Dandelion honey??

[kazmcc]

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One year my neighbour beekeeper told that he did not get any dandelion honey. I told that yes, me too. Bees had only one foraging day. Other two weeks were rain every day.

That would explain why they aren't touching it here then. We've only had a handful of days with sun. It's a freezing rain too.

 

[Finman]

That would explain why they aren't touching it here then. We've only had a handful of days with sun. It's a freezing rain too.

I looked Manchester forecast. 10-15C and half clowdy next week That is not foraging weather. Bees may fly, but they return back to hive without load.

Our dandelions start to bloom about 28.5. and stop 10.6.

But you see on entrance, how much they bring orange pollen to the hive.

 

[Into the lions den]

It is not at all first forage plant here. It blooms here in the middle of early flowering rush. It blooms at same time as apple trees. When dandelion is finish, then we have 2-3 weeks gap in flowering.

Temp limits the flight if bees. When it is windy, no bees are in flowers.
But sometimes, when it is very warm, 20-25C, bees do not get nectar. I have thought that dandelion grows so fast, that is uses its sugar to growing.

Usually gone here before the bees are strong enough. They have started here but will be mainly seed heads in three weeks time, and there are already seed heads in the south so will be finished in about a week or so.

OSR in July? Here the only OSR you will see in July is the few fields of spring sown varieties.

Not seriously in flower yet here in our part of Scotland, but our southern unit is on some fields that have maybe only two weeks of flower decent left. Its been so cold that they have not even been supered, to maintain warmth in the broodnest, though will be done urgently this week.

Most years our OSR is finished around third week of May but this year is running very late in the north.....we had snow two days ago. Looks odd on yellow fields.

Just another way that our seasons are very different.

Yes you get a lot of orange pollen from dandelions, but at the moment the main orange pollen we are seeing is gorse (Ulex europaeus).

 

[Finman]

OSR in July? Here the only OSR you will see in July is the few fields of spring sown varieties.

Just another way that our seasons are very different.

(Ulex europaeus).

I have fed 25 years pollen and pollen patty 3 weeks earlier, that bees are able to get dandelion honey. IT is rare to get it, and it must be cold weathers.

Yes, autumn rape. I knew last winter 3 big fields. It was -36C in January and no snow cover. IT seems that frost harvested them.

Difference to your climate? We are 2000 km to North. Our soil is still frozen and there some snow in forests. My cottage well has still 10 cm ice cap.

In Thursday it is forecasted 20C here. Then we have same weather. Mating temps, but no one has yet even opened their hives..... Send the virgins here, and you get local Ice Age genes.
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[Erichalfbee]

The field on the right was full of dandelions yesterday
On the up side I spotted our first swallow this morning

 

[Jimy Dee]

I have often taken out a frame of honey and it noticeably has yellow sections in it. I always wondered if it was just yellow wax cappings or was both honey and wax derived from dandelion just that little bit yellower than other sources. I dont know. Has anyone extracted dandelion honey? Was it more yellow in colour?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Has anyone extracted dandelion honey? Was it more yellow in colour?

No

 

[beeno]

I noticed dandelion pollen going in for the first time today.

 

[enrico]

No

Is that no, no
Or no, yes
Or yes, no
Two questions one answer

 

[Finman]

Have a few hives here looking like they'll have a good bit of honey brought in from dandelions. Am I right in thinking it has to be extracted early?

IT depends, if they get so much that they cap the honey.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Is that no, no
Or no, yes
Or yes, no
Two questions one answer

Yes aye no.

Extracted dandelion honey - looks no different to any other honey. Smells rank but tastes wonderful.

 

[Michael Palmer]

Has anyone extracted dandelion honey? Was it more yellow in colour?

More yellow in color than what? Certainly more yellow than a white honey.

Ask me how I know.


http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff61/frenchhill/DSC_2507_zps78902f55.jpg

 

[Erichalfbee]

More yellow in color than what? Certainly more yellow than a white honey.

Ask me how I know.


http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff61/frenchhill/DSC_2507_zps78902f55.jpg

Brilliant!
One of our nearby fields looked like that till our neighbour turned his cows out onto it
Dandelion honey smells of smelly socks though it actually tastes rather nice
The smell improves over time

 

[Plenty of honey]

its interesting, this year we've got more dandelions than I've seen in years, nearly as many as the pic of Pic of Mike's Fields. i will never really experience its flavour as its out the same time as the rape and the blackthorn.
I am sure its something to do with sustained cold, we've just had a much colder winter. this is what we have right now, so much food for all insects!

http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/attachment.php?attachmentid=14217&stc=1&d=1490977643

 

[Michael Palmer]

Richard, your dandelions are almost close enough to be touching.

 

[Millet]

I wish i had so many Dandelions here, my goldfinch love them when they turn to seed, mind you do not mistake dandies for something that look similar.

 

[colinc]

I wish i had so many Dandelions here, my goldfinch love them when they turn to seed.

We seem short this year had loads last year, love seeing goldfinch tearing into them though.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[foghornleghorn]

IT depends, if they get so much that they cap the honey.

Got lazy after last year and left it on, it didn't go solid but was very thick and slow to come out of the combs

 

[Erichalfbee]

i made a decent soft set from mine last year......doesn't smell half as bad as the runny stuff

 

[Jimy Dee]

Foghornleghorn - I dont know what the flora is like year-round in your parts, but I would give a small word of caution in taking this early honey from your bees. Keep in mind that if you have a good summer supply in the pipe line, then consider leaving the bees this honey as they will require this to continue on their road to building up for the summer harvest.
If you take honey from the start of the beekeeping year and continue to take it as the bees gather it, it can be like kicking them while down ALL the time. I am not a commercial beekeeper and like most here the bees come first, and on the basis you are wired similarly, then leave this early honey to them as a stepping stone to building for a good summer flow - and then take some of the summer excess, not the spring honey. Just my thoughts.