2018 - Flea beetle attacks in OSR

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Headland vs middle of field
I think the difference is moisture
Headland is shaded by a wood in an area that is usually wet and doesn’t grow
The main ‘beneficial’ here is rain
 

Brisel

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Midlands
On my stubbles there are hundreds of rooks and pigeons
Csfb only come out at night so avoid birdsa but there are many spider and rove beetles still too many csfb
Need a seed dressing that stays on the seedling and works for 3 weeks
If csfb gets to the point no one can grow rape the nectar loving insects will die out due to lack of abundant food

I’m planting lots of nectar flower plots and floristically enhanced margins under CS. There will be plenty of pollinators here. Hopefully some beneficial insects and other predators too.
 
I’m planting lots of nectar flower plots and floristically enhanced margins under CS. There will be plenty of pollinators here. Hopefully some beneficial insects and other predators too.
If you want to seriously improve the numbers of bees then the area of nectar producing crops needs to be 25% of land or more an acre or 2 of nectar mix gets worked out too quickly to address numbers of bees
35% of land in rape and beans

My local bee farmer has produced 8.5 tonnes from 250 hives this year
He could double that with borage and spring rape if farmers would grow it
Imho if we had a spring rape herbicide that guaranteed weed free crops we could multiply the pollinators 10 times
This is available in the Europe free world and the seed crushed in European crushing plants
 

Renaultman

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Darlington
If you want to seriously improve the numbers of bees then the area of nectar producing crops needs to be 25% of land or more an acre or 2 of nectar mix gets worked out too quickly to address numbers of bees
35% of land in rape and beans

My local bee farmer has produced 8.5 tonnes from 250 hives this year
He could double that with borage and spring rape if farmers would grow it
Imho if we had a spring rape herbicide that guaranteed weed free crops we could multiply the pollinators 10 times
This is available in the Europe free world and the seed crushed in European crushing plants
What about linseed, does this fit in?. I would love to reseed margins with a more bee friendly environment but having had my knuckles wrapped for creating a flowering meadow in what was a field corner I am wary now. meadow is great now, just wish I didn't have to leave it so long before I topped it as it spends the winter providing no cover for any thing.
 
What about linseed, does this fit in?. I would love to reseed margins with a more bee friendly environment but having had my knuckles wrapped for creating a flowering meadow in what was a field corner I am wary now. meadow is great now, just wish I didn't have to leave it so long before I topped it as it spends the winter providing no cover for any thing.
Linseed produce very little nectar
Borage phasealia beans oilseed rape parsnip seed
Lime trees hawthorn/blackthorn clover heather
The bee farmer can tell where the bees are foraging by the colour of the pollen they carry
If it is good for honey bees then it is also teaming with other nectar loving insects
I also find perennial chicory is full of pollinators as well as small birds but not approved by Defra
 

RushesToo

Member
Location
Fingringhoe
If you want to seriously improve the numbers of bees then the area of nectar producing crops needs to be 25% of land or more an acre or 2 of nectar mix gets worked out too quickly to address numbers of bees
35% of land in rape and beans

My local bee farmer has produced 8.5 tonnes from 250 hives this year
He could double that with borage and spring rape if farmers would grow it
Imho if we had a spring rape herbicide that guaranteed weed free crops we could multiply the pollinators 10 times
This is available in the Europe free world and the seed crushed in European crushing plants
@yellow belly 8500KG = 18500LBS approx.
Premium product at £4-6 lb = £74k - £111k. How much area do they need?
 

Flat 10

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Fen Edge
If you want to seriously improve the numbers of bees then the area of nectar producing crops needs to be 25% of land or more an acre or 2 of nectar mix gets worked out too quickly to address numbers of bees
35% of land in rape and beans

My local bee farmer has produced 8.5 tonnes from 250 hives this year
He could double that with borage and spring rape if farmers would grow it
Imho if we had a spring rape herbicide that guaranteed weed free crops we could multiply the pollinators 10 times
This is available in the Europe free world and the seed crushed in European crushing plants
If he would pay you would grow it.....
 
Location
N Yorks
Sprayed a field last night, the same field that did 7.2t/ha in 2015.

