Bee colony settles at Wallingford housing development

The bees are now settled at Berkeley’s Highcroft development in Wallingford, where they are being cared for by Marian Vasiliu, a lifelong beekeeper and project manager.

They are part of Berkeley’s broader commitment to biodiversity at Highcroft, which includes more than 18 acres of open space, the planting of over 1,000 new trees, and features such as allotments, swales, ponds, wildflower meadows and hedgerows.

Despite the young colony arriving at Highcroft only four weeks ago, eggs and larvae have already been found inside the hive.

Mr Vasiliu said: “It means a lot to care for the hives at Highcroft because I already feel connected to the site through my work here.

“With West Point Construction, I’m helping prepare the next phase of the development for the people who will one day call it home.

“With my beekeeping, I’m creating the conditions for a new family to settle and thrive.”

Mr Vasiliu began beekeeping at age 13 in Romania when a swarm settled at his grandmother’s home in Nadifa, in the Moldavia region.

He said: “I saw them land and I begged my father to let me collect them in a large wooden box.

“Afterwards, I read as many books as I could on beekeeping and hive management, and taught myself how best to look after these amazing and important creatures.”

He now keeps 13 hives of his own in Aylesbury and describes beekeeping as a passion, not a business.

The Highcroft hives were previously managed by Yvonne Parks, who cared for them over the past three years and oversaw several honey harvests.

Ms Parks said: “It has been lovely to see the hives become part of Highcroft over the last three years, and we have enjoyed several honey harvests along the way.”

She encourages residents and visitors to plant a variety of flowering plants, especially annuals and Mediterranean herbs like lavender and thyme to support pollinators.

Stephen Kirwan, managing director at Berkeley, welcomed the new arrivals.

He said: “The arrival of a new bee family at Highcroft is a wonderful moment for the development, and Marian and Yvonne’s stories give it a real human connection.”

Berkeley is celebrating the success to mark World Bee Day, on May 20, which recognises the critical role of bees and other pollinators in maintaining biodiversity and food production.

According to the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization, pollinators affect 35 per cent of global crop production, with more than 80 per cent of flowering plant species are pollinated by animals, mostly insects.