Lockdown and sunshine sees bees buzzing

The coronavirus lockdown and warm spring weather have proved a huge bonus to bees, according to sustainable Scottish honey business.

A combination of settled weather, less traffic and reduced pollution have created perfect conditions for hives to thrive, said Webster Honey. It has now thanked Highland Titles, which tends some of Webster’s hives on the nature reserve it runs at Duror, between Oban and Fort William.

Highland Titles was the first organisation to take possession of several hives from the Kinross-based Webster Honey, which started life five years ago with just two and now has nearly 100.

Meik Molitor, its beekeeper, said: ‘The hives here have done amazingly well. Bees really have been the winners during lockdown and if we get a good summer, as looks likely, we will be looking at bumper crops of honey which we sell through our website. This also makes money for the business to reinvest into hives, marketing and training.’

He added: ‘In the case of the hives at Highland Titles, the fact they are the strongest ones I’ve seen for a long time is also due, in no small part, to the care and attention shown to them by the estate’s Stewart Borland. We would particularly like to thank him, and his estate staff, for their continuing support.’

Mr Borland, estate manager for Highland Titles, said it had been a pleasure to provide a safe haven for the hives.

He said: ‘We were delighted to be the first location chosen by the company, and to have had such a key role in developing the educational programmes.

‘Many schoolchildren from the area have come to see the hives over the past five years, learning a great deal about beekeeping, and huge importance of bees to the eco system. This is something we support massively as a nature reserve.’

Highland Titles arrived in Duror around 13 years ago and has seen the return of red squirrels, otters, hedgehogs and even an osprey, among others, it said.

Webster Honey now has nearly 100 hives across Scotland on fruit farms, country estates, national forests and at several schools and nurseries.

Daniel Webster, managing director of Webster Honey, said: ‘So successful was our relationship with Highland Titles that it led the way for us to approach other suitable places, and then ask if they would like to get involved. It also kickstarted our educational programme for schools and nurseries which raises important finance for us to re-invest into the business.’

It rolled out an expansion programme of its hives to target new locations committed to wildlife and the environment.

Mr Webster said: ‘Bees are important pollinators of crops so we found farms were also interested.’

Although its school and nursery educational plans are on hold due to COVID-19, it plans to resume them next term if possible.

For further details on Webster Honey, visit www.websterhoney.com.