Spraying osr

[TOBY-3652]

Hi being new to beekeeping when the farmer informs you he is spraying osr tomorrow near your hives how long do you keep hives closed after spraying. And dont the bees get stressed while locked in?:

 

[oliver90owner]

stressed

Better than being deas?

Read the label for times?

 

[TOBY-3652]

Thanks 4 info i live on farm so hopefully farmer will tell me

 

[Skyhook]

Glad you asked that Toby- been wondering that, as I think my girls will be near OSR next year.

My thoughts are- find the farmer, bribe him with honey to let me know when he's spraying.

If he is, thinking of taking the roof off and putting a travelling screen on when closing the entrance- maybe spraying some water in if its hot.

Am I close guys and gals?

 

[Hombre]

Mostly spraying just happens. If you have enough bees around, particularly at a distance you won't be able to get round to them all anyhow. Ideally spraying will take place in calm, no wind, situations, early or late in the day, when there are relatively few foragers abroad. Also most spraying of rape takes place when the crop isn't in flower. The exception to this is when spraying for leaf drop.

If you have an open mesh floor, then closing the entrance should hopefully just stop ingress and egress from the hive, not stop ventilation.

Provision of sufficient super space for the foragers should ensure that they don't overheat if you do close them up.

I'm sure that others more qualified than myself will advise you further. It's always good to be talking to the farmers as they are more likely to tell you these things in passing conversation.

 

[RoofTops]

My bees were on a field of OSR which was sprayed - it was a pesticide for some bug which was multiplying. I wasn't in the country at the time so they took the bees had to take their chances. The farmer called me beforehand and followed my advice to spray early in the morning. The bees appeared to suffer no harm although had I been around I would have tried to confine them.

I don't think it is anything to get too worried about. Given how far bees will fly to find OSR, bees must be visiting sprayed crops all the time without the beekeepers' knowledge.

 

[johna]

I have lost bees to OSR spraying when the farmer sprayed against pollen beetle and pod midge.He sprayed mid-day in bright sunshine before telling me he was going to spray.Later spraying of the "glue" they use to delay premature pod burst didn't bother the girls.If you are told he's going to spray ,use travelling screens plus an extra super for more room.Just keep them in for a day max - use sponge in the entrances.The bees won't hurt for a day especially if you have previously fitted varroa floors.

 

[justme]

As far as I know most beek assoc have a spray liason officer who will notify beeks of spraying as long as they have your details. They only, as far as I know though have details from contracters plus farmers who opt in, my guess is that many dont think about it so dont opt in.
Individual farmers who spray their own crops will in many cases therefore have to be asked if/when spraying, or notified of bees in their area and asked to notify spray liason officer or you as beek.

 

[PaleoPerson]

I currently keep bees on two farms, but I contacted a big farm who has adjacent fields and they give me a phone call to let me know when they are spraying.

Generally, they let me know an approximate time when they intend to spray i.e. sometime in the next week or two and also what they will be spraying with, followed by a second call to say when they know the exact day (due to weather/wind conditions).

Popped in last month with some honey as a thank you. Went down very well. we have now been discussing putting bees on their farm.

 

[TOBY-3652]

All the info has been taken on board. Critical time is when spraying pollen beetle i think so will keep eye open thanks everyone

 

[BBG]

I intend contacting the people who do the spraying as well as they may not spray on the day specified due to poor conditions.

Hopefully save closing up on the wrong day.

 

[Teemore]

A word to the wise.
Attended the INIB annual conference yesterday and the subject of spraying came up. It was pointed out that a lot of fungicide sprays now used are systemic and can cause almost as much problems for bees as insecticides...... Its making me think twice about moving bees into apple orchards owned by friends and relatives next year. The spray residue affects the pollen that the bees store and then use to feed larvae etc. Not at all nice

 

[Hivemaker.]

A word to the wise.
Attended the INIB annual conference yesterday and the subject of spraying came up. It was pointed out that a lot of fungicide sprays now used are systemic and can cause almost as much problems for bees as insecticides...... Its making me think twice about moving bees into apple orchards owned by friends and relatives next year. The spray residue affects the pollen that the bees store and then use to feed larvae etc. Not at all nice

Not so good if the fungicides are tank mixed with the insecticides as they often are when rape is being sprayed either. Plus all spraying on large areas of rape or different farms may not all be done in one day.

http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=905&highlight=spraying+rape

 

[MODNOD]

A word to the wise.
Attended the INIB annual conference yesterday and the subject of spraying came up. It was pointed out that a lot of fungicide sprays now used are systemic and can cause almost as much problems for bees as insecticides...... Its making me think twice about moving bees into apple orchards owned by friends and relatives next year. The spray residue affects the pollen that the bees store and then use to feed larvae etc. Not at all nice

So called bee friendly insecticides and fungicides which are commonly mixed for one spraying operation loose the "bee friendly" bit.

 

[Recyclotron]

Firstly you have to find out what they are spraying. Then Google it to find out if it a pesticide or a herbicide. If it is a pesticide then keep your bees in for 24 hours. The real danger time is when spraying is taking place, bees that forage and get caught in the spray will die. After 24 hours the toxicity of the spray declines by 50% and if it has dried it will only be the pesticide that the pollen that has been absorbed that is a problem, but you can't do anything about that.

 

[rae]

Keeping the local farmers onside is crucial. Our nearest is an organic zealot - so no worries for the bees there, indeed we get reports of what they are foraging on. The other farmer is more industrial, but very helpful.

 

[Poly Hive]

All the conventional answers are here so here is non one.

In conversation with a Bee Farmer who runs in the thousands of hives, he mentioned that he no longer shuts in. He believes that shutting in is a higher risk to the bees than losing some to sprays.

He is by no means anyones fool, and I am mentioning this as the conventional advice may now be a bit out of date compared to the chemicals it was formed for.

This year and last I left mine open and honestly cannot say I saw any harm to them. My choice and my risk but I thought to mention it.

PH

 

[Leigh]

I had my bees on rape this year - was worried about spraying and intended to shut them in when it happened. I couldn't get to the hives, and the rape was sprayed pretty much in the middle of the day.

No noticeable problems with the bees. I suspect there is little to worry about, and agree with a couple of other posters here that the potential for damage to your stocks is greater with shutting them in for the day.