Robin,
 "Not really nice at all - compared to ordinary English floral honey from many sources" (comments on
sunflower honey).

You appear to be letting your parochial taste buds direct you to issue "I only like what is local" -
a shame.
Then ask if it is the right stuff?
- Honey, stuff!!!! Hmm.


So, on to the subjective observations and comments from me!

Sunflowers in the right conditions and quantities produce a fine monofloral honey
It is sought after by many individuals when sold locally, as well as by many national and
international honey brokers.
It has a characteristic taste:
- when freshly extracted, it is sweet with a slightly resinous taste - the dried plants just before
harvest give off a similar smell, truly translucent gold in colour (archetypal honey). Levels of
production in major areas of Sunflower culture  result in the honey crop selling for approx. the
same/ or a slightly higher price when compared to Rape (Canola) honey.

It remains liquid for several weeks before crystallizing in the comb (but does not cause problems as
does Rape (Canola) at times).
Crystallization tends to result in medium to coarse grain texture.
It is a honey that responds well to treatment for creamed honey production. Beware if it is bottled
straight from the settling tank - frosting will usually occur on the jar sides.

Bees winter well on stores of this honey - it usually being prepared well in advance of final colony
activity for winter.
Wax cappings when rendered from this flow give "sunshine yellow" wax.

During a flow - the super frames are full of "orange juice" - therefore plenty of room is required
for nectar/ pre-honey storage.
The best flows occur when the plants are growing in a slightly moist loan soil, daytime temps.
around 25° - 28°C, followed by cool night.

A flow will normally continue for 7 - 10 days. Usually there are several fields in a vicinity
showing varied flower head stages - allowing a sunflower nectar flow to start around 3rd week of
June and continue until last week in July.

The pollen appears to be oily and difficult for the bees to organise into regular pollen loads -
orange in colour. It is distributed randomly over the body of the forager - which when it attempts
to clean itself - leaves areas of un-collected pollen on the dorsal area of the thorax. Large
amounts are not stored - my observation when compared with Sweet Chestnut (Castanea. sp.).

The flow invariably causes blockage in the brood box  (note super supply!) - and results in a good
removal of old worn our bees by the end of the flow, a fall in the size of the colony numbers.

After the flow, the remaining bees organise the brood area, produce a well fed collection of young
healthy bees between mid August and early Oct. for the winter period (Early Nov. till late March) -
surrounded by fresh supplies.

Whilst working the flower heads - foragers will move steadily from one floret to another - resulting
in the position of its body moving from where the head is vertical upwards, through the horizontal
and then vertical with head downwards. (Plants treated with certain pesticides appear to cause bees
to loose the ability to move over the flower head in an organised fashion (or at least restrict
this) - causing them to fall off, or fly away from the head to rebalance after which they attempt to
continue foraging.)

Unlike the abrupt end of the Rape flow - late summer flowers are still present after the Sunflower
flow, hence the bees are not too touchy when having the supers removed - but sometimes this is
definitely not the case.

Bees appear to collect copious supplies of resinous material from the sunflowers and then lay down
lots of sticky propolis - the bees collecting from behind the flower heads where sticky
accumulations of material are found. Ideal for winter prep. but a pain during frame handling - If
supers /  frames are not clean every 2 years, they then become totally bound up in this material.

The flow was traditionally the major crop of the year in Central, Western France (and other regions,
I am sure). Producing between 15 kg to 50 kg finished honey per hive.

Regards,
Peter

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