Despite what the books say I think it's a good thing to have your colonies developing at different rates. It means they will not all swarm on the same day and they reach their peaks at different times to better take advantage of good spells of weather nectar flows.
Sorry to have wandered off topic.
Rosie
mine usually coincide the swarming with the peak of the rape so I foil them with Snelgrove boards and that takes me past the end of the rape with a very strong colony.
On the noenicotinoid subject I think it's better on the whole than spraying for beetles and pest while my bees are on the crop.
Black bee enthusiasts should campaign against rape subsidies removing the main need for imported queens at a a stroke
Nice try DL. Why not go for slightly less swarmy bees? Saves a lot of bother if you can normally get through the OSR season (and get a good crop) and deal with swarms at the end of it rather than all that mucking about with fancy boards?!
I think that the Single Farm Payment Scheme (since 2005?) means that no-one can pick on OSR now - planting choices are more market-driven.
And ... I can let you into a secret. The imidacloprid seed dressing is good for (ie kills) flea beetle and maybe aphids on young plants but by the time the pollen beetles come calling the insecticide is wearing off. Maybe that is why bees seem to thrive on it, despite all these horrendous synergistic disasters people seem to expect to see. That'll be why the farmers turn to *another* neonicotinoid to spray on OSR at flowering time. Shock-horror ... but the bees still seem to enjoy the yellow peril. Still see very little Nosema (to get back on track).
http://www.bayercropscience.co.uk/pr...cides/biscaya/
Prior to thiacloprid they used a pyrethroid which had the same active ingredient as one of the Varroa treatments.
I agree with you there. I think Eric wasn't familiar with the wondrous ways of internet fora yet and should be given a second chance.Originally Posted by The Drone Ranger
Also, too much consensus can make a forum a bit bland.
I mostly enjoyed the debate with Eric although his conclusions are fixed irrespective of new or changing evidence. That what I was alluding to in the other thread when I compared anti pesticide campaigners to religious devotees. If you believe it, you believe it. Real world evidence will not shake your beliefs as it is a matter of faith rather than a matter of evidence. I would be perfectly prepared to argue for a ban on neonicotinoids should there be compelling evidence. At the moment there is not and before anyone mentions precautionary principle we would ban cars and petrol under that principle as well. Deaths traps powered by a dangerous bee killing poison produced by anti democratic mid eastern Governments in many cases.
Last edited by Jon; 03-05-2012 at 12:52 AM.
As it happens I rescinded Eric's ban before the anniversary was up in March, but never got around to telling him. He is welcome to post again subject to the normal conventions of politeness and relevance.
And Jon, that's quite enough about death traps powered by bee-killing poisons sold by horrid large multinationals like BP. I'm currently teaching my son how to work one.
Last edited by gavin; 29-04-2012 at 11:28 AM.
Might need to fire off a press release to the Independent then so they can highlight the dangers of motor transport and the environmental degradation which ensues. The public are clearly unaware of this.
I'm sure that you'll be able to find a lazy, award-winning journalist to take it up.
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