Dunnington is a village east of York on the edge of the Derwent Vale arable plain, surrounded by oilseed rape fields that provide a substantial April flow for local colonies. Hawthorn hedgerows on the Kexby and Elvington lanes border the field margins, and the village pond and churchyard at St Nicholas carry mature sycamore and elder that extend the forage season into late summer. York and District Beekeepers cover the YO19 postcode with collectors experienced in both urban garden and arable-margin swarms.
Collectors attend swarms on the oilseed rape field margins and hedgerow trees along Kexby Road and Common Lane, in the mature sycamore and elder in the churchyard of St Nicholas, on the older brick-built cottage chimney stacks and outbuildings in the village centre, and in the hawthorn on the Derwent-plain field boundaries toward Elvington.
Nearest BBKA-affiliated associations to help with swarm collection and local advice.
YO19 5UF· approx. 1 km
Visit websiteYO61 3AG· approx. 21 km
LS25 6HH· approx. 22 km
Visit websiteAssociation data sourced from the British Beekeepers Association directory via SwarmBase.
Oilseed rape on the Vale of York arable fields around Dunnington, Poppleton and Skelton opens the season from early April. Hawthorn is dense on the field-boundary hedgerows all around the city fringe. York city centre is defined by its lime flow in June — Museum Gardens, Dean's Park, the Knavesmire lime avenue and the Victorian residential streets of Bishopthorpe Road and Bootham all contribute. Bramble is prolific on the railway embankment and Strensall Common edges; willowherb and himalayan balsam follow on the Ouse riverside. Bell heather on Strensall Common gives a modest but genuine late-July supplement. Ivy on the City Walls, churchyard walls and older suburban gardens closes the year.
More on beekeeping in City of YorkReport it in under a minute and a trained local beekeeper will arrange safe collection.
