OSR Nectar

[Geordie1964]

Hi my Hives are in the South East area of Kent and this is the first year I've had to deal with OSR as I had to move my hives location over the winter. My Bees are within 300m of one large field of OSR and within about 1 mile of 3 others and all are in full flower and look ready to go. The problem is none of my hives are bringing in the huge harvest that I was told they would be. All hives are double brood Langstroth's with two supers in place to allow for the sudden influx of OSR nectar and are bursting with bees. My question is has anyone else in my area or elsewhere noticed that although the OSR is in flower little or nothing is comming in. Could it be the weather?

 

[Finman]

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Out temp must be about 20C that you really get honey.

In 18C temp they may fly much, but they go out and return without load.

Kent's 7 days forecast about 16C temps. Not enough to get yield. Wind has a big meaning.
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[daroco]

Very little here so far, but the weather has been a bit iffy. On the plus side, what I have extracted has been a very nice honey so far. I'm sure there is some OSR content - but clearly not simply that.

 

[Hedgerow Honey]

I took off 159lb on Sunday out of nine supers from five hives and will probably get about the same again next week out of the remaining supers. Some colony's have produced really well and others on the same stand and related are not so good I think the queens from summer last year are not very good and will have to be replaced.

 

[Geordie1964]

I think Finman could have the answer in that the temperatures we have been having overall have just been too cold. We have had a few warm days but then very cold nights or very cool winds during the day. As I've said the hives are packed with bees so the Queens are good and there in a very good area, it's a puzzler for sure. It's as if the OSR is not producing nectar rather than the bees are not bringing it in, baring in mind how close they are to it and how much they would have to work on and yet very little has made it to the hive.....

 

[Roola]

I've had the same problem as you this year, hives surrounded by OSR, many packed with bees but very poor yield... my London hives have brought in far more from the early blossom. Hey ho... One of those years I guess.

 

[YorkshireBees]

One point that hasn't been raised is that there are different varieties of OSR and there was a lot of talk of some varieties not producing as much nectar / pollen as the traditional one.

In terms of weather, yes it has to be above a certain temperature but in my experience not as warm as some say.

 

[Finman]

I think Finman could have the answer in that the temperatures we have been having overall have just been too cold. We have had a few warm days but then very cold nights or very cool winds during the day. As I've said the hives are packed with bees so the Queens are good and there in a very good area, it's a puzzler for sure. It's as if the OSR is not producing nectar rather than the bees are not bringing it in, baring in mind how close they are to it and how much they would have to work on and yet very little has made it to the hive.....

I had couple years ago balance hive 2 metres from autumn rape. It bloomed 5 weeks.

A big hive got only 15 kg honey during that time. Field was 12 hectares, and only 3 hives.

I teared some bees when they arrived to home. Their stomack was empty, even if flowers had god nectar droplets.

Last summer was same thing with spring rape. Field bloomed 3 weeks. They got nothing when highest temps were 17C.

But special thing was, that 17C lasted only 2 hours, from 13 a'clock to 15. Outside that range bees were not able to fly.

Then I moved 4 hives after 2 weeks to another field (20 ha), and weathers warmed to 25C. I got from each hive 100 kg in 3 weeks.
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Such is beekeeping reality.
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[Gilberdyke John]

One point that hasn't been raised is that there are different varieties of OSR and there was a lot of talk of some varieties not producing as much nectar / pollen as the traditional one.

In terms of weather, yes it has to be above a certain temperature but in my experience not as warm as some say.

I overhead in passing a conversation about "selfie"varieties of osr. I'm thinking this is self pollinating and may mean those are poor yielders of nectar. Can anyone throw light on this?

 

[Monsieur Abeille]

Mine are bringing it in by the bucketload at present, with temps in the low teens.

 

[Millet]

Mine are bringing it in by the bucketload at present, with temps in the low teens.

Not that i want any mine where bringing it in also last week a low temperatures.

 

[Finman]

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As long as we have hope, we have life.