Oil seed rape

[Eddie]

I have noticed in Hampshire the oil seed rape is just starting to turn.

When are you planning on extracting your rape harvest?

I don't want the bees to store "setting" honey in the replacement supers.

Cheers!!! Happy harvesting....

 

[Chris B]

I'm not sure there is a rape harvest. My bees have been ignoring it and going for other forage, but I did see a few bees in rape yesterday in Leicestershire.

 

[starflex]

Hello Eddie,

I'm just the road from you. I took my first OSR off on Monday. Inspected my hives this afternoon and expect to take some more during the end of next week. The honey that came off on Monday has alreadsy started to set.

 

[bushman1872]

lucky git

 

[Silly Bee]

Big fields of rape here, not sure if the bees have been on it, but I took 10 frames off today, and will extract tomorrow/or Sunday. Just in case.

 

[Mike a]

I took off 3 national supers last weekend and extracted them (65 Lbs), I've another 2 national supers worth which were at the time only partly filled and frames which weren't ripe enough to extract which will probably be ready to remove this weekend.

 

[peteinwilts]

i have four hives on rape...

one has made about 1-2 supers of honey.

the other three, none. not sure what they are doing, but the bees are coming back orange all over...

there is still some life in the rape, albiet patchy ... hopefully this rain will give a blast of nectar in a few days before the rape goes completely

 

[TREVOR HILL]

surounded by rape but all coming home coverd in horsechestnut pollen

 

[DorsetB]

I am near Ringwood, and am removing supers every week. last week, one hive cleaned and refilled two supers from Sunday night to following Friday.

OSR was waning, but I am hoping tonight's heavy rainstorm will give it a bit of an extended run.

 

[bobandbec]

Mine are working the OSR like mad and have been for 2 to 3 weeks now. Taken off 16 supers and they couldn't get out of he hives quick enough when I left them at 1.00pm today. Some of the fields are going over but the field next to me was late coming into flower and is just coming to its height now. It will be all over in a fortnight around here. Looking back at last years records that's about 2 weeks earlier than 2010.
I take the honey off as I inspect. This does mean extracting twice a week while the flow is going on but that's better than having solid honey in the frames.

Peter