>So, it seems to me that cut sugar cane stumps, at a certain point in
>time, must
>seep something sweet that some bees may be attracted to same.
>
The problem with your scenario is that there is no cut sugar cane in
east Hawaii anymore and I have never heard of bees being put in the area where
sugar cane was raised when it was there.
 
No we can never be sure where the bees are getting their nectar and we know that
bees will often gather from one floral spource in the morning and another in the
afternoon. Often it is more complicated than that with several flowers producing
sweeter or more abundant nectar at various times of the day.
 
On the other hand, beekeepers learn that certain types of honey that can be
distinguished by flavor and color are produced in certain locations while
certain flowers are blooming. For instance when we put a load of bees in a
blooming orange groves and they produce honey white honey with orang flavor we
need have no compunction in assuring anyone and everyone that it is orange
honey.
 
We produce a very high quality coffee on the Kona side of the island but it is
very difficult for any of you to get any pure Kona Coffee because it can be
called Kona blend if it has 10% Kona coffee. Oh, it is still good coffee and if
you do find pure Kona Coffee it will probably cost $20 to $30. The point is that
 pretty much all honey is blended, if only by the bees, but we still need to be
able to call it Sage or Orange or Lehua if it has the correct flavor and color.
This an effort to serve the consumer and not to fool or confuse them.