Oil Seed Rape Spray

solargain

When Oil Seed rape is sprayed at this time of year , to kill it off before harvesting , whats in the spray?

Greengrass1

solargain wrote: »

When Oil Seed rape is sprayed at this time of year , to kill it off before harvesting , whats in the spray?

Glyphosphate

solargain

Any idea whats in it, a beekeeper friend asked me ( it it an insecticide or something else just to burn off like roundup)

Greengrass1

solargain wrote: »

Any idea whats in it, a beekeeper friend asked me ( it it an insecticide or something else just to burn off like roundup)

Ye that's the main ingredient in roundup or Gallup. Bees not like it I take it?

merryberry

solargain wrote: »

Any idea whats in it, a beekeeper friend asked me ( it it an insecticide or something else just to burn off like roundup)

Spraying the crop with glyphosate at pre harvest results in crop die back. The plants natural response to this is rapid maturation of seeds thus ensuring that all seeds have matured and are ready for harvest. The resulting die back enables easier harvest of the crop. Oil seed rape is a notoriously different crop to harvest. It's very 'wiry' and prone to pod shattering and seed lose. Pre harvest dissecation makes the crop easier to harvest. Alternative to pre harvest spraying is swarting but this requires specialist machinery.

Birdnuts

solargain wrote: »

Any idea whats in it, a beekeeper friend asked me ( it it an insecticide or something else just to burn off like roundup)

Its a herbicide rather than an insecticide. AFAIK it should be ok for bees but probably best sprayed late in the evening so thats its dried in before the following morning when the bees start to become active again.

sheebadog

Would probably be using a good rate of glyphosate and also podstik.
Podstik is supposed to aid the pods from opening and shedding the seed.
No probs whatsoever for bees.

I get a certain unease when somebody is doing their OWN business and people are watching over the ditch assuming that they are wrecking the planet.

merryberry

solargain wrote: »

Any idea whats in it, a beekeeper friend asked me ( it it an insecticide or something else just to burn off like roundup)

Spraying the crop with glyphosate at pre harvest results in crop die back. The plants natural response to this is rapid maturation of seeds thus ensuring that all seeds have matured and are ready for harvest. The resulting die back enables easier harvest of the crop. Oil seed rape is a notoriously different crop to harvest. It's very 'wiry' and prone to pod shattering and seed lose. Pre harvest dissecation makes the crop easier to harvest. Alternative to pre harvest spraying is swarting but this requires specialist machinery.

solargain

Greengrass1 wrote: »

Ye that's the main ingredient in roundup or Gallup. Bees not like it I take it?

The bee hives were in the field where the spraying went on , so its nobody looking in over the the ditch or assuming they are wrecking the planet. There was no dead or dying bees but the bees were cranky as hell when the beekeeper went to cut back briars and ferns that have multiplied around the hives, in the last 2 weeks. This particular beekeeper is so proud of his quiet bees but yesterday evening they nearly had him for dinner. So it would be fair to say they did not like it

sheebadog

solargain wrote: »

The bee hives were in the field where the spraying went on , so its nobody looking in over the the ditch or assuming they are wrecking the planet. There was no dead or dying bees but the bees were cranky as hell when the beekeeper went to cut back briars and ferns that have multiplied around the hives, in the last 2 weeks. This particular beekeeper is so proud of his quiet bees but yesterday evening they nearly had him for dinner. So it would be fair to say they did not like it

That's awfully worrying. Maybe the farmer should spray by night so as not to upset the bees!

conor t

solargain wrote: »

The bee hives were in the field where the spraying went on , so its nobody looking in over the the ditch or assuming they are wrecking the planet. There was no dead or dying bees but the bees were cranky as hell when the beekeeper went to cut back briars and ferns that have multiplied around the hives, in the last 2 weeks. This particular beekeeper is so proud of his quiet bees but yesterday evening they nearly had him for dinner. So it would be fair to say they did not like it

Sounds more like the cutting was the reason they were angry. Regularly spray in around hives with glyphosate here and never had any trouble, but going in with the slash hook is a different story

solargain

Most farmers use contractors, I cannot see them waiting if they are in the area. There is huge benefit to the farmer to have honey bees on crops like OSR , beans and peas ( to name a few for starters) , the research section in trinity claim 27 % increase in crop where honeybees pollinate it. Most are only too aware of the benefit and are happy enough to have the hives in the fields. The beekeeper doesn't really benefit but what does happen is the weaker hives build up strong from the plentiful forage for the 6 weeks its in flower, trying to get them out afterwards can be a nightmare where the crop has gone really heavy so they are usually left there until the field is cut.

rangler1

conor t wrote: »

Sounds more like the cutting was the reason they were angry. Regularly spray in around hives with glyphosate here and never had any trouble, but going in with the slash hook is a different story

Bees get more aggressive on OSR, he should've known that.....grew rape here years ago and the bee keepers that brought bees here all knew that

solargain

OSR is finished flowering since the start of June ,they settle down about 2 weeks after it finishes , like kids on Coke Cola, the bees were fine a week ago on last inspection ( so I am told) Taking a slash hook to a ditch 3 ft to the rear of the hive with the bees flying from the other side , should make no difference , if he went in there with a strimmers I would have said the noise of the strimmers annoyed the bees.

GRASSorMUCK

sheebadog wrote: »

That's awfully worrying. Maybe the farmer should spray by night so as not to upset the bees!

Now that's a cheeky dig :pac::D

Base price

OP - I am not trying to be a smart ass but maybe you could/should ask in the Bee keeping forum. I am sure the lads and lassies there know more about bee behaviour and herbicides than most of us here on F&F.

GRASSorMUCK

solargain wrote: »

Most farmers use contractors, I cannot see them waiting if they are in the area. There is huge benefit to the farmer to have honey bees on crops like OSR , beans and peas ( to name a few for starters) , the research section in trinity claim 27 % increase in crop where honeybees pollinate it. Most are only too aware of the benefit and are happy enough to have the hives in the fields.

Problem is pyrethroids and the likes are far too cheap and guys tend to chuck some in rather than walk the field or set phermone traps, which isn't best for bees.

sheebadog

GRASSorMUCK wrote: »

Problem is pyrethroids and the likes are far too cheap and guys tend to chuck some in rather than walk the field or set phermone traps, which isn't best for bees.

Not here. Have to get a written permission (not easy) to use pyrethroids.

Bees are still dying though.

conor t

sheebadog wrote: »

Not here. Have to get a written permission (not easy) to use pyrethroids.

Bees are still dying though.

Bees always dying, it was when that 'CCD' came out a few years ago most beekeepers decided that it must be the reason their hives died instead of all the reasons hives died for years before

GRASSorMUCK

sheebadog wrote: »

Not here. Have to get a written permission (not easy) to use pyrethroids.

Bees are still dying though.

Sorry meant as regards protein crops/pulses, various beetles etc.