Help with moldy honey

annette · April 13, 2008, 12:17:24 AM

Got a call today from a new beekeeper around here. He left a message on my machine and I haven't been able to contact him yet. But he stated that he found moldy honey in one hive and did not know what to do with it. Can honey go moldy??? I know it can ferment, but never heard of mold on honey. Does anyone here have any experience with something like this?? I would like to help this guy.

Any suggestions for him??

Thanks
Annette

Bigeddie · April 13, 2008, 12:39:49 AM

Are the bees dead? I doubt the honey is moldy. The bees will clean things up,I think he just had a moisture problem. I think the hive died out and mold set in. Just a guess on my part.

Eddie

Michael Bush · April 13, 2008, 10:49:49 AM

The outside of the comb will. I wouldn't harvest it, but the bees can filter all that out just fine.

annette · April 13, 2008, 01:15:47 PM

No the bees are not dead. The hive is doing fine, just a ventilation problem on all his hives. I gave him the info and I thank you so much

Annette

Little John_NC · April 13, 2008, 01:59:02 PM

It come from to much moisture in the hive....Like others have said the bees will clean it up..............Little John_NC

Michael Bush · April 13, 2008, 03:22:36 PM

I'd add a notch in the inner cover or some other kind of top ventilation...

annette · April 13, 2008, 04:30:48 PM

Yes, I forgot to mention this to him when I left a recorded message, but I will definitely call him back and mention about the top ventilation on his hives.

Thanks
Annette

Brian D. Bray · April 15, 2008, 12:41:46 AM

Bottomless hives with top entrances = sufficient ventilation = no mold or fungus on the combs.

luvin honey · March 13, 2012, 10:04:53 PM

I know this is an extremely old thread, but I'm also wondering about harvesting comb from a hive that has mold growing in it.

I checked my bees today, and they're thriving, loaded with honey. I took some pretty clean bars of comb, but the edges had a bit of mold. I trimmed it off the best that I could, but I worry a bit about the crush and strain honey.

After consuming a goodly amount :), I don't know whether it is nervousness about that honey or the mold itself, but I do feel a bit of an upset stomach. Before passing this honey onto others, I'd like to check with you all. Thanks!

luvin honey

AllenF · March 13, 2012, 10:34:51 PM

What color mold? Can you post us a pic of the frames?

luvin honey · March 13, 2012, 10:40:56 PM

I can't do a picture right now, but it was light gray to black.

Other combs had drips of dark brown/black on their surfaces, but I left those for the bees. One comb had about 1/3 of it very moldy, with dead bees stuck into the cells. I wonder if the bees themselves were one source of excess moisture?

I had about 1/2" opening in the bottom front of the hive, plus about 1/2" circular vent opening on each side. The hives DID go into winter with syrup in 2 out of 3 of them. The one with sugar instead of syrup was pretty much mold free.

And my stomach feels fine now :) But, still, I wouldn't want to risk illness in someone who doesn't have a cast iron stomach like mine.

FRAMEshift · March 14, 2012, 12:48:04 AM

I would not harvest moldy honey. Leave it for the bees.

luvin honey · March 14, 2012, 01:01:05 AM

I should be clear that I harvested the best and trimmed off any visible mold. I'm more concerned about seemingly clean honey in a moldy environment. Would a few spores on the surface (not visible) cause problems?

Thanks!

FRAMEshift · March 14, 2012, 02:08:20 AM

Mold spores are everywhere all the time. We ingest them constantly in small amounts. But I would be careful about ingesting any unidentified actively growing mold which might produce some powerful toxins. The bees are probably better adapted to deal with mold than we are.

Selected mold cultures may be ok... like in those expensive French cheeses. But who knows what grows in a damp hive?

luvin honey · March 14, 2012, 11:35:28 AM

That's what I'm wondering--what grows in a hive :)

Well, I'm alive this morning. I hated seeing mold in there, probably a lesson to get syrup out before winter, but I hated not consuming ANY of those bars after bars of gorgeous honey!

annette · March 14, 2012, 08:14:16 PM

I have had mold in my hives before and no problem with the honey. I think that if you cut away any bad spots, the rest should be fine.

How did it taste?

luvin honey · March 15, 2012, 02:01:15 AM

The honey was splendiferous! I'm pretty sure one bar was from goldenrod. Slightly stinky sock smell but wonderful flavor. Another was cloverish, another fruity. Yum :)