Almost Black Honey

fcderosa · June 28, 2006, 09:57:51 AM

On inspecting my hives yesterday one of the hives had a super capped and filled with what looked like black honey. We have acres and acres of wild blackberries that have just come out of bloom, could it be honeyfrom them? I've never seen honey that color though - a whole super of it. I also don't understand why I didn't see it in the other hives. Should I wait to harvest it all or go ahead and harvest the one super? :?

Finsky · June 28, 2006, 10:22:04 AM

Quote from: fcderosaI also don't understand why I didn't see it in the other hives. Should I wait to harvest it all or go ahead and harvest the one super? :?

It comes to my mind that there has been a hive inside shimney. Your hive has robbed smutted honey from chimney.

Ross · June 28, 2006, 11:10:02 AM

Around here, that would be fall golden rod honey. Does it smell strong?

latebee · June 28, 2006, 06:13:49 PM

Blackberry honey is a nice amber color. The darkest honey I have seen locally is from buckwheat nectar,dark but not black.

fcderosa · June 28, 2006, 06:45:47 PM

Well, guess the answer is to pull a frame and taste it. If Finsky's right it should taste like wood smoke, as wood's still used for a heat source here in the backwoods of Kentucky. Glad coal's not used around here. :?

newbee101 · June 28, 2006, 09:28:41 PM

Is the honey in old brood comb? That will make the honey look alot darker than it is.

Michael Bush · June 28, 2006, 10:46:43 PM

Broodcomb will look dark when the honey isn't. Buckwheat honey is almost black. Taste it. If it reminds you of molasses, it's Buckwheat.

abejaruco · July 02, 2006, 05:05:18 PM

Black honey? Only from one hive?
Perhaps are Africanized bees. :shock:

Brian D. Bray · July 03, 2006, 05:54:29 AM

>>Black honey? Only from one hive? Perhaps are Africanized bees.

Africanized bees may be black in color but the honey they collect is the same color as the honey all the other bees are collecting. The dark color of the honey has to be due to either the nectar source or a contaminent such as soot (like Finsky suggested) or some other source.

abejaruco · July 03, 2006, 04:35:20 PM

My friend, what can I say?

http://img430.imageshack.us/my.php?image=horrorized7qu.jpg

Finsky · July 03, 2006, 05:01:00 PM

Quote from: abejarucoMy friend, what can I say?

http://img430.imageshack.us/my.php?image=horrorized7qu.jpg

It seems that the bee has sun glasses

TwT · July 03, 2006, 07:03:42 PM

Quote from: FinskyIt comes to my mind that there has been a hive inside shimney. Your hive has robbed smutted honey from chimney.

BAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!, never heard that one before :lol: , a friend of mine gets Blue honey at the beginning of fall, and it is Blue....... it from some kind of tree he said but I don't remember the name........

Jerrymac · July 03, 2006, 09:34:38 PM

Quote from: Brian D. Bray
Africanized bees may be black in color....

When did this happen? The last thing I heard was they couldn't be distinguished from other bees by sight alone.

latebee · July 03, 2006, 11:08:29 PM

Guess you gotta be careful with the black and blue honey-ouch sounds like it hurts!!!!!! :lol:

Brian D. Bray · July 04, 2006, 12:55:39 AM

May be black in color. May be orange in color. May be yellow in color.
Maybe all the options apply. They sure due apply for the varities of apis Mellifera I'm aware of. I've always understood maybe or may be to mean within the realm of possibility.

Michael Bush · July 04, 2006, 10:09:23 AM

Up until the last year or so, I never saw a photo of an Africanized bee that didn't look like an Italian. But in the last year they seem to be showing pictures of them that are black. I think it's a change in the propoganda.

Zoot · July 04, 2006, 01:18:22 PM

Here in our part of Maryland honey that originates almost solely from the tulip poplar blossom will sometimes resemble molassass. It tends to not be as popular as lighter honey which is too bad as I find it to be the best I've ever had. I just this year finished my last jar from 1981 (last time I kept hives). Never once crystalized or degraded in any noticable way.

fcderosa · July 04, 2006, 03:30:04 PM

I think I can state without doubt they're Carnolians. I was beginning to side with Finsky when I only found it in one hive however I noticed the same honey in the other hives today but only in their deeps. :)

joecat · July 08, 2006, 09:49:02 AM

I pulled 30 supers yesterday from hives in central North Carolina and every bit of it was VERY dark almost molasses
dark. I helped a friend last week in Charlotte 13 hives and we pulled 6 supers all of it was dark too.

I am going to the mountains today there should be 20 to 30 supers there as well we will see what they look like but
from what I have seen of others there honey is dark this year and there is not as much of it as last year.

historically these hives produced a very light amber honey I guess something had a shorter bloom than normal or bad weather during the bloom and the bees had to collect from other sources causing the darker honeys this year.