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Author Topic: Bees and powdery mildew  (Read 3466 times)

Offline DaisyandDavid

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Bees and powdery mildew
« on: May 16, 2018, 04:16:27 am »
Hello,

Does anyone know if bees like powdery mildew?
We have a small pumpkin patch, but due to the warm weather powdery mildew has affected it badly.
I have noticed a lot of bees around the pumpkins during the afternoon but they seem to be spending their time on the leafs affected by the mildew not the flowers?
They are crawling over the leaf surface, with their heads against the surface.
They appear to be European bees, not the native bees.

Would any one know what the bees are doing?

Thanks,
Daisy and David

Offline BeeMaster2

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Re: Bees and powdery mildew
« Reply #1 on: May 16, 2018, 06:56:27 am »
They are probably desperate for pollen. When they cannot find it, sometimes they will collect anything that is similar. Try putting out pollen substitute in a covered feeder, not in your hive and only enough for them to finish in a day or two. If you put too much the SHBs will lay their eggs in it and the larvae can grow in it.
Jim
Democracy is 2 wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote.
Ben Franklin

Offline moebees

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Re: Bees and powdery mildew
« Reply #2 on: May 16, 2018, 11:08:28 am »
Bees do collect fungi.  I have not heard of them collecting powdery mildew but it is certainly possible.  See Paul Stamets and his work on bees and mushrooms.
Bee-keeping is like raising Martians  - Isabella Rosselini

Offline eltalia

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Re: Bees and powdery mildew
« Reply #3 on: May 29, 2018, 10:20:59 pm »
None of this report is making alot of sense to me tho' I'll confess the head
isn't funxtioning 100% aa yet...buuuut PM is a function of fog or light mornibg rain
on plants/flowers. Best carrier for Anthrase Nose and killer of tropical friut flowers.
Never seen on leaves of anything but I am not the best of investiagtors of plant
disease.

Bill

Offline wiifm

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Re: Bees and powdery mildew
« Reply #4 on: June 05, 2018, 04:38:44 am »
None of this report is making alot of sense to me tho' I'll confess the head
isn't funxtioning 100% aa yet...buuuut PM is a function of fog or light mornibg rain
on plants/flowers. Best carrier for Anthrase Nose and killer of tropical friut flowers.
Never seen on leaves of anything but I am not the best of investiagtors of plant
disease.

Bill
I have had it on pumpkin and zucchini flowers.

Offline eltalia

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Re: Bees and powdery mildew
« Reply #5 on: June 05, 2018, 06:33:13 pm »
None of this report is making alot of sense to me tho' I'll confess the head
isn't funxtioning 100% aa yet...buuuut PM is a function of fog or light mornibg rain
on plants/flowers. Best carrier for Anthrase Nose and killer of tropical friut flowers.
Never seen on leaves of anything but I am not the best of investiagtors of plant
disease.

Bill
I have had it on pumpkin and zucchini flowers.
0h yes, flowers for sure, PM is a killer for croppers.
Copper Sulphate, or Mangozed for more delicate plants, can have
a remedial effect if in place early enough but generally once you have it
it's plough in time. Bummer!

Bill