The cultivation of catch crops in the autumn for ground cover after the grain harvest is a common agricultural practice. Some beekeepers are pleased with this extra foraging opportunity, whilst others fear a weakening of the colonies and premature exhaustion of the winter bees after flight into catch crops. The experiment presented here aimed to clarify whether the late flight from the hive led to a weakening or stimulation of the colonies before the winter, and whether the overwintering of the colonies was affected.
