Wild plants suitable for bees in Easter Ross
WILD PLANTS IN EASTER ROSS
WHICH ARE OF VALUE TO THE BEEKEEPER
WHICH ARE OF VALUE TO THE BEEKEEPER
N = nectar; P = pollen; * good; ** very good.
Spring - Early SummerWhin/gorse (N*P**), dry banks, field edges, extensive Feb-Apr
Willow, several species (N**,P**), woodland edge, by rivers lochans, extensive Apr-May
Dandelion (P**), grassland, road verges Apr-May
Bluebell/wild hyacinth (N**), woodland edge, clearings, dry sunny banks May
Blaeberry (N*), moorland, woodland edge (birch-pine) May
Sloe/blackthorn (N*), woodland edge, field edge Apr
Broom (P**), dry banks, field edges May-Jun
Rowan (P*,N ), woodland and edge May
Gean (P, N*), woodland and edge May
Early - Mid Summer
Raspberry (N**,P*), woodland edge and clearings; road verges Jun-Jul
Hawthorn (N*,P*), hedgerow, field edge May-Jun
Elder (P*), woodland edge, gardens Jun
Wild rose, several species (P*,N*), road verge, field edge, woodland edge May-Jul
Bishopweed (N P ), old garden and pasture, road verge May-Jul
Cow parsley (N P ), old garden and pasture, road verge
Thyme (N*), dry heathy banks, gravelly stream margins (Jun-Aug)
White clover (N**,P ), field, pasture, grass verges (Jun-Aug)
Meadowsweet (N P ), wet, ungrazed meadows, loch and stream margins (Jul-Aug)
Tufted vetch (N*), grassy banks, hedgerows Jun-Aug
Bird's-foot-trefoil, (N ,P*), short grassy turf Jun-Jul
Purple dead-nettle (N*), margins of cultivated ground Jun-Aug
Bramble (N**,P*), hedgerows, woodland edge Jun-Sep
Willowherb (N**,P*), woodland margin and clearings, field edge (Jul-Aug)
Marsh cinquefoil (N*), peaty loch margins, fens Jun-Jul
Thistles (creeping, spear, marsh)(N**,P*), road verges, damp pasture Jun-Aug
Bell heather (N**,P*), dry heath, rocky knolls Jun-Jul
Late Summer - Autumn
Ling heather (N**,P**), Dry moor, pinewood edge and clearings Aug-Sep
Ragwort (N**,P**), waste ground, old dry pasture, grass verges Aug-Oct
Ivy (N*), walls, trees Oct-Nov
While pollen or nectar may be collected from any of the above species in season, it is where they are available in quantity that surplus may be collected. Where local conditions provide this situation then almost any of the above species may provide a significant contribution.
In practice, however, only a small number of these species of wild plant indicated as good or very good on the table are significant contributors to surplus, the main ones being willows, whin/broom, raspberry, white clover, willowherb, heather and
ragwort. In fact many of the main nectar sources are naturalised imported species rather than native species, the main ones being policy tree such as sycamore, horse chestnut and lime, which, along with garden and commercial crops such as oil seed rape, beans, fruit bushes (e.g. raspberry) and trees (e.g. apple) are major sources of supply for many local beekeepers.
The source and date of this information has been lost in the midst of time and the document only recently surfaced in our file of beekeeping literature. Please inform me of any inconsistencies/inaccuracies.
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