I think it's buggered tbh. Failed to get a spray on it about a week ago when I had chance. I had a rocky time last year with flea beetle and will completely change my management next year to seed off the heap at high rates, possibly zero till.

Just can't afford to have a low seedrate emerge and then suffer with dry conditions like we used to with neonic seed treatments.

And hybrid seed is too expensive to put a high seed rate on or fail completely.

Did the headlands with conventional at a much higher rate and it's fine
 
@yellow belly 8500KG = 18500LBS approx.
Premium product at £4-6 lb = £74k - £111k. How much area do they need?
an acre and a half per hive if the nectar flows
2018 good nectar flow from beans despite the dry weather although there were 100 hives on 300 acres the honey was light coloured but beans usually darker
no significant flowering crops within range
2018 rape honey not the usually consitancy but because of the late spring all flowering plants were late which coincided with longer warmer days more hours for them to work
bees working temperature is 19 to 23 c too hot or too cool they stay at home but on hot days they start earlier and carry on later

in 2017 very low yields 1 to 2 tonnes due to dry weather at bean flowering and early rape flower before the colonies were big enough and the temperature not high enough for long enough

2013 one of the best years later spring
 
If he would pay you would grow it.....

not that economic
bee keeping is very labour intensive if you just put the hive out and collect the honey the yield is very low
the farming of bees is just as complex as farming any livestock pest desease feeding dosing and regular hive checking at least once a week when it is swarming season and swarm collection
breeding queens requeening hives moving hives to fresh crops
honey separation and blending hive repairs and cleaning
 

Brisel

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Midlands
Late night trying to knock off some flea beetles that are still shredding osr. Had to treat everything not already done. Sown last week in August but the plants are like skeletons an inch wide. :mad:

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principal skinner

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Bedfordshire
Late night trying to knock off some flea beetles that are still shredding osr. Had to treat everything not already done. Sown last week in August but the plants are like skeletons an inch wide. :mad:

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When will you decide to keep the crop or not? I drilled from the 1st to the 7th September, first drilled suffering badly last drilled untouched so far.

Not sure the first drilled will make it, even after 23mm rain over the weekend
 

Brisel

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Midlands
When will you decide to keep the crop or not? I drilled from the 1st to the 7th September, first drilled suffering badly last drilled untouched so far.

Not sure the first drilled will make it, even after 23mm rain over the weekend

Everything will make it so far, if it grows away & I can get 4 true leaves on it before December then keep the pigeons off. Assuming the CSFB larvae don't write the stems off in March as they emerge it should be ok. Started drilling Bank Holiday weekend before 2" of rain. This got hammered early on but has now got away. Most went in the following week 28/8 to 1/9 & has been eaten over the last 10 days while the wind was howling so couldn't spray. 1" of rain last weekend has helped the crop but the buggers are still at it. Last field sown 6/9 being hit hard too.
 

Renaultman

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Darlington
Everything will make it so far, if it grows away & I can get 4 true leaves on it before December then keep the pigeons off. Assuming the CSFB larvae don't write the stems off in March as they emerge it should be ok. Started drilling Bank Holiday weekend before 2" of rain. This got hammered early on but has now got away. Most went in the following week 28/8 to 1/9 & has been eaten over the last 10 days while the wind was howling so couldn't spray. 1" of rain last weekend has helped the crop but the buggers are still at it. Last field sown 6/9 being hit hard too.
Have you had the 2 cold mornings we have had this week? If so, do you think it has slowed them down any?
 

Brisel

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Midlands
5 degrees last night and you could see them jumping around in the crop from the tractor cab! Maybe that was just keeping them warm?????
 

Renaultman

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Darlington
5 degrees last night and you could see them jumping around in the crop from the tractor cab! Maybe that was just keeping them warm?????
Not good, was hoping it would slow them down a lot. Still managing on one spray to date but know I am riding my luck. My own is almost clear,needs another drink mind. Contract HEAR rape is a bit more worrying.
 

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Red Tractor drops launch of green farming scheme amid anger from farmers

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As reported in Independent


quote: “Red Tractor has confirmed it is dropping plans to launch its green farming assurance standard in April“

read the TFF thread here: https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/gfc-was-to-go-ahead-now-not-going-ahead.405234/
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