Hi All
 
On the topic of corn honey, bees do gather a not so good honeydew of
corn. One needs a bit of wind damage or hail damage especially to get
a good flow as well as a soil water content that is vaguely decent -
ie no honey during el ninoid years.
 
In our central Freestate province I have heard of farmers producing
honey of maize, which really confused me for a while until some one
explained it was actually honeydew. A few of the larger beekeepers I
have heard of in the north of SA actually stop the hives over for a
while in the maize fields - what is maize pollen like? any good? Most
monocot pollen is useless but maybe there is something in the
practice?
 
Here in SA there is also a reasonable amount of bland honey produced
of sugarcane - once again it is honeydew and relies on mechanical
damage to plants or damage by aphids (recently a virus has been
cloned into the plants which kills the aphids so should imagine that
will also dry up).
 
In the Eastern Highlands of Zimbabwe a particularily disgusting honey
/honeydew is gathered of the needles of pine trees which are infested
with a biological control aphid. This honey tastes as though it has
been cut with turpentine!!
 
Keep well
 
Garth---
Garth Cambray       Camdini Apiaries
15 Park Road        Apis melifera capensis
Grahamstown         800mm annual precipitation
6139
Eastern Cape
South Africa               Phone 27-0461-311663
 
On holiday for a few months     Rhodes University
Which means: working with bees 15 hours a day!
Interests: Fliis and bees
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this post in no way
reflect those of Rhodes University.