worms in honey

[Pi]

After extracting my honey months ago, I had a super or two of uncapped honey that looked a little to runny to bottle.  So I saved it, unfiltered, cappings and all, in a feeding bucket for feeding to the bees.  Today I took the lid off and there were 4-5 wax moth worms crawling on top of the floating wax.  Man, that was nasty!
All I can think about are those people who advertise their honey as being completely unfiltered.  Worm eggs and all.

[Scadsobees]

You can freeze the honey if it has wax in it to kill the wax moth eggs/larvae.  I'm sure that is what the raw honey people do to ensure they aren't getting extra protein in their honey.

Otherwise...if it is mixed up pretty well as the raw stuff is, I'd imagine that any eggs/larvae would suffocate.  I'd guess much of our veggies have eggs on them.

If it were too runny to bottle, wouldn't it have started to ferment already after a couple of months?

Rick

[JP]

Some say the worm is the best part! One tequila, 2 tequila, 3 tequila, floor!!!


...JP

[Pi]

It was fermenting a little.  It had a mead smell to it.
I hope the bees don't get drunk on it.
P.

[rast]

 Like an old truck farmer told me one time. "Yep, you get a little meat with my greens".

[Michael Bush]

Are you sure they aren't SHB larvae?

[sc-bee]

Sound like SHB to meeeee!

[bassman1977]

Where are you from Pi?

[Pi]

There were two sizes.  The little ones may have been SHB, but the big ones (fat as an earth worm) were surely moth larva.  The were having a good old time.

[rast]

 I'll bet the little ones were just hatched wax moth larva.

[Michael Bush]

I've never seen wax moth larvae in extracted honey.  Ever.

[Pi]

I should make it clear that there was about 3/4" to 1" of wax and debris atop this honey.  I'm guessing honey is usually not stored like this.  The top of the wax was very dry and the worms were on top.  They were living in the debris, and not the honey.

[rdy-b]

were you extracting from dark comb that was used for brood - the wax worm cant live in white wax there is no protein for them like in dark comb-dont know about SHB-hope i never have to find out ether  :lol: RDY-B

[Michael Bush]

I see now.  No, I always skim that off the top before storing it.