And the migration starts

[Hedgerow Honey]

Who has moved hives to the rape?. I set up stands on my second rape site today as the top flowers are starting to flower I will move hives probably thur/fri ten days earlier than last year. Is this the same as others are finding?.

 

[MuswellMetro]

This was taken on Thursday 21st March, some incoming nectar and pollen by the bucket load

 

[Hedgerow Honey]

That looks a bit further ahead than my part of the world I was thinking I might be a bit early and wondered what others were doing around the uk.

 

[Paul in Poole]

I am moving some hives to the rape this week just one or two flowers out now, just need the sun.

 

[BrianO]

Gonna try this next year.

How long does an average field stay in flower

Heard need to remove and extract immediately when fiield reduce to about 5% flower

Do you when there use crop to also, additional to honey crop, make increase thru splits, and get frames drawn out ?

Thanks but would like to learn as much as possible regafding it for next season

 

[drex]

Here the rape crop lasts for 3-4 weeks, but different fields may flower at different times. Unfortunately it is too cold here at present for the plants to produce nectar. The honey granulates quickly and then can be a pain, so yes, I take it off when the flowers go over. Some remove a super at a time when it is ready. I usually get away with a one hit extraction, but do it as soon as the boxes come off.
When the crop comes in fast it is a good time to get combs drawn, but also they may start swarm preps - so splits can be done.

 

[rayt]

I have a field of OSR next to garden this year. In the space of one warm day the flowers have appeared and the bees decided comb was to be built in the fondant feeder.

 

[Hedgerow Honey]

Four weeks mine were on last year I did not much of a crop but expanded colony's and got lots of foundation drawn hoping to get a crop this year, looks like it might warm up toward the weekend.

 

[Swarm]

Warming up? Not the forecast I've seen.

 

[Hedgerow Honey]

Anything is warmer than it has been lately I ran out of heating oil last week. Seriously though ambient temperature is up the gauge is reading over ten degrees every day the raspberry's are going crazy.

 

[Swarm]

And I'm out in it thinking how it's warm if you are sheltered and in the sun but the air is still cold and even light breezes are really chilly. It's starting to feel too much like 2012.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

And I'm out in it thinking how it's warm if you are sheltered and in the sun but the air is still cold and even light breezes are really chilly. It's starting to feel too much like 2012.

No - I feel the same still cold in the shade. Mind you, drove to a meeting in Leicester today and the OSR is blooming nicely up that way and it seemed a bit finer

 

[BeeJayBee]

I am moving some hives to the rape this week just one or two flowers out now, just need the sun.

I spotted two fields coming into flower the other day, both within reach of my bees, what a pity it's so cold and overcast.

 

[Swarm]

Was in Dinas Powys today, flippin' freezing

 

[Fatbee]

It's starting to feel too much like 2012.

From the brief look I have had in hives probably at the same place at 2012 - certainly appears less frame of brood (despite bee numbers being fair) at this stage compared to 2014 and 2013. Problem with 2012 was it kept cold till May then didn't stop raining all summer - don't want that repeat!

 

[Erichalfbee]

I was house hunting in 2012 and I remember the Welsh roads being awash. We had a nice September I moved the bees from Cumbria to Ceredigion mid month and the bees brought home some Balsam.

 

[sahtlinurk]

I have my hives about a 1 km from the OSR. how to get pass this 3 km rule? or is it worth the hassle to move them at all ?

cheers,
Lauri

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I have my hives about a 1 km from the OSR. how to get pass this 3 km rule? or is it worth the hassle to move them at all ?

cheers,
Lauri

A kilometre (I thought that was some kind of cake? ) is no distance for a bee if they want the stuff - had bees filling supers full of heather honey last year and the nearest piece of heather was 1.9 miles away

 

[sahtlinurk]

will leave them where they are now then. Thanks

Cheers,
Lauri

 

[Hedgerow Honey]

Cold here today three seasons in a day rain/hail/snow but when I got home at 5pm the bees in the garden were still working, they are certainly keener than myself.