Oilseed rape yield temperature

[Leigh]

Does anyone have any idea how low a temperature rape can yield at?

The amazing sunny and warm weather of the last week or so has brought the rape out nicely....and just as last year, we now have a strong, cold, NE wind blowing off the sea, at least until next weekend.

Had a quick peek in the larger colonies yesterday....too windy and cold for the job really, but found milky queen cups in a couple of them.....both had plenty of room to breed and store, and were drawing comb....I think it is going to be another one of those years, when beekind utterly ignore all the wonderful guff that has been written about them over the years!

Had it been warm/still enough, I'd have taken proper measures to halt impending swarming (other than futile QC destruction...merely delaying the inevitable).....just hoping that I found all the cells and that that will suffice until some proper bee inspection weather comes back....then I'll really have to get serious. Fingers crossed I can get back into the hives before it is too late.

Anyway, back to the question - what temp will rape still yield at....or is it the bee's working temperature that is the limiting factor?

 

[Poly Hive]

20 degrees+ for a good flow.

Delay your AS at your peril. Provided the temp is not too low ie 10C then get after it. Use extra protection as the bees will be more defensive. But if you want to keep them then the keeper has to get beekeeping.

PH

 

[Leigh]

Delay at peril...exactly...but temps will be 10-12 C max....and winds gusting up to 30 mph ...nice exposed site! Going to be fun trying to find the damn queens without chilling brood. Guess I'll have to try or face losing swarms. Fun, fun, fun!

 

[gavin]

They will not swarm in these conditions, so if you are able to get in the first fine *morning* then you should catch them. 10-12C in a cold wind is not the time to be opening any beehive.

 

[jezd]

They will not swarm in these conditions, so if you are able to get in the first fine *morning* then you should catch them. 10-12C in a cold wind is not the time to be opening any beehive.

I agree, they will hold in this wind and cold but as soon as a window in the weather arrives they will go.

I caught a swarm hours before leaving last night, they had a capped cell and yet the queen was still in the hives with lots of bees - very lucky but with it being so cool I suspect they would hold from leaving.

Very little flying being done today.

 

[Leigh]

thanks for that...my gut feeling is to hold out....and make damn sure that I can get in and do something the moment conditions allow! Gives me a bit of time to make up some more nuc boxes!