How to feed honey to bees

[TwoHoneys]

I've come upon some honey from a bee tree (it stinks! Must be that goldenrod honey you're all talking about). I crushed and strained it and have about a pint of it, but I don't know how to feed it to the bees in my yard (4 hives). I have a couple of Boardman feeders, but it seems to me that the bee parts and the comb parts that didn't strain out would clog the holes in jar.

And what to do, too, with the honey-soaked sludge that remains from the crush and strain? I thought of spreading it out on a pan, setting it outside away from the hives, and letting the bees clean it up.

-Liz

[AllenF]

Just remember that feeding honey from an unknown source is a way to spread foulbrood to you hives.    But to feed just a pint of honey and the comb parts back to 4 hives?   I would just put them out.  In a pan or just poured out into anything.   Your hives on a warm day will have it all gone in about 4 hours. 

[TwoHoneys]

Just remember that feeding honey from an unknown source is a way to spread foulbrood to you hives. 

Hey, Allen, I didn't even consider the foulbrood problem. So, do you (and others) think I should skip feeding the honey from the bee tree to my bees?

-Liz

[AllenF]

Ya, use the honey on your biscuits.   A pint of honey is not much, same as just a quart of 2:1 syrup. 

[Kathyp]

it's up to you.  if i get  honey and gunk out of a healthy looking hive i eat the honey and feed the gunk to the bees.  however, if you put the junk comb and sludge out at this time of the year, you need to know that you won't attract a bunch of yellowjacktes and other nasty critters to your hive.  put it way away from the hives and just let everyone clean it up.

[TwoHoneys]

For me, it's hard to tell the gunk from the honey! This was an old hive with old comb, and because it was exposed to the cold, there was a lot of dead larva. Some of the dead larva got crushed and strained, too...I mean, it wasn't always clear to me what was honey and what was not. Do you folks eat honey with all that stuff mixed in? For some reason, it's a tad bit unappetizing to me. But if that's what it takes to be a hardy beekeeper, I'll eat it! If Kathyp says "eat it," I'll eat it.  :)

-Liz

[AllenF]

Remember in parts of Asia, they like to eat the brood as much as the honey.   :-D

[Kathyp]

you don't have to eat it  :-).  i'm just telling you that i do.  and yes, i just strain the chunky stuff out.  a little crushed bee part would not be the worst thing i have eaten in my life!

Allen is right.  it's much sought after in some places.

[hardwood]

I always pop a few larvae into my mouth when grafting...tastes of almond.

Scott

[L Daxon]

Yuck :-P

[AliciaH]

Yuck :-P

Ditto.  My brain says it's a great source of protein.  My stomach says, "Ew!"

[Anybrew]

Yuck! your hardcore.

[hardwood]

Don't knock it 'til you try it...ever eat an oyster?

Scott

[AllenF]

I like my oysters fried.    Just the way I was brought up.