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- - First honey (http://www.cougarguard.com/forum/showthread.php?t=20052)

Dang, that looks scrumptious. I love fresh honey.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Burning Bright (Post 249966)

Thi smay be one of the stupidest questions ever, but here goes:

Is honey bee poop?

From Wikipedia:

Quote:

Honey is laid down by bees as a food source. In cold weather or when food sources are scarce, bees use their stored honey as their source of energy. . . . The worker bees raise larvae and collect the nectar that will become honey in the hive. They go out, collect the sugar-rich flower nectar, release Nasonov pheromones and return to the hive. These pheromones enable other bees to find their way to the site by smell. Honeybees also release Nasonov pheromones at the entrance to the hive, which enables returning bees to return to the proper hive. In the hive the bees use their "honey stomachs" to ingest and regurgitate the nectar a number of times until it is partially digested. The bees work together as a group with the regurgitation and digestion until the product reaches a desired quality. It is then stored in the honeycomb. Nectar is high in both water content and natural yeasts which, unchecked, would cause the sugars in the nectar to ferment. After the final regurgitation, the honeycomb is left unsealed. Bees inside the hive fan their wings, creating a strong draft across the honeycomb which enhances evaporation of much of the water from the nectar. The reduction in water content, which raises the sugar concentration, prevents fermentation. Ripe honey, as removed from the hive by the beekeeper, has a long shelf life and will not ferment.

So no, not bee poop. Bee vomit.

My first honey was a girl from Orem named Corine.

WHen I was a kid my grandma used to give me honeycomb to chew on. It was delciious and Mike's description is spot on. I am not sure where she got it from, as we did nto have hives, but I didn't worry about that too much.

Quote:

Originally Posted by creekster (Post 250013)

I know you can usually buy honey in the comb at Hispanic markets. I have seen it there before.

It is pretty tasty stuff.

I opened the hive for the first time since last fall. The bees are doing well. I noticed vigorous activity coming in and out of the entrance. Workers coming in with pollen on their legs is usually an indication that hungry brood are being fed.

The structure of my hive is like this

medium super
medium super
shallow super
deep super

(deep is on bottom).

No bees in the top super, but bees just below that. Honey AND larvae (brood), in the next medium super down. All of that is a good sign.

I'm prepared to finally get a decent amount of honey, in this my third season with the hive. And just in time before the world collapses.

Bee sting near my left armpit did a number to me. Left arm swelled to a fairly impressive size. I am 60 hours out now, and finally starting to get back to normal.

I hate to think what would have happened if I had been stung multiple times.

had you not been stung before? was that an unusual reaction?

Quote:

Originally Posted by RedHeadGal (Post 302466)

had you not been stung before? was that an unusual reaction?

1. have been stung before
2. not an unusual reaction

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeWaters (Post 302467)

1. have been stung before
2. not an unusual reaction

in that case, I also hate to think what WILL happen when it's multiple stings. Do you have some kind of antihistamine at the ready?