bees a classic south-Warwickshire season.
Collectors regularly attend swarms in the lime trees and old garden remnants of the Henley Street and Old Town conservation areas, along the Avon riverside willows and watermeadow margins at Lucy's Mill and Tiddington, in the orchard and hedgerow remnants of the Shottery and Wilmcote lanes, and in the chimney stacks and eaves of the older Tudor and Georgian town-centre properties.
Nearest BBKA-affiliated associations to help with swarm collection and local advice.
CV37 6QW· approx. 0 km
Visit websiteCV32 4AA· approx. 16 km
Visit websiteWR11 4UG· approx. 18 km
Visit websiteAssociation data sourced from the British Beekeepers Association directory via SwarmBase.
Early flows come from blackthorn and cherry in the Arden hedgerows and oilseed rape on the lighter soils around Southam and Shipston. Hawthorn is abundant; sycamore and field maple fill the middle of May. Lime and sweet chestnut in the parkland around Warwick, Kenilworth and Stratford produce a strong June flow. Bramble and rosebay willowherb support July, and a solid ivy flow along the ironstone villages closes a long season.
More on beekeeping in WarwickshireReport it in under a minute and a trained local beekeeper will arrange safe collection.
