Peas

[Chris Luck]

This year for the first time one of the Maize fields, some 50 hectares, has been sown with peas, not as a green manure but for the peas which are harvested for the animal feed industry.

The maize is no great loss and there is plenty more of it around but my question is does anyone have experience of this crop, peas, and do honey bees forage it?

Chris

 

[domino]

I think peas use insects and can self pollinate - so you may be in luck.

 

[alanf]

..been sown with peas, not as a green manure but for the peas which are harvested for the animal feed industry...

The modern varieties sown for humans are self fertile. There could be some pollen available if bees have nothing else, although Howes doesn't mention peas. For "animal feed" they may be different varieties, cow peas, pigeon peas maybe? My cousin has grown a few acres of pigeon peas as a regular specialist crop. They might be more useful as forage. Some heritage varieties might well rely on insect pollination, as Gregor Mendel found.

 

[Heather]

Better than nothing.
My farmer has given up on beans which was good, and not growing OSR ..No money in it apparently. Just Barley this year!! My hive build up slow, and after the blackthorn finished, it looks bleaker this year. And that is on base of the South Downs too.

 

[psafloyd]

This year for the first time one of the Maize fields, some 50 hectares, has been sown with peas, not as a green manure but for the peas which are harvested for the animal feed industry.

The maize is no great loss and there is plenty more of it around but my question is does anyone have experience of this crop, peas, and do honey bees forage it?

Chris

Well, Chris, all I am saying, is give peas a chance...

 

[masterBK]

Peas self pollinate because they have a closed corolla which prevent both insect pollination and wind pollination. This feature was one of the reasons Gregor Mendel chose them for his research into inheritance. They can be cross pollinated by hand but only if the corolla is cut open to expose the stigma.

So, in summary, of no interest to bees of any kind.

 

[Chris Luck]

Peas self pollinate because they have a closed corolla which prevent both insect pollination and wind pollination. This feature was one of the reasons Gregor Mendel chose them for his research into inheritance. They can be cross pollinated by hand but only if the corolla is cut open to expose the stigma.

So, in summary, of no interest to bees of any kind.

Maybe, maybe not, there are certainly some photos on t'net showing honey bees on agricultural peas, I'll find out soon enough I guess, they are more or less outside my door. The issue seems to be whether honey bees can access the nectar. Of course it makes little difference as there would only have been maize of which there will still be too much but it is still interesting.

Chris

 

[oliver90owner]

My understanding is that of MBK.

Not a jot of good for bees. Never had pea honey ever.

 

[Tom Bick]

Fresh peas straight from their pods taste far nicer than any honey. If it was me I would be thinking about a bit of trade for some peas. Or does the animal feed variety taste horrible.

 

[Chris Luck]

Fresh peas straight from their pods taste far nicer than any honey. If it was me I would be thinking about a bit of trade for some peas. Or does the animal feed variety taste horrible.

Errrrr, do bears crap in the woods?

Have you ever tried eating any of these industrial animal feed crops? Brits occasionally do here thinking they are being smart by taking corn cobs without realising it isn't "sweet corn" and then complaining about it....

...so yes, not for humans.

Chris

 

[Tom Bick]

Errrrr, do bears crap in the woods?

Have you ever tried eating any of these industrial animal feed crops? Brits occasionally do here thinking they are being smart by taking corn cobs without realising it isn't "sweet corn" and then complaining about it....

...so yes, not for humans.

Chris

Boo

 

[Chris Luck]

Boo

Sorry

Chris

 

[lebouche]

My understanding is that of MBK.

Not a jot of good for bees. Never had pea honey ever.

I bet over the years some one has peed in your honey.

 

[Chris Luck]

I bet over the years some one has peed in your honey.

You may be closer to the truth there than you realise, bees love urine....

Chris

 

[alanf]

Maybe, maybe not, there are certainly some photos on t'net showing honey bees on agricultural peas, I'll find out soon enough I guess, they are more or less outside my door...

Indeed. There are some observations of other bees (leafcutters etc) raiding pea flowers through the base. Most of us have seen bumbles taking short cuts through the base of runner beans, and honey bees following them. There are few absolutes,