LimeWatch UK

[Tremyfro]

I suppose....that being in a very rural area.....big flows of nectar....other than OSR...are not really expected. So what you don't have...you don't miss! Last year the bees were very busy on blackberries and HB....but it is a steady flow I think rather than a sudden big one.

 

[Tom Jay]

Here on Tyneside the lime is just about to burst open; two trees within yards of my hives laden with flower buds their whole cathedral height. Last year the flowers opened but bees not interested. Reading up, I guessed it was too dry for them to have nectar. There's been more rain recently here, and a thunderstorm deluge last night - so I'm watching this space! Will report either way.

What I don't know: are these the limes which cause intoxication for the darlings?!

Tom

 

[Tom Bick]

Will be inspecting my hives at the weekend so will know then if the limes are delivering the big one or it’s another reasonable year.

I have noticed this year round my way the birds reluctant to eat the cherries and have left plenty for me so I am thinking there is abundance in insects for the birds so this could be a year for honeydew?

 

[Erichalfbee]

this could be a year for honeydew?

The beech trees in my garden are dripping and there are bumbles on it all day.

 

[Jimmys Mum]

What does honeydew honey taste like?

 

[Tom Bick]

What does honeydew honey taste like?

It’s a good question also what does it look like?

I have had people say it’s very dark and treacle in flavour and seen and tasted this honey also it’s a medium colour and tastes lovely and one of the best honeys.

You take your pick but it probably comes down to the particular aphid the bees are foraging from.

 

[Jimmys Mum]

So, if the lower leaves of the lime trees are a bit shiney and sticky, is that the nectar dripping from the flowers or could it be honeydew? Sorry, lots of questions! My honey has always been very light and mild so I'm intrigued.

I think I will extract supers from around the limes individually just in case there is some dark treacle like honey in one or two. Fingers crossed eh!

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

So honeydew is a long-lasting late-summer crop, right?

 

[BrianO]

So honeydew is a long-lasting late-summer crop, right?

Dark in colour , unusual I would say flavour. Hard to describe, to me slightly musty, if one can use such a phrase to describe a taste, bought some last year under the name of " Melata " in Italy

 

[BrianO]

I think I will extract supers from around the limes individually just in case there is some dark treacle like honey

Not toffee flavour but more lighter , and with a greenish hue.

 

[Jimmys Mum]

Not toffee flavour but more lighter , and with a greenish hue.

Thanks.

 

[richardbees]

Honey made from 'honeydew' is very dark, almost sooty black and smells / tastes like syrup of figs
Luckily the bees store it separately. There is a market for it as "Black forest honey" and I used to get half a super full until I decided I wanted light honey inly and removed supers before the end of July.

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

Now: here's a thing. I have had trouble with brace-comb this week because I do have a main flow on despite my depression about the limes and the foundationless super I am trying to get drawn is a mess of brace-comb because I haven't a clue yet, really, if I'm honest.

I ran it quickly through the melter and got off about a pint of nectar that was definitely green and smelt of ... lime! So I have hope for whatever I persuade them to put in according to my ideas. I hope I am not at right angles to the ley-lines or something...

ADD I just had a little on my toast and even after that treatment it was delicious!! ENDADD

 

[nantmoel]

I walked around the land near our apiary today after we completed our re-queening, the Lime has just started to flower and the bramble was also just starting to pop! Happy days I hope.

 

[enrico]

I give ours a week, the flowers are swelling at last........
This is the week I start combining my hives, get them good and strong for next week....fingers crossed
E

 

[Jimmys Mum]

My bees were all over it today at my out apiary .....lots of bumbles and hover flies (I think) too.

 

[beeno]

Hi all,
Honey dew, foul tasting and brownish black in my experience. Difficult to sell, definitely niche market.

 

[Icing Sugar]

Banbury: Of the 42 lime trees on a street about 100m from my apiary, 11 have come into flower during the last week and all the others are in bud. The bees loved the lime flow last year... and so did I! Lovely-tasting honey if relatively pure, achieved by putting empty supers on the relevant hives at the start of the flow and removing the capped frames as the flow draws to a close. I am hoping for the same this year, but with bigger and better bee colonies this time in the hope of a bigger yield.

 

[Tom Bick]

Well a very interesting past two weeks. Hives gone from doing ok to very good with big flows especially last week. Hives filling and capping supers all over the place one hive was given two supers at the start of last week a drawn extracted and an empty box and the drawn filled and capped and the empty box 50% built and very heavy for the mount of comb in the box. I have some very strong hives this year and been lucky with low swarming along with a bit of strategic bombing has worked in my favour. Perhaps a bit early to say it's down to the limes but it looks rather like it.

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

"Strategic bombing"?