Rape Seed next year

[simonforeman]

So talking to the farmer this afternoon he will be planting rape seed in the 2 fields right next to my house.... this means the bees will be around 100 feet away from 450 acres of rape next spring...
So knowing this info and I know it's early what would the best plans be....
With this year my first I could do with some brood frames and super frames drawing out to use and some spares. What's the best way to attack this?

I know I'm going to get rape honey and proberly plenty of it so will start to collect white food grade buckets from work.

Any other tips?

 

[MuswellMetro]

So talking to the farmer this afternoon he will be planting rape seed in the 2 fields right next to my house.... this means the bees will be around 100 feet away from 450 acres of rape next spring...
So knowing this info and I know it's early what would the best plans be....
With this year my first I could do with some brood frames and super frames drawing out to use and some spares. What's the best way to attack this?

I know I'm going to get rape honey and proberly plenty of it so will start to collect white food grade buckets from work.

Any other tips?

i have OSR within the same distance as you, I intend to feed warm water via an entrance feeder and changing it daily in case it freezes over night and using a pollen substitute on to of an open feed holes from Mid february being six weeks from the expected date of flowering of the OSR in my area

i will also use 4" of kings span above the fondat to keep it warm enough for the bees to get to it

 

[Millet]

With the rape being so close i would buy more supers and frames... if you get good weather and a nectar flow starts the bees will sharp draw them frames and fill them the rape honey..also have a good read up on making soft set honey.. it is the bane of my life so i have decided to splash out on a creaming machine for next year..

 

[simonforeman]

Thanks for advice both ... i had same thoughts as you millet on buying more frames, let them draw them and replace.

I see your troubles on other threads..... good luck

 

[Millet]

Thanks for advice both ... i had same thoughts as you millet on buying more frames, let them draw them and replace.

I see your troubles on other threads..... good luck

And Good luck to you..

 

[MuswellMetro]

try and find the osr type the farmer is growing, some OSr has a very short flowering period and yield little nectar and all you will get is pollen

 

[tom8400]

Shouldn't panic to much the osr is struggling at the moment, it's been to dry

 

[Hedgerow Honey]

My farmer has re drilled forty four acre and give up on another fifty, to dry and poor germination.

 

[MuswellMetro]

200ha near me 3" high almost 100% up, normally the fields are too wet

 

[TooBee...]

i have OSR within the same distance as you, I intend to feed warm water via an entrance feeder and changing it daily in case it freezes over night ...

The readily accessible water just inside the hive entrance is for the bees to be able to use their stores more quickly/easily, including the Pollen Sub, good idea; but surely if you add a little sugar to it, maybe only 20%, then you could mimic an early nectar flow and get an earlier build up. Also you could insulate the Entrance Feeder to prevent freezing, you can get special insulating paint for this as well, almost magical insulating properties.

 

[beeno]

Hi MM et al, MM may I ask you if you have had any problems with spraying as your hives are so close to the OSR fields? Read that OSR is sprayed six times before it flowers. Flea beetle I guess.

 

[Ian123]

The farmer and beek on this site have spoken always best imo, and as long as destructions on the side tin are followed there should be no issues

 

[thorn]

Be prepared to AS too. With so much forage so close, the colonies may grow rapidly.

 

[john t]

i have OSR within the same distance as you, I intend to feed warm water via an entrance feeder and changing it daily in case it freezes over night and using a pollen substitute on to of an open feed holes from Mid february being six weeks from the expected date of flowering of the OSR in my area

i will also use 4" of kings span above the fondat to keep it warm enough for the bees to get to it

not sure if that is necessary,as there is always plenty of moisture within the hive when the bees are in cluster,and early on in the year, if they are able to fly then they will find water,

you wouldn't want them raising too much brood to early until they have sufficient numbers and are able to maintain the required temperature,

spring - pollen patties on top of the frames as well as fondant is what i have always done, its there when they think they need it

 

[Beefriendly]

Hi MM et al, MM may I ask you if you have had any problems with spraying as your hives are so close to the OSR fields? Read that OSR is sprayed six times before it flowers. Flea beetle I guess.

Most of the spraying with insecticides is around now on the young plants to get them established. 2 x lots of slug pellets and 3 sprays to get them strong enough. The one spray with fungicide during flowering period is usually enough.
Once upon a time a single coating of neonicotinamide prevented all this unnecessary extra spraying
i.e it's nearly all done long before it comes into flower.

 

[beeno]

I was thinking more of drifting spray with the proximity of the hives.

 

[Beefriendly]

Oh that.
Drifting spray...
Kills 'em dead.

 

[Millet]

I was thinking more of drifting spray with the proximity of the hives.

If you watch them spraying it over many seasons will notice they do not spray when it is raining or too windy.. farmers are renowned for being tight and they want every last drop in there fields..

 

[tom8400]

If you watch them spraying it over many seasons will notice they do not spray when it is raining or too windy.. farmers are renowned for being tight and they want every last drop in there fields..

Read the labels on the various pots and the sprayer would never leave the shed, wind and rain are the basic. But there are many more things, that spraying windows barely exist, temperature changes, days after planting, time relating to emergence and leaf. As well as needing to know when it'll will rain or not rain, or when it will be too hot and go up. Typically early morning is best which works as best it can with nature.

Just to give a bit more insight into your guessing when the sprayer will leave the shed