Oil seed rape watch

[MuswellMetro]

ok, the rape has started in my area, (M25 North London ) about 10% yellow with 2 ft flower stems on every plant, post your OSR when flowering and the approx location, so we get an idea of timing

Bees on Thursday (sunny 14c) were bringing in large amounts of pollen

so with bees with brood on six frames and still lots of stores i have put a super on above newspaper/QEx , i will remove a few store frames for Nucs and add foundation when weather permits

 

[Hivemaker.]

post your OSR when flowering and the approx location, so we get an idea of timing

Fields of OSR coming in to flower

http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=36233

 

[Poly Hive]

6 frames of brood? Too early to super they are not strong enough until on at least 8. As I say OSR now is a waste of time. Flowers too early and too fast. Back in the day it began in the 3d week of April and lasted well into late May, and produced.

PH

 

[Brian Bush]

Following the disaster of last year for my local farmers where production was hit by flea beetle following the ban on neonicotinoids only 30 acres were planted in the autumn near my apiaries. Guess what? The whole crop has been ravaged again by flea beetle and the field is to be re-ploughed. The OSR used to give my bees a good start to the year. I read in the American press this week that 3 separate university studies in the USA have found no link between neonicotinoids and bee health. Who do we believe?

 

[nantmoel]

I remember going down to Buckfast Abbey (Early May) to meet Br. Adam and he cursed the OSR that you could see from the Abbey, it spoilt his spring honey. As PH mentions above, perhaps it does flower a little too early these day for the bees to take full advantage of the abundance of pollen and nectar.

I will now wait for the abuse to start!

Happy Easter Beeks.

 

[pargyle]

I remember going down to Buckfast Abbey (Early May) to meet Br. Adam and he cursed the OSR that you could see from the Abbey, it spoilt his spring honey. As PH mentions above, perhaps it does flower a little too early these day for the bees to take full advantage of the abundance of pollen and nectar.

I will now wait for the abuse to start!

Happy Easter Beeks.

Not from me ... I'd rather get those lovely spring flowers and trees into my honey than OSR ... I do appreciate that there are locations within the country that some people would not get any crop without OSR but that's an indictment of what our farming has become in some areas.

Happy Easter everyone ...

 

[B+.]

I'd rather get those lovely spring flowers and trees into my honey than OSR

Happy Easter to you all.

Its interesting that you should say this. The yield from some of my test colonies is far higher than some of my BeeBreed colleagues in the Netherlands, yet, their breeding values turn out higher than mine because the environmental component is different. Its hard to imagine how our bees would fare without osr sometimes. Modern farming doesn't allow for flowering weeds amongst the crop. Of course, some farmers have planted flowering borders for invertebrates but, I am told that the requirements of such schemes are becoming increasingly onerous

 

[MuswellMetro]

6 frames of brood? Too early to super they are not strong enough until on at least 8. As I say OSR now is a waste of time. Flowers too early and too fast. Back in the day it began in the 3d week of April and lasted well into late May, and produced.

PH

My 14x12 on six frames of brood are stronger than BS nationals on 8 Frames of brood, i will manipulate the brood nest ,if necessary after the OSR flow (60lbs per hive last year) because I prefer them to store OSR in supers so i can extract rather than back fill the brood box

Boxes on non OSR will wait for supers

 

[beeno]

Following the disaster of last year for my local farmers where production was hit by flea beetle following the ban on neonicotinoids only 30 acres were planted in the autumn near my apiaries. Guess what? The whole crop has been ravaged again by flea beetle and the field is to be re-ploughed. The OSR used to give my bees a good start to the year. I read in the American press this week that 3 separate university studies in the USA have found no link between neonicotinoids and bee health. Who do we believe?

Spring convention?

 

[Poly Hive]

Just spotted a field at roughly 20% out. Like I say it's way too early.

PH

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I read in the American press this week that 3 separate university studies in the USA have found no link between neonicotinoids and bee health. Who do we believe?

It would be interesting to find out who their major donors are and who funds their research departments

 

[deanrpwaacs]

The fields near me are still all green and low. Some further away have the odd single stem 9with flower sticking up . A good 3- 4 weeks away from the look of it . Farmer near me hasnt treated with insecticide for 2 years now and most of the damage is slug .

 

[busybee53]

No OSR here, Or fields for that matter. Just parks and gardens with a bit of blossom etc.

 

[MuswellMetro]

OSR is now almost fully out and loads of pollen coming in with some nectar being dried by the bees

 

[Tremyfro]

OSR is now almost fully out and loads of pollen coming in with some nectar being dried by the bees

I was envious of your brood boxes full of brood....but now I am simply and totally jealous of your OSR...diddly squat around here so far.

 

[mintmoth]

I passed a field today in full flower here in NW Leics. Other fields are showing the odd yellow tips, be a few days yet, I think.

 

[MuswellMetro]

I was envious of your brood boxes full of brood....but now I am simply and totally jealous of your OSR...diddly squat around here so far.

But all my flow of nectar ends by mid July, then a dearth until Ivy, Swings and roundabouts

 

[Worldsend]

Yellow tips just starting to show between
Hambledon and Winchester
Plants still very short

 

[Swarm]

I was envious of your brood boxes full of brood....but now I am simply and totally jealous of your OSR...diddly squat around here so far.

What? No rape down the vale? Are they growing a different crop? The vale always had plenty of it.

 

[deanrpwaacs]

OSR is now almost fully out and loads of pollen coming in with some nectar being dried by the bees

Is it warm enough for nectar . I assumed it needed to get above a certain temp ?