Thame is a large south Oxfordshire market town with one of England's most admired medieval broad high streets, set in the mixed Vale of Oxford farmland between Aylesbury and Oxford. The Oxfordshire BKA covers this area, and the surrounding landscape gives local bees a solid market-town season: oilseed rape is widespread on the clay vale farmland to the north and east; sycamore and horse chestnut carry the May flow in the town's parks and churchyard; lime avenues along the upper High Street give the classic June crop; and bramble in the hedged farm lanes and the old Thame Park estate woodland provides July forage. Field beans are a minor but useful local crop, and ivy on the historic timber-framed and brick town buildings closes the year.
Collectors regularly attend swarms in the lime and sycamore trees of the High Street conservation area and the churchyard of St Mary the Virgin, in the older timber-framed and brick properties along the medieval street frontages, in the parkland remnants and walled-garden hedges of the former Thame Park estate at Moreton, on the oilseed rape field margins to the north around Rycote and Great Haseley, and in the chimney pots and eaves of the older town-centre properties.
Nearest BBKA-affiliated associations to help with swarm collection and local advice.
HP22 5TE· approx. 14 km
Visit websiteHP11 1BJ· approx. 21 km
Visit websiteOX14 1QY· approx. 22 km
Visit websiteAssociation data sourced from the British Beekeepers Association directory via SwarmBase.
Spring opens on blackthorn, hawthorn and cherry plum along the stone hedges of the Cotswolds fringe and the chalk lynchets of the Vale. Oilseed rape is locally significant in Cherwell and South Oxfordshire. Beech in the Chilterns contributes to a huge honeydew-flavoured June flow some years, while lime avenues fill central Oxford and the larger market towns. Bramble, rosebay willowherb and field bean carry July; ivy along the Thames valley walls and the old college gardens closes the year.
More on beekeeping in OxfordshireReport it in under a minute and a trained local beekeeper will arrange safe collection.
