Charles, I am not sure what part of IL you're in...I am in Champaign County, IL. We put our first 12 acres into border strips and partly into the very earliest Pollinator CRP-(CP 42). At that time, 6 years ago, the Pheasants Forever basic pollinator mix. Looking back at that seed mix now, 3 grasses and 9 forbs, was weak. It's pretty, for sure, and a great improvement over corn and soybeans. Its good for birds, and pheasants have returned. From a beekeeper's perspective, I was constantly scouting for benefit to honey bees and other pollinators. I saw them on butterfly weed and on partridge pea. I saw more benefit pollen wise. Nectar wise,I saw almost nothing from the 9-10 colonies which were on site. I keep approximately 30-35 colonies total since retiring from UI Bee Research Facility in 2011.
3 years ago we enrolled another 18 acres in CP-42. We planted the basic pollinator mix from Pheasants Forever, which has been improved immensely to 30+ Forbs. As you stated, we were reimbursed for half that basic cost.
We also enhanced that basic mix with purchased forb seed, at our own cost, to over 90 different prairie forbs.
This year. which is its third, I am finally seeing an impact from our planting! I am harvesting three IL supers from my strong colonies, which I haven't seen for almost 10 years.
Nevertheless, I still feel that the wide diversity of pollen from this planting is the greatest benefit of all. I do think diet has everything to do with the honey bee immune system ability to de-toxify all the pesticides our bees are exposed to every day. Of course, Dr. May Berenbaum, the head of UIUC Dept Of Entomology, has had an impact om my thinking.(how could it not)
Karen S. Pruiett
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From: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology [[log in to unmask]] on behalf of Charles Linder [[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Wednesday, July 25, 2018 4:27 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [BEE-L] wildflower regions
I am curious as to others experiences. Here in IL we have a new wildflower program. Enrolles plant a high dollar flower seed in CRP ground and get 1/2 back from the state. I am privileged enough to have a 170 acre patch of this at my disposal.(2nd year)
SO far while its great to look at, I see no difference in two metrics, one the number of butterflies/ pollinators, and 2 the honey yields, when compared to regular CRP ground and farm ground.
I have 24 hives in that yard and 3 miles away on a very comparable patch of CRP. Looks exactly the same to me as far as honey, hive growth, and number of "other bugs"
Curious how many others are on wildflower plantings and what your seeing?
Charles
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