If it looks like a flow...

[Glenviewbee]

We've had dandelion out in force for a couple of weeks now - loads of gorse has been in flower for what seems like ages. The blackthorn has been blossoming in abundance over the last week. Our bees have been working their little socks off (!) but I've been away for 4 days so will be having a look tomorrow - last week was my first quick inspection and all 3 hives were showing good signs of BIAS and stores

 

[Heather]

Oh Lordy, escaped till now... but at last they have found OSR.. little yellow heads followed by packs of pollen and they are going ballistic. Grrr.. early extractions on the cards.

 

[itma]

Oh Lordy, escaped till now... but at last they have found OSR.. little yellow heads followed by packs of pollen and they are going ballistic. Grrr.. early extractions on the cards.

How far away is it?
We know they are working OSR, but Prof Ratnieks has the opinion that bees aren't particularly interested in it ... (I personally suspect an error in his logic.)

 

[Hivemaker.]

How far away is it?
We know they are working OSR, but Prof Ratnieks has the opinion that bees aren't particularly interested in it ... (I personally suspect an error in his logic.)

Well they are certainly interested in OSR, but not exclusively so, as they are also working in force on willow, dandelions, wild garlic, blackthorn,cherry, etc.

 

[BeeJayBee]

I suppose it depends which they find first, if all are food sources are available in the same area at the same time.

 

[Erichalfbee]

I've read that bees will use a source till it's dried up then move on.
I have masses of Hellebores in the garden , they are largely done, and I have noticed bees STILL looking despite the huge amount of willow in blossom.
Maybe foragers die on their favourite flower?

 

[itma]

Well they are certainly interested in OSR, but not exclusively so, as they are also working in force on willow, dandelions, wild garlic, blackthorn,cherry, etc.

Yes, but OSR at half a mile is less than a quarter of foraging?

We found was that when hives were more than c. 2 km from the nearest OSR field, they did not forage on OSR. In hives located 0.8 km from the nearest field, {our research} showed foraging in OSR fields of c. 23% (that is 77% of the foraging was in other locations). Pollen analysis showed that only 13% was from OSR. Although a field of OSR in bloom would appear to be a magnet for bees, and pull in all the foragers, this is not the case.

https://www.sussex.ac.uk/webteam/gateway/file.php?name=lasi-annual-report-2014.pdf&site=60
Hence my interest in the report of those bees "finding" the OSR and getting enthusiastic about it.
If the academic conclusion is at odds with common observation, then the logic that leads to that conclusion needs to be checked very carefully.

Oh Lordy, escaped till now... but at last they have found OSR.. little yellow heads followed by packs of pollen and they are going ballistic. Grrr.. early extractions on the cards.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Loads of blackthorn flowering here - in Krakow

 

[theeggman]

Our bees have discovered 3 old brassica plants in the polytunnel, we've been getting a crop of fresh leaves daily right through the winter, but they have come into flower now so are covered in honeybees which has p'd off the bumbles that have been working them for a week or two.

Pre. bees the flower heads would have been in the compost long ago.

Keeping bees seems to change your outlook on life!

And 1 little darling, whilst I was wandering around the 'orchard' bounced off my head and came back for a second try, got caught in my 0.5 inch hair and then zapped me, miserable little ****.

 

[Tomo]

Just got in from a bike ride around the local roads around our apiary. OSR flowers covering 2/3 of most fields! Temperatures up to 19 c today in sheltered areas (as in where the hives are). Glad I gave the girls some extra room at the weekend.

 

[jonnybeegood]

Well they are certainly interested in OSR, but not exclusively so, as they are also working in force on willow, dandelions, wild garlic, blackthorn,cherry, etc.

Do they go on wild garlic? Our local Beeks say not here.

 

[theeggman]

Just got in from a bike ride around the local roads around our apiary. OSR flowers covering 2/3 of most fields! Temperatures up to 19 c today in sheltered areas (as in where the hives are). Glad I gave the girls some extra room at the weekend.

May I suggest a move to rural Devon, most of the ground is too steep or wet for arable and there still miles of Devon hedge banks full of native flowers and rocks to attack your car.

The year before last a neighbour planted OSR as a cover crop for his game birds, it's still in the jars being warmed for OH's prridge.