Hello All,
We have got a bit of a mystery here in the Northwest Missouri/ Northeast
Kansas area. Many beekeepers have been getting a dark honey of an amber to
actual walnut brown color.
The honey does not taste bad at first taste but then has an after taste. In
certain areas of clover all the supers are the same color and tainted.
The bees brought in the whatever from June 15th. to June 30th. we believe
and the flow was intense. The bees were slow to seal the combs.
We have seen the honeydew/honey before but only in isolated areas but when
found barrels were produced.
Many opinions have been put forward to me by area Missouri/Kansas beekeepers
and also from Nebraska and Illinois beekeepers we have shown the "whatever
the product is " to.
The supers I have had of the above have came off with a high moisture
content even if fully sealed which does not fit the honey plant book
description of OAK & Hickory honeydew (which we think is the possible source
and one beekeeper has reported sticky leaves in the area of one of his
hardest hit apiaries)
Several plant sources other than honeydew have been suggested by beekeepers.
Can the list help with their observations of hickory & oak honeydew? These
trees are plentiful in our area.
Is there a simple test for honeydew other than a sample being sent off to
test the sugars? If not I believe I will send a sample to a friend at a bee
lab for the answer.
Thanks in advance!
bob


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