>Just wondering why this is so- is it because of where the heather is 

Partly - ling heather grows on open moorland which is usually at higher
altitude, so quite an exposed location - although beekeepers try to find
sheltered places to put their hives.

August is also our joint wettest month (with December) and the combination
of wet weather and open moorland can be ruinous to all colonies, let alone
weak ones.   In order to get a good crop you need strong colonies and gentle
warm winds from a southerly direction with warm nights; that is rare!  Any
wind from the northeast stops the flow instantly.

Best wishes

Peter 
52°14'44.44"N, 1°50'35"W

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