>>I had always assumed that the bees would clean all that out before 
storing spring honey...

Perhaps the bees dissolve the crystals from aster honey in fresh 
spring nectar as way of reducing the nectar's water content in the 
honey ripening process?  This would let them take care of 2 issues in 
one step.

Waldemar

******************************************************
* Full guidelines for BEE-L posting are at:          *
* http://www.honeybeeworld.com/bee-l/guidelines.htm  *
******************************************************