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  • White Lupin (agricultural) Cattle feed crop

  • Bee's Need Flowers...… whats more to say?
Bee's Need Flowers...… whats more to say?
 #7205  by stechad
 18 May 2020, 18:16
Hi
Has anybody got any experience with White Lupin crop. The farmer at one of my apiaries Has a good few acres of this growing, from what I have read honey bees do like this stuff but thought I would throw this out there.
 #7221  by NigelP
 19 May 2020, 17:14
Yup be interested to hear what the bees do with it. I know they are a favorite of bumble bees but not sure whether honey bees can access the nectar as IIRC it's down a long flower.
Although a quick google search for lupins and honey bees shows many pictures with honey bees working them.
 #7222  by Steve 1972
 19 May 2020, 18:56
stechad wrote:
19 May 2020, 15:43
I guess nobody has come across it. I will report back later in the year when it has flowered, should be around June/July.
Never had any experiences with Lupins so i can not comment..i will answer a question with a question though.. :D ..what are the Lupins planted for..
 #7227  by NigelP
 19 May 2020, 20:27
Dennis Moore, Dennis Moore....stealing lupins from the rich giving to the poor..."Your life or your Lupins".
Not more Bloody Lupins said the poor
 #7229  by stechad
 19 May 2020, 21:19
Steve 1972 wrote:
19 May 2020, 18:56
stechad wrote:
19 May 2020, 15:43
I guess nobody has come across it. I will report back later in the year when it has flowered, should be around June/July.
Never had any experiences with Lupins so i can not comment..i will answer a question with a question though.. :D ..what are the Lupins planted for..
This Lupin is called Dieta white Lupin and hardly looks like the normal Lupin we see, the flowers are more open and it produces large pods, much bigger than the normal lupin. It is being grown to completion to harvest the pods, this is a winter feed for the dairy cows which produce a very high butterfat milk....much fattier and creamier than Gold Top milk.
Here is a link to the supplier pdf
http://www.soya-uk.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/AvonMix.pdf
 #7230  by stechad
 19 May 2020, 21:22
NigelP wrote:
19 May 2020, 17:14
Yup be interested to hear what the bees do with it. I know they are a favorite of bumble bees but not sure whether honey bees can access the nectar as IIRC it's down a long flower.
Although a quick google search for lupins and honey bees shows many pictures with honey bees working them.
I have seen honeybees on normal Lupins they nibble a hole in the base of the flower to get the nectar
 #7237  by stechad
 20 May 2020, 12:33
Apparently I have discovered that this crop originated in Oz and new zealand and honeybees were taken to the crop and they did work it but there was only a 15% increase in yield, this meant that it was not worth the farmer paying for the honeybee pollination service.
So hopefully they will work it as there is 200 acres of it and finishes flowering just before the heather.