Spring is here, and our bees are busy. Here's what's on the menu this month.
April is one of the most exciting months in the beekeeping calendar. After a long winter spent clustered together, surviving on stored honey, UK honey bees are finally venturing out in earnest — and the countryside is beginning to offer a feast.
The April Larder
Willow (Salix spp.)
One of the earliest and most important spring sources, willow provides both nectar and pollen. The bright yellow pollen is a vital protein source for colonies building up their brood after winter. Bees will travel to willow catkins from as early as late February, but April sees peak activity.
Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale)
Often dismissed as a weed, the dandelion is a beekeeper's best friend in spring. It offers generous amounts of both nectar and pollen, and its long flowering season means bees can rely on it throughout April and into May. If you have a lawn, consider leaving a patch unmown this month.
Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa)
Blackthorn hedgerows burst into white blossom in early spring, providing an important nectar source before many other trees have leafed out. You'll often spot bees working blackthorn on warmer April days.
Fruit Tree Blossom
Apple, pear, cherry, and plum trees come into bloom across April, and bees are essential pollinators for all of them. Orchards and garden fruit trees are a rich source of nectar and pollen — a mutually beneficial relationship that's at the heart of what we do at Swabees.
Oil Seed Rape (Brassica napus)
Those vivid yellow fields that appear across the UK countryside in April are oil seed rape, and bees love it. It produces large quantities of nectar and can trigger a significant honey flow. However, the honey crystallises very quickly, so beekeepers need to extract it promptly.
Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna)
Coming into flower towards the end of April and into May, hawthorn — or "May blossom" — is a classic British hedgerow plant and a reliable nectar source as spring transitions into early summer.
Why April Matters
April is a critical month for colony health. The queen is ramping up egg-laying, brood numbers are expanding rapidly, and the colony's food demands are increasing faster than foragers can always meet them. This is the period beekeepers call the "spring gap" — when winter stores are depleted but the main nectar flows haven't yet begun in earnest.
A diverse, forage-rich environment makes all the difference. Gardens planted with early-flowering plants, uncut verges, and traditional hedgerows are lifelines for colonies at this time of year.
What You Can Do to Help
- Leave dandelions in your lawn or garden through April
- Plant early-flowering bulbs like crocus, grape hyacinth, and lungwort
- Avoid pesticide use during flowering periods
- Support local beekeepers — buying British beeswax and honey keeps traditional beekeeping practices alive
At Swabees, our beeswax products are crafted with deep respect for the bees that make them possible. Every lotion bar, balm, and candle is a small celebration of what these remarkable insects give us.