How is the Rape looking

[fiftyjon]

... We do greatly appreciate the work you do on our behalf.

I would second that statement Dan, I don't think any of us know the time and commitment involved, thanks Murray, it is appreciated.

Beginning to appreciate the benefit of experienced and knowledgeable beekeepers in such difficult times, thanks Murray.



As per the thread no rape appearing round by me, some fields few and far between, still only a few inches high, other fields were ploughed in months ago. Hoping to move colonies to other locations shortly though.

 

[OXFORDBEE]

Well a bit of luck at last, one site surrounded by rape with fields in flower, coming in to flower and not yet there. Plus another couple of hundred acres of spring sown stuff. Could get a long flowering period. Will have to bus some strong hives into the apiary. There's quite a variation in colony strength this year with what appears to be the cradle to the almost the grave... A field bean flow would be nice but I've not had a strong one of those in years.....

 

[Chrisfnvs]

Extracted the first Rape of the season today, its been a bit slow so far but really picking up now i have got a fair bit to lift tomorrow things are looking good happy days Chris

 

[OXFORDBEE]

Spring sown rape coming towards close of flowering. Still a good flow but there are signs of water stress in some fields where the rape has started to wilt and the flowers look more orange than yellow. Some stocks are doing really well, others just seem to be struggling to develop.

Interestingly most colonies seem to have recovered from the bout of chalk brood earlier this year. Those that have not are going to be re-queened.

 

[Chris B]

Still a bit of spring sown rape around here but not looking so bright over the last day or two.

How many weeks of good nectar flow left generally? In any normal year it's tailing off around now but blackberry seems to be only just getting going.

 

[Haughton Honey]

A couple of weeks around here I think. Chestnut flowering, Lime trees open in the last day or so, late-sown rape in full flower next to a two of my apiaries (not very helpful) and plenty of white clover and blackberry left.

Could do with a small spot of rain though.

 

[OXFORDBEE]

2 to 3 weeks here. Brambles starting to flower. Spring sown rape down to 10% in flower so maybe a week left. Heavy clay soil + high water table here so takes longer for plants to be water stressed. Putting on supers which are being drawn and filled. Honey dripping out of combs so good flow. Bees not hanging about either. Feeling a bit more positive about this year, what a roller-coaster of a season its been.

 

[beebreeder]

Trouble is with all this late rape around there is going to be little clear honey certainly around here we have rape just going over and in the field next door field beans in full flower and lots of it.

 

[Chrisfnvs]

The rape is well and truly over now but on a couple of my rape site the farmers have sown Phacelia around the margins which is now in full flower, giving masses of beautiful blue pollen and a good nectar flow i think it is coming from the phacelia, anyway there is a good flow on, so i will leave those stock there for a few weeks longer before taking them to the heather. chris

 

[OXFORDBEE]

Rape finished here but the bees are still finding odd flowers. Went up north over the weekend and there's lots of spring rape still in flower. Blackberries in some places finished here. In other areas their are 50% gone. There is still a minor flow on at the moment, in spite of the emerging drought.caused by the heatwave.

 

[Chris B]

Yes - minor flow just about sums it up. Honey still coming in but not at the same rate.

 

[Haughton Honey]

Dribs and drabs here. 10% blackberry perhaps, lime just about over, rosebay still a way to go, a bit of white clover left.

Well-needed rain expected later this afternoon and temps dropping towards the mid-20's.

Boy it's been humid.

 

[beebreeder]

Still a good flow on around here but tonights thunderstorm did not bring forth enough rain to keep it all going

 

[Chrisfnvs]

A quick update on how the Rape is looking in 2014, not too good judging from what i saw here today, one of my sites is half under water !!! and the road impassable, hope its better where you guys are, i am going to check a few more of my sites at the weekend. Chris

 

[Chris B]

Well it was looking great round here. Possibly a bit too forward. Hopefully sodden fields won't cause it problems.

 

[Into the lions den]

Seems way too advanced in most of our range, exact opposite of last year. Looks like it could flower too early for us and be gone before we have the proper bee power. Early fields are not attractive to us as we generally get very little from them. Give me the backward ones, the ones with deer, rabbit, pigeon or water damage, the ones sown a tad too late. Almost the scabbier the better for the beekeeper. I am a great fan of scabby rape fields! lol

 

[dpearce4]

Round Chichester way its a good 9in or more it was planted early September and hasn't looked back since. As ITLD lets hope all this rain stops it growing for a little while or we get a good cold snap because if its like our grass its still gona be growing even now. We have only had maybe 2 or 3 frosts and they wernt hard.

 

[ROACHMAN]

Is anyone concerned as to what the farmers are going to spray on the rape this year?

 

[Chris B]

Is anyone concerned as to what the farmers are going to spray on the rape this year?

No more than normal. This round of rape was drilled before the neonic ban.
Early days but looks like bees coming through strongly this coming spring. I can't wait for BBKA to release good winter survival stats, and then Facebook etc. to light up hailing success of the ban. It would be funny if it wasn't so detrimental to our situation. (Interesting letter from David Bancalari tucked into BFA forms, which I only read a few days ago - anyone have a view?)

 

[Chrisfnvs]

The Rape in the field near HQ has not moved at all since my last report, now there are an awful lot of yellow leaves, looks like Murray`s scabby Rape is on the cards this year and hopefully a good crop