Does Oil Seed Rape make bees difficult?

[Fraise]

An old hand has told me that the problem I am having with my bees not liking inspections is due to the OSR they are collecting.
His comment is you don't get something for nothing and having to handle difficult bees is the cost of getting a good OSR fllow. They also seem to swarm more easily on OSR.

Does this correspond with other beeks experience?

 

[Nige.Coll]

Pretty much yes. Wait until it stops they will be vile for a week or so.

 

[Fatbee]

I'm never sure or whether it's because OSR is early flowering so often temps are a bit poor for inspections.

As for swarming, based on last year I would say yes, but this year the OSR is not really flowing yet on the yield front and my bees to date have shown no signs of swarming despite having more access to a bigger area of rape than last year. Last year they were making swarm preps early on on the OSR flow - but we had a spell of weather by then

 

[einsteinagogo]

An old hand has told me that the problem I am having with my bees not liking inspections is due to the OSR they are collecting.
His comment is you don't get something for nothing and having to handle difficult bees is the cost of getting a good OSR fllow. They also seem to swarm more easily on OSR.

Does this correspond with other beeks experience?

My colonies are all on OSR at present, and are "doped out man" on OSR....I now wear my jacket and veil to visit the hives at close range.

 

[enrico]

If I had the same thing for every meal I would get a bit fed up too!

 

[Fatbee]

It's their choice! There is loads of alternative forage around - perhaps it's their alternative to Burger King!

 

[B+.]

Does this correspond with other beeks experience?

No. I have an apiary that is surrounded on three sides by a field of OSR. They don't even have to fly to it - they could walk out the hive and its right infront of them. They are as meek as lambs!
This is one of the differences between the crappy bees we have in the UK and queens from a selected line. We have become so accustomed to them that we assume it is normal. It doesn't have to be.

 

[jonnybeegood]

I'm in my second year , now with 6 thriving hives, ive been stung twice, once from someone elses hives when we were followed back to the car & once from mine when one landed on me & i brushed it off my arm when watching them & it came back at me.
I hardly smoke them only when needed, i am gentle on inspections, i dont bang boxes, it seems they hardly know i'm there, ive not seen any agression from bees, i must be doing something right? Or just lucky i guess?

 

[YorkshireBees]

I disagree, most in not all of my colonies have plenty of access to OSR and the Spring crop usually amounts to at least 50% of total yield.

I don't notice the bees being any more defensive except maybe a little when the flow is over and then again most of the time something else replaces it.

In terms of diet I also don't believe, judging by the different colour pollens coming in, that they solely forage on OSR. Dandelions and Blackthorn / Hawthorne are also flowering / starting to flower and the bees are too intelligent to NOT have a mixed diet.
Ofc to counter this statement I'm sure that OSR is the major forage as I can watch one colony fly out of the hive and turn to the direction of a close-by field of OSR!

Last year I also had OSR in one of the field apiaries and again noticed no difference in temperament. The bees that are in my face most inspections still are and the ones that don't seem to notice me were just as placid.

** In terms of swarming, it's the nature of bees to swarm (some more than others) and all OSR does is provide a decent / heavy flow which imo is one of the factors that helps bees accelerate brooding and hence leads to swarming. **

 

[einsteinagogo]

I'm in my second year , now with 6 thriving hives, ive been stung twice, once from someone elses hives when we were followed back to the car & once from mine when one landed on me & i brushed it off my arm when watching them & it came back at me.
I hardly smoke them only when needed, i am gentle on inspections, i dont bang boxes, it seems they hardly know i'm there, ive not seen any agression from bees, i must be doing something right? Or just lucky i guess?

Are Beeks expectations different ? or maybe a better word Comparisons....

e.g. what is an aggressive colony ? should you be able to stand in front of the entrance in full flow, without a suit, and not get bothered?


once from someone elses hives when we were followed back to the car & once from mine when one landed on me & i brushed it off my arm when watching them & it came back at me.

following - is this a wanted trait ?

brushed it off my arm when watching them & it came back at me.

is this aggression ? or just a reaction, e.g. if you had left the bee on your arm, would it had stung you, or just because you brushed it off...

Is this difficult to judge, unless we visit each other colonies for comparison ?

e.g. external influence can impact behaviour ? - cold weather, smell, queenless....

there was another thread, we were discussing aggression...last year I got stung on the temple by a honey bee, at a BBQ, no where near hives, not worked any that week, had no clothes on which stank of bees, and everybody thought it very funny the beekeeper got stung, but the bee got caught in my curly hair, and I believe then panic-ed and stung me - I did not put this done to aggression?

 

[oliver90owner]

Don't blame the crop. Either for temperament or swarming. They are always tending to being more feisty when a fow diminishes, and swarm when conditions suit them. Natural bee behaviour. Simple as that.

Yes, most OSR goes over very quickly, but that is just another factor. Any other crop which did that while there was no other forage to replace it would get the same effect. What some do not comprehend is that there may be little or no nectar secretion at low temperatures, yet still expect their bees to be as calm as usual.

 

[steve1958]

When there is free oilseed rape my Bees get drunkon it.
Sometimes showing the same behaviour that humans show under the influence of alcohol.
I used to think it was the chemicals that the seed used to be treated with.

Another thought is that with more stores inside the Hive maybe the Bees post more Guard Bees to protect these stores.
We are not so different are we. The more we have then the more protective of it we become.
Just a thought.

 

[Finman]

.
I have noticed that bees give more stings when they forage rape. In good foraging they should be very easy.

I will be angry if bees walk to the rape field and do not fly. I would not look that long time.

 

[Bumbling Keeper]

No. I have an apiary that is surrounded on three sides by a field of OSR. They don't even have to fly to it - they could walk out the hive and its right infront of them. They are as meek as lambs!
This is one of the differences between the crappy bees we have in the UK and queens from a selected line. We have become so accustomed to them that we assume it is normal. It doesn't have to be.

where do you source your queens?

 

[pargyle]

where do you sSadlyource your queens?

Sadly, B+ left the forum last July and has not been seen since ....


If you click on a members Avatar it will take you to their profile and you can see when they were last active on here.

https://beekeepingforum.co.uk/members/b.13290/

 

[Erichalfbee]

where do you source your queens?

B+ is actively involved with European bee breeders of Carniolan bees that cope with varroa. He tests their queens and breeds his own. If you are interested in a queen or two I can give you his contact details.

 

[oxnatbees]

When there is free oilseed rape my Bees get drunkon it.
Sometimes showing the same behaviour that humans show under the influence of alcohol.

Another thought is that with more stores inside the Hive maybe the Bees post more Guard Bees to protect these stores.

(1) Can you clarify what bee behaviour you classify as "drunk", please? I know they return to the hive fully laden and tired and fly in a wobbly way, sometimes missing the entrance but are you seeing other behaviours?

(2) I don't know about OSR specifically, but you're wring about more stores = more guards. They get very relaxed about drifters from other hives in heavy flows, though they will have more fanners.

 

[steve1958]

Hi oxnatbees,
Yes, from what I have experienced with my bees on OSR
They have problems navigating, as you say returning in a 'wobbly' way, missing the hive entrance.
They become irritable and not their calm and happy selves.
I would say even hostile and aggressive.
More likely to want to sting even though it is a potential death sentence for the individual bee.
There is a sense of urgency at the hive entrance, and within the hive a definite increase in activity. It feels noisy.
Then as soon as the OSR flow has passed they quickly return to their calm and gentle selves.

My second comment is based on personal experience with my own bees.
Maybe what I observe is different to what you observe with your colonies.