crop spraying

[RoseCottage]

My new best friend, the farmer housing my girls, has asked me how much notice I need before he sprays his OSR. I don't actually know but I said 48hrs.
What should I do when I get notice? His OSR is now in full bloom.
Do I need to keep the girls in for a few hours whilst the spray is absorbed? Not sure what he intends to spray yet either,
Sam

 

[m.s.]

To me. that's not an easy question to answer, depends on what it is. Can you contact someone in a bee club / association or outfit familiar with or does pollination services, ag inspector or agricultural extension?

If all else fails, I'd consider moving them myself especially if sprayed while in bloom. Amongst others, your looking for residual effects.

Heres a read from this neck of the woods up and around the bend a bit about Protecting Pollinators from Pesticides http://www.ent.uga.edu/bees/pollination/protecting-pollinators-pesticides.html It'll give one a little insight on it anyway

 

[Frisbee]

It's highly unlikely that he will need to spray OSR when it is in full bloom. Not completley unheard of, but highly unlikely. OSR need spraying when the pollen beetle count gets too high. It is a critical spray as too high a count can decimate the crop. The pollen beetle bites through the flower bud to get at the pollen. When the flower is out it can get to the bud withought biting through and therefore not ruining the flower head. Still a high count can need a spray during flowering, but the action of the sprayer going through the crop damages much of it, so it's only done as a last resort.

If he needed to spray it before the flower is out, it is of not much concern to you as the bees will not be foraging then.

Most farmers are now on some sort of stewardship scheme. He was being highly responsible by asking you the question, but of course it has worried you.

He, of course is the best person to talk to about it. Why don't you ask the question? Sprays can be herbicides and not harmful. Spraying can also be done early in the day. It's easy enough to shut the bees in overnight and let them out later in the day.

Frisbee

 

[Leigh]

I had my bees on rape last season. This rape was sprayed for pollen beetle whilst my bees were on it....during the day, when they were working. No ill effects were seen. Rape is often within reach of your hives even though they are not placed on it, and it is more than likely your bees will work rape that has been sprayed.

Gladly, I think the days of colonies being wiped out due to spraying are over, in the UK at least.

I'm now of the opinion that there is more potential damage by locking your bees in for a day than that caused by spraying.

So...all of my prattle above = don't worry!

 

[Poly Hive]

I now do not shut my bees in for spraying, and have noticed no ill effects at all.

I took advice from some one who would financially suffer very badly if he got it wrong, and as I say I am not seeing any damage at all. My mentor thought there was actually more harm created by the shutting in than the chemicals.

Your farmer is acting though very responsibly.

PH

 

[m.s.]

passing on a couple more recent articles of relation.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/apr/04/honeybees-entomb-hives

http://www.extension.org/pages/54996/research-expands-understanding-of-bee-health

 

[johnfly]

I had my bees on osr and there were no ill effects, if worried ask farmer to ask his supplier of the spray compound if its harmful to the bees, I expect not if he is going to spray when in bloom, tell him to spray early in mornings.
Frisbee, they do spray osr when in bloom, cant remember what its for but had no ill effects on my bees

 

[Winker]

It's highly unlikely that he will need to spray OSR when it is in full bloom. Not completley unheard of, but highly unlikely.

I seen a local farmer spraying the OSR yesterday. I thought it was strange to do pest control while it was in full bloom and i did wonder what effects it would have on my bees.

 

[crazy_bull]

Spraying in full bloom will be a fungicide spray to prevent the various nasties that affect OSR, this is done periodically through flowering, it is preventative fungicide, not an insecticide.

Pollen beetle is sprayed for before the flowers open, as frisbee has said the nip through the bud and destroy the crop.


C B

 

[Skyhook]

... if worried ask farmer to ask his supplier of the spray compound if its harmful to the bees,

Or just ask him what it is, then google it. All manufacturers have their product info online; and he's probably busy enough.

 

[TOBY-3652]

Theyve sprayed osr where my bees are and they will be spraying againe in 10 days time for pollen beetle.. The sprayer man did the fields near my bees early in morning he said he will do them either early morning or after tea..