Two beehives installed at Highfield Park as part of native honeybee conservation project
Orchard Grove has welcomed some very special new arrivals. Two beehives have been installed at Highfield Park, in the north-east corner of the development, as part of a project to help protect and preserve the native British honeybee.
The exact spot can be pinpointed using What3Words: ///gets.organs.likely. Residents and visitors are warmly encouraged to head along and take a look — just remember to observe from a respectful distance, particularly if beekeeper Jason is on site.
The hives moved in on Friday 8 May, installed and cared for by Buckley’s Bees, a family-run business with more than 80 years of experience in the craft. The team are registered members of the British Beekeepers Association and the Bee Improvement and Bee Breeders’ Association, and actively support scientific studies focused on the health and wellbeing of bees and other pollinators.
The hives form part of a preservation project aimed at protecting the native genetics of the British honeybee, which is currently in serious decline. In 1900, there were an estimated one million honeybee colonies across the UK; today, that figure is believed to have fallen to around 270,000, largely due to pesticides, parasites, disease, and habitat loss. By supporting native bee populations, the project hopes to encourage stronger, more resilient colonies that are better adapted to local conditions.
As well as contributing to biodiversity, the bees will play a practical role in the surrounding landscape, pollinating local plants and trees, helping them to reproduce and remain healthy. The native honeybee has evolved to work in balance with other pollinators, making it an ideal addition to the growing green spaces at Orchard Grove.
Residents and park visitors are welcome to enjoy watching the hives from a respectful distance. Beekeeper Jason will be visiting the site regularly, and will be easily identifiable in his Buckley’s Bees beesuit. If anyone notices unauthorised interference with the hives, residents are encouraged to challenge it, and should a swarm be spotted clustered on a tree or fence, residents are asked to take a photo and get in touch with Buckley’s Bees directly at hello@buckleysbees.com.
Those keen to support their new neighbours can also help closer to home, planting pollinator-friendly flowers such as lavender and herbs in their gardens is a simple and rewarding way to provide food for the bees and boost the local ecosystem. As a bonus, many of the best bee-friendly herbs — think rosemary, thyme and mint — are just as useful in the kitchen.
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