Dark patches of honey

[rbaz]

Today is a nice warm clear day in Brittany so I had a very quick look inside as I wanted to make sure there was plenty of stores, put the varoa tray in and remove mouse guard. It is my first spring so haven’t any past experience to compare it to.
There are loads of bees in there covering approx 6-7 frames which is more than I expected (my brood box is a big deep Dadant)
I only removed 3 outer frames and there was capped honey on 1 ½ - 2 frames but some of it was very dark almost like treacle and it looks like it has been left.
Does that happen when it crystallises?
I bruised it with the hive tool and it appeared to be liquid inside but wasn’t sure what it was or what to do with it. Anybody have any ideas?

They have been taking pollen in for a few weeks now and an OSR field nearby is just starting to flower so they might be needing a super soon.

Thanks

 

[Travelator]

Nothing wrong with having different coloured patches of honey - it just means that the avaiable forage changed during the time it took the bees to fill that frame. Could be a mixture of ivy (dark) and sugar syrup (light)?

If it's liquid or partially liquid that's good news, because it means they'll actually be able to use it.

 

[MJBee]

The areas of capped stores that look dark are probably honey/syrup that was stored last Autumn, it is the cappings that are "dark", thousands of tiny feet tramping over them for the last 6 months

If you have any next to the brood bruise it and the bees will use it and open up space for more eggs.

 

[rbaz]

It was on the 3 frames I removed in various places with a gap then the normal white coloured capping’s.
Could be ivy from late last year but I last opened them on the 10th November (the ivy was flowering) and it wasn't there then.
It could be muck on the capping’s but it’s odd its patchy even on the end frame.

Thanks for the advice not

 

[oliver90owner]

Could be ivy from late last year

Unlikely if it is still liquid.

 

[exmoorbee]

we had somthing simular in somerset. we took one edge frame out and out in a sheet of foundation, maybe not the best plan thinking back, bruising would have been better any way, the light honey (probably sugar sryup) was in higher cappings and surounding the darker honey which was centre top of the frame, a bit like and inverted brood pattern.

The taste (I couldn't resist, I have been told off) was quite strong and simular to some we were given by comersical beekeeper in a tasting sesson who said he thought it was mixed tree honey. all still liquid.

 

[richardbees]

Yes, probably from Honeydew (aphid 'exhudation') almost black....strong flavour with a fig taste. My bees make loads of it in September but nobody wants to buy it!

 

[exmoorbee]

Yes, probably from Honeydew (aphid 'exhudation') almost black....strong flavour with a fig taste. My bees make loads of it in September but nobody wants to buy it!

that sounds right with the fig taste, I quite enjoyed the taste, but others have been less impressed. maybe I need new taste buds.

 

[poshpikey]

Given the choice I would choose honeydew honey over lighter honeys.

 

[Dishmop]

My bees make loads of it in September but nobody wants to buy it!

I had a couple of frames of it last year. Wasnt sure if it had been laid in used cells or was old stock... I give it away to those "do you get any honey from them" types..

 

[susbees]

Given the choice I would choose honeydew honey over lighter honeys.

Chestnut honey...drool..... Turkish pine honeydew...pointless. Varies a lot!