OSR flow - when does it begin?

[beesleybees]

Hi guys,

Im a newbie so please be gentle.

After reading how qucik the bees use osr, ive moved my hives to a field full of the stuff and there also alot more of it within half a mile or so of them.

im suprised however on inspection today that there is hardly any OSR pollen on the frames. I have just read on here that it takes a temp of around 16 degrees for the osr to come into flow? is this correct and what exactly is ment by flow?

i know the weather has been bad and is likely to be bad for the next week, so this has not helped so i decided to stick on some 1:1 syrup so at least they can start drawing out some frames of foundation

 

[FreeFall]

'Flow' is the nectar coming into the hive (which is then converted to honey). It takes a certain temperature before OSR (or any plant I guess) will secrete nectar. If you think about it, the nectar is there to entice insects to come and feed - thus distributing the pollen (pollination). If the weather is too bad for insects to be around, the plant produces no nectar.

That is in my not so humble but newbie opinion anyway - I'm sure someone will be along to fill in the gaps soon

Nick

 

[Finman]

.
When day temp is about 20C and the sun is shining, then OSR will give yield.
Before that it gives hope.

 

[Chris Luck]

20°C is good but I understand it flows from 16°C as I put earlier.

Chris

 

[Haughton Honey]

Looking at the forecast in the Cheshire region over the next 10 days to two weeks I may well miss the OSR in flower next to a couple of my apiaries (not that I'm a massive fan of the stuff myself!).

 

[beesleybees]

Well ive just been reading clive de bruyn's practicle beekeeping

it says for every hectare of rape, 100-500kgs of nectar will be produced and vastly underestimated by beekeepers.

It also says that OSR flowers for 25 to 30 days.

so does that mean once the flowers appear, if the temperature does not get to around 16-20degrees in the 30 days from flowering, it just goes to seed and the bees are no better off??

 

[Chris Luck]

25 to 30 days would be the maximum I would have thought but again temperatures play a role, high temperatures reduce flowering time.

If during flowering temperatures remain low honey bees will at least get pollen.

Chris

 

[beesleybees]

25 to 30 days would be the maximum I would have thought but again temperatures play a role, high temperatures reduce flowering time.

If during flowering temperatures remain low honey bees will at least get pollen.

Chris

Chris, please feel free to reply again as you will have hit your 1000 post

anyway, so my bees have been on the rape since it came into flower 2 weeks ago. So therefore I have approx 2 weeks, maybe less for the bees to get some nectar from it and this will only happen if the temp gets to at least 16 degrees.

im in cheshire, anyone think this is going to happen?? i wont hold my breath

 

[oliver90owner]

There are so many variables which may, or may not, be in operation here.

Just thinking about them and having a brainstorm on a sheet of paper might just help to demonstrate the futility of forecasting honey crop from any particular hive in any particular location with UK weather, especially if there is the added problem (in some areas) of a drought.

If you can't think of any, you need to read a beekeeping book, or maybe several.

 

[BeeMoustashe]

If you can't think of any, you need to read a beekeeping book, or maybe several.

Preferably the ones the bees also read

 

[Poly Hive]

Was out on the bike today and passed numerous fields in full flower, also giving off a good scent too which normally I would take to be some flow, but as the temp was merely 10C "I hae ma doots ya ken"

CDB@ book is also a bit out of date as the flowering period is now merely three weeks or so from the 6 weeks in the early 90's. Many thanks to the plant breeders....not.

PH

 

[Finman]

20°C is good but I understand it flows from 16°C as I put earlier.

Chris

It is better that every one can keep their dreams.

The truth is, in what temp you start to wash your extractor....

.

 

[iand]

Moved my bees to the Osr last weekend and fed them. Just a few flowers to be seen will be a week or more before it is in full bloom, especially if this weather continues. For those that are worried they may miss out on a crop of honey. In the last few years we seem to have had a high pressure settle on the uk which insists on giving us a cold north easterly wind for the most of the flowering period. We always seem to get the bulk of our honey crop from the plants in the wheelings and poor spots on the headlands, which in the past have gone on flowering for another week or so.
We are OK for water now after this last week, the irrigation pond is now overflowing after rising the best part of a foot, the ditches have water flowing in them again. Just need the sun and a warm westerly.
We can dream!

 

[Monsieur Abeille]

Nearly all OSR is in full bloom around here, and the local experts expect this years crop to be long lasting. However with the forecast remaining chilly for the foreseeable I'm worried we may not see much return.

 

[TJSnapper]

We have a couple of fields of OSR about 1/2 mile away from home, where the bees are, and 2 of the colonies have a super full already, only 14 degrees here today but the polen was coming in throughout all conditions, including some thunder showers. Poly Hive, disappointing news on the 3 week flowering front , I was hoping for a week or two more. I will monitor the fields nearby.

 

[rockdoc]

Finmans right
"When day temp is about 20C and the sun is shining, then OSR will give yield.
Before that it gives hope."

After all hope is all we need and it might help get us through this rather odd spring!

 

[Skyhook]

Hi guys,

Im a newbie so please be gentle.

After reading how qucik the bees use osr, ive moved my hives to a field full of the stuff and there also alot more of it within half a mile or so of them.

im suprised however on inspection today that there is hardly any OSR pollen on the frames. I have just read on here that it takes a temp of around 16 degrees for the osr to come into flow? is this correct and what exactly is ment by flow?

i know the weather has been bad and is likely to be bad for the next week, so this has not helped so i decided to stick on some 1:1 syrup so at least they can start drawing out some frames of foundation

Beesley, you're not alone. You, I, and many others are looking at hives next to fields of rape, cursing the weather, and hoping the forecast's wrong.

If the weather picks up before the flowers go over, we'll get a crop. If it doesn't, we won't.

All is in the lap of the gods and as usual, they're not letting on.


.

 

[YorkshireBees]

All of my apiaries are within striking distance of OSR and despite the weather 10 out of 12 hives have gained weight in the last week. (Between 1 and 3kg)

As it was too cold at the weekend for any inspection I will not know how much of the weight gain is honey in the super until warmer weather and I can check!

 

[beesleybees]

All of my apiaries are within striking distance of OSR and despite the weather 10 out of 12 hives have gained weight in the last week. (Between 1 and 3kg)

As it was too cold at the weekend for any inspection I will not know how much of the weight gain is honey in the super until warmer weather and I can check!

i would hazzard a guess and say that most that will be because of bees, larvea and pollen

what the temps been like around your way

 

[YorkshireBees]

i would hazzard a guess and say that most that will be because of bees, larvea and pollen

A 3kg increase in 1 week!
Actually I did check one super and they had started to fill a few frames, not too much but a good start considering the weather.

what the temps been like around your way

Well when the sun is out, between rain showers, we are hitting only 12-14 degs C. But I have seen bees flying from about 8 degs with no wind!
Of course any nectar collected may well be from another source but watching the flight lines at one home hive, they seem to be mainly heading for the OSR in the field behind th garden!