Swales Honey - More promising!

[@robinbeavan5152]

Great video glad the hives are getting heavier. Bad news about your heather being eaten.hope the grouse lads have faired better .

[@swaleshoney]

Thanks Robin. The bees have been really busy again today on the moor. It’s looking like a really good crop. I was talking to a head gamekeeper today and he said that the grouse clutch numbers were really good at hatching but they have suffered badly with the weather since. He isn’t optimistic about the overall numbers. Everything seems to have suffered this season.

[@Іванко-э5ц]

Glad you have a Heather bride. By that time we had already finished honey collection. Herds are all dry. There is no rain. The temperature is higher than 30°C. I did not know that Heather has pests. Thanks for the video. Take care of yourself and your family! 🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🤝🤝🤝🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🐝🐝🐝✌✌✌

[@swaleshoney]

August is always a good month to attend a wedding! You have had your challenges too with the weather Ivan. You would have liked some of our rain. We just have to hope for better next year. You and your family stay safe. 🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🐝🐝🐝👍👍👍🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧✌️✌️✌️

[@Іванко-э5ц]

I did not write about the bride Heather and the wedding 😂😂😂. Wrote about bringing nectar from heather.🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🤝🤝🤝🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🐝🐝🐝✌✌✌

[@swaleshoney]

😂😂😂It’s that translation again Ivan.👍👏🤣 🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🐝🐝🐝👍👍👍🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧

[@Іванко-э5ц]

​It would be good to see your Heather video. Or it is specially planted? Does a in grow by itself? How do you deal with heather pests? Because I have only it's characteristics and honey productivity (200kg/hectare) in the book on honey-producing plants. I think it would be interesting not only to me. 🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🤝🤝🤝🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🐝🐝🐝✌✌✌

[@swaleshoney]

@@Іванко-э5цThanks Ivan, I’ll see what I can do. 🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🐝🐝🐝👍👍👍🤝🤝🤝🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧

[@researcherAmateur]

Hi there from the only island in the Adriatic sea that has heater. Here too the start of the flow was good and then it all stopped. I don't want to even talk about how much I got from 300 hives. Well, next year will be better. There's too much competition these days. Difficult to find a good spot. I agree.. it's the best honey in the world. And I have rosemary, lavender, mints and oregano.. but they can't measure with heater fall honey. I just need a good year. I'm still not sure if we have the same variety.. my can grow tall as a man if it's between other brush. I'm glad I find you. I was looking for a beekeeper with heater...

[@swaleshoney]

If I remember correctly, you are now over run with other beekeepers placing their hives on the island for the late heather flow? You have my sympathy. Research is currently being undertaken to see if our heather honey has similar health benefits to Manuka. If it does, we will be swamped with “get rich quick” merchants. Our heather grows to a maximum of about 3 feet (1 metre) high. I only know 2 Latin names by heart. Apis Mellifera being the honey bee and Calluna Vulgaris being our ling heather.

[@DenbeeHoney]

Great video thankyou

[@swaleshoney]

Thank you, I’m glad you liked it.

[@adrianforrester325]

l used to love taking my bees to the moor hard work even with just the hand full i used to take , we went to Alandale moor loved the sound of the Grouse was there many where you are ? great video as well thanks for taking the time to share

[@swaleshoney]

Hello Adrian, yes the moors around here are managed for grouse. I’ll try to put some footage of them up.👍 I’m on the western edge of the North Yorkshire moors in the village of Osmotherley, six miles from Northallerton.

[@adrianforrester325]

@@swaleshoney we used to go camping there I think when I was younger I'm sure the campsite was on a river I live in Jarrow right near the Tyne tunnel so not too far away from you

[@swaleshoney]

@@adrianforrester325You are relatively local. There’s a campsite (Cote Ghyll) just outside the village. A Youth Hostel also used to be there but that building is now part of the main camping/caravan site.

