Is Laurel honey any good?

[gregior]

My bees have been pretty much working the Laurel exclusively for the last 3 weeks and have filled a good few supers with it .
It finished flowering about 2 weeks ago and since then they have been working the nectarines on the underside of the leaves.I'm a bit worried this honey might be a bit like honeydew,anyone know if Laurel honey is any cop?

 

[charlievictorbravo]

I've just come back from a short break in a caravan in Brittany. We had Laurel hedges around the caravan plot and the bees were foraging on the underside of the leaves of the Laurel - I assume they have extra-floral nectaries because there was not sign of honeydew on the leaves.

I don't know what the Laurel honey would taste like but it looks like you are going to find out!.

CVB

 

[Eyeman]

been working the nectarines

I know it been hot in Manchester of late so hope your nectarines ripen!

 

[Fritillary]

I can't answer your question I'm afraid, but thanks for posting! I'd never heard of bees doing this, and have been wondering why the now flowerless laurel hedge here has been humming with bees. - Even looked to see if there was a swarm inside it somewhere!

(Laurel leaves are pretty toxic I think but I don't know about this nectar.)

 

[alfazer]

I have them on the leaves of my laurel hedge every year and often wondered what they were doing. I never imagined they were able to collect nectar from leaves. I was wild-guessing it was propolis or honeydew.
I have another species of laurel with dark green leaves and white flowers but I never see them on it at all.

 

[beeno]

Hi gregior,
You beat me to it! I have a sneaky feeling my bees are on the cherry laurel a lot. Read the honey was described as blossom bouquet with citrus taste. Nice smell from the hives too.

 

[gregior]

Cheers for the replies! I was also wondering why the Laurel bush does this as it seems to be of no benefit to the plant?

 

[kazmcc]

I think its just a way that the bush gets rid of excess sugars, but I'm happy to be corrected.

 

[Jimy Dee]

Greg - take out a small bit of the honey and taste it and let us all know what it is like. Its like asking what sweets in a jar taste like when all one has to do is open and sample !