Bees on Cotton??

[chux]

For the last two years, I have had several hives in close proximity to cotton fields. The cotton seems to bloom from mid-late July, until mid-late August. I suppose it varies with variety and planting time. During the dog-days of August when many people complain about a dearth, my bees are drawing out white wax and storing delicious honey made off of cotton. When I tell people that my bees are working cotton, they seem surprised. "Don't your bees die because of all the things they spray on cotton?" The answer is, "nope."

I'm curious to know what you folks experience with cotton. Do you have bees on it? Do they produce well off of it? Do you fear cotton? Have you had bad experiences you believe came from having bees on cotton? 

[indypartridge]

I'm a northerner, but I heard Jennifer Berry speak awhile back. She specifically mentioned that because of GMO cotton reducing/eliminating the need for pesticides, for the first time in many years, bees were producing honey off of cotton.

[Eric Bosworth]

Ahh yes. GMO is so terrible.

[GSF]

I talked to a cotton farmer who was also a beek. He loved his cotton because of the mid summer flow. He keeps about 25 hives around his fields. Around here cotton blooms until they defoliate it or frost. It blooms more early on than later on.

[chux]

Thanks for the input, folks. I found a research paper online that said bees actually improved the yield for cotton. I believe they had one hive for every acre.

[GSF]

Chux, Could you provide us with a link or pdf on that? I'd like to show it to folks around here.

[chux]

Chux, Could you provide us with a link or pdf on that? I'd like to show it to folks around here.

http://www.alabees.com/impact_of_honey_bee_pollination_.htm

Interesting read.

[GSF]

Thanks man