Osr

[Poly Hive]

There are lots of sites which welcome vigorous, if not one sided and vicious debate over such matters.

May I politely suggest that this discussion might be better off conducted on such sites as it seems to this person that it has very little to do with bees and much to do with entrenched views which are very unlikely to benefit any of the rest of us.

Personally I get very bored reading them.

PH

 

[psafloyd]

PSAFLOID are you a member of the CPRE?

just wondered as you seem to be peddleing out the same misgided image of the contryside

but I do agree.................

that farmers were paid subsadies to toxify the land in the intrests in profit... for the chemical companies!

it all adds up to an interesring debate

Don't be daft. CPRE is a motley group of poorly aligned groups of romantics and those who don't like the fact that democracy has ruled their practices are no longer to be tolerated. A bit like we did with slavery 200 years ago. Not that fox hunting equates with slavery, but the process is the same.
And I agree, that these discussions Have no place here, so if you stop posting your comments, I'll stop biting.

 

[Cazza]

I have OSR and field beans within half a mile, the usual brambles and ivy and also several fields of assorted flower nursery stock plants close by too. No Balsam here. There is a nature reserve with willows and willow herb just over the road. Paradise!
Cazza

 

[Monsieur Abeille]

Similar to Cazza, OSR and beans within half a mile, then during the summer theres a few lime trees and assorted gardens for them to pillage (though dissapointingly they dont seem to think much to mine)

 

[MODNOD]

Modnod:
Do you have your farmers details, and have you asked him to contact you when he is about to spray his crops as they grow?
I am concerned as its my first year of an out apiary with 5 hives on it right now.
I don't know the farmers yet, all I ask is to be alerted the day before he sprays so I can lock the girls in for a day.
Is there indeed any risk involved anyone know?
Bob.

Hi Bob,

In my case i know all the farmers, and they do try to help out with spraying info, but it is such a large area any number of things can change at the last moment,so my bees are on there own.
There is a risk but in my case there is not much i can do.

 

[Skyhook]

Modnod:
Do you have your farmers details, and have you asked him to contact you when he is about to spray his crops as they grow?
I am concerned as its my first year of an out apiary with 5 hives on it right now.
I don't know the farmers yet, all I ask is to be alerted the day before he sprays so I can lock the girls in for a day.
Is there indeed any risk involved anyone know?
Bob.

Hi Bob, I'm in a similar situation. Spoke to a very experienced local beek who has quite a bit to do with OSR. She does nothing; and I've heard a few express the view that a) you can chase your tail if there are several farmers growing it locally, and b) you can do more harm than good shutting them in.

 

[Poly Hive]

This year was the first that I have done nothing, and exposed effectively all of my bee "wealth" to the sprayer. This on advice from a very large Bee Farmer who follows the sprays and techniques with considerable interest.

I noticed absolutely no difference at all. None.

PH

 

[For want of a better word]

This year was the first that I have done nothing, and exposed effectively all of my bee "wealth" to the sprayer. This on advice from a very large Bee Farmer who follows the sprays and techniques with considerable interest.

I noticed absolutely no difference at all. None.

PH

What were the farmers spraying... and what were they using

I can forsee a problem if bees are foraging far afield, must be 15 farms in my bees radius of flight!

 

[Poly Hive]

Insecticide for Pollen Beetle.

This is a normal commercial farm but they are very good at telling me what they are doing.

PH

 

[psafloyd]

The only kind of large scale crop I know of not far from me is sugar beet, but I don't think there is likely to be anything of any use, is there?

 

[BobsBees]

Farmers

Modnod And Skyhook,
Thanks for taking time to reply, very helpfull.
Will try and find out who owns the fields, and find out if the farmers are interested in bees anyway.
Bob.

 

[oliver90owner]

psafloyd'

sugar beet

The only thing I would comment here is if sugar beet is used in the same crop rotation as OSR, that will be likely be at least two of the rotational crops laced with neonicotinoids.......so with soil retention of the 'icide', the soil loading could be increasing rather than lowering... so not good for many beneficial insects. Apart from that, beet gives nothing for the bees.

RAB