[@deecull8750]

I brought 35 to the heather this year, but the weather has been dreadful. I'd be happy with a box off each stock .. I hate crushing all my comb . Good luck with the heather 👍

[@swaleshoney]

Thanks Dee. I think we have been lucky here, right weather at the right time, for the heather at least. There’s been a lot of years when I would have been happy for a box per hive. 👍

[@brianprendergast8994]

Where did you get the leg ends they look very comfortable

[@swaleshoney]

Hi Brian, my daughter sourced those walking gaiters for me. She found them on Amazon and the label on them says Pasanava.

[@brianprendergast8994]

@@swaleshoney thanks I will look for them our bees quite aggressive but wellies sweat you

[@swaleshoney]

@@brianprendergast8994 Yes Brian. Those gaiters can be warm to wear but far better than wellies.

[@AntennaBee]

Hi Trevor Let’s hope you at least brake even this year with your crop ?

[@swaleshoney]

Good point Colin and I’m not sure we will. Fortunately I have some honey from last year so at least I won’t run out. That is a real dilemma if you’re supplying shops.

[@phil5888]

I watch American beekeepers working in shorts and tee shirts. I would be curious to see what happens if they arrive at your hives.

[@swaleshoney]

Hello Phil, I think they would soon cover up.👍😂

[@davidryle1164]

Lol, not all of us, I promise you. While the bulk of my colonies are easy going by nature, I have several that routinely want to light me up for absolutely no reason, without protection, I'd be in trouble.

[@swaleshoney]

@@davidryle1164 Yes David. I can sort through many calm colonies and then out of the blue, one just erupts. It’s then too late to wish for better protection.

[@killlinepestcontrol]

Is that managed high ground. It all looks tall. Does it make a difference if it's managed or not

[@swaleshoney]

Hi Sean. Yes the areas I have shown are all managed and the heather is of different height. The idea is that young tender heather provides food whilst the older stuff provides cover from predators. Heather beetle infestation seems to be absolutely random. Apparently the adult beetles are weak fliers and so they go where the wind takes them. After the 2020 wipeout millions of them blew into the North Sea at Scarborough and then washed back up on the beach.

[@killlinepestcontrol]

@@swaleshoney I don't your sort of stuff so interesting. I look at the high ground so different to how I used to look at it. Thanks for videos

[@swaleshoney]

@@killlinepestcontrolThank you Sean, you’re welcome.

[@johnthebeekeeper1706]

Is the heather beetle a result of not burning the heather !!!!

[@swaleshoney]

There doesn’t seem to be any link between burning and heather beetle outbreaks John but I think burning is a great way of managing a moor. The larvae bury into the peat to pupate and the fire appears to skim over them. I have bees on an area of “never burnt heather” and that is free of the beetle.

[@meloneycrews]

What are on the bottom of your legs? It doesn’t look like a part of a boot? Is it a sting protector or for something else? Just being nosey🤣!! Also doesn’t Heather honey crystalize really fast? Is it a florally tasting honey?

[@swaleshoney]

I wear walking gaiters Meloney, to protect the “bottom of the bee suit leg to top of the boots “ gap. I hate being stung on the ankles - very painful and I struggle to stay upright. Heather honey is relatively slow to granulate in the comb but does so fairly quickly once extracted especially if there’s other floral source honey in the comb. It has a very strong and distinctive flavour. It doesn’t seem as sweet as other honeys but more a bitter sweet taste. It’s the only honey I really like.

[@meloneycrews]

@@swaleshoney ahh we were thinking that’s probably what they were…one time, the nastiest hive we ever encountered I happened to be wearing sneakers and no socks and my husband kinda knocked a box when moving it and they went crazy and straight to my ankles…it wasn’t pleasant for a few days😉thanks for the info on the honey..I guess I could have told you we are in the US and some have the pleasure of having the Heather but have heard it’s excellent honey!! Thanks again for your videos we always enjoy watching!!

[@swaleshoney]

⁠@@meloneycrewsThanks Meloney, I’m glad you find the videos interesting.

[@rtxhoneybees]

So you bust your bum getting to the heather and the bees back home decide to over achieve! Figures. Silly bees always want to let us know who is really in charge.

[@swaleshoney]

Yes Phillip they will always have the last word.😂 We come along, take an interest in them and think we’re the boss. No chance! 👍