Smell of the hive

[Beagle23]

I’m out in my garden enjoying the sun and downwind from the rosemary and roses at the gate, and also my hive. Every now and then there’s a gentle waft of warm breeze which carries the scent of all three to where I’m lying. I’ve got a cold beer (Surrey Hills Brewery’s ‘Shere Drop’) next to me. Heaven can’t be much better than this

 

[Bakerbee]

The smell of a hive is one of the most beautiful scents, i feel sad for all the non beeks that have never smelt it.

 

[philipm]

Not that keen on the smell when they are bringing in Hawthorn pollen,I think it smells of old socks makes nice honey though.

 

[Millet]

Not that keen on the smell when they are bringing in Hawthorn pollen,I think it smells of old socks makes nice honey though.

Wash and change your socks more often and that thought may disappear.

 

[protheroe]

Not that keen on the smell when they are bringing in Hawthorn pollen,I think it smells of old socks makes nice honey though.

Dandelion is rather stinky too.my favourite hive scent is when they're on the heather

 

[beeno]

Just opened the windows to my bed room and the aroma from the hives drifted in. Very pleasant scent which I think is from Hawthorn. It is something else that smells like old socks, which I have not had the pleasure of, is it dandelion or something else?

 

[Tindog]

Elderflower possibly. Some smell fab others, maybe it's how old the flowers are, are pretty rank.

 

[Jambo]

My hives certainly smelled a bit unpleasant when the dandelions were in full flow! Fantastic yellow comb got drawn at the same time.

Elderflower possibly. Some smell fab others, maybe it's how old the flowers are, are pretty rank.

I'm surprised to read that your bees work elderflower? Mine seem to ignore it, maybe it's just because there are other things around my area at the same time...

 

[Goran]

It stinks as mouse piss when they work on common dogwood, this year we dodged a bullet cause at same time black locust flowered and gave better source of nectar..
For elderflower.. I think maybe saw few odd bees on it in years who seemed lost and is considered here that bees don't use it. It has only abundance of pollen which bees don't take.
I like the smell when they work on wild cherries and rest of trees in spring.

 

[masterBK]

Elder also has extra floral nectaries