Darker honey this time of year... wierd.

[KD4MOJ]

Usually when I extract in late may or in my case this year June 1oth... my honey is always light in color. This time it looked like my fall extraction, dark in color. Of course it taste the same (good) but this is really unusual... wonder if anyone else in the south experienced this?

...DOUG
KD4MOJ

[BMAC]

You got alot of TITI or Tulip Poplar around?

[BeeMaster2]

Same thing happened my first year, it was dark as can bee. Every other year since it has been light. I was told that the Popcorn Tree was the cause. Waiting to see if it happens again this year, everything is late and the bees are working the Popcorn trees right now. Get near one and it sounds like there is a swarm in the tree.
Jim

[KD4MOJ]

You got alot of TITI or Tulip Poplar around?

Titi I have seen before.... can't remember if i've seen it this year but I'll keep my eye peeled. Haven't see the Tulip Poplar tree. I do have a swamp about 1/4 west of me and I'm not even sure what is down there. I do need to scope it out one day. I have been told from a Sopchoppy beek that there are black gum tupelo trees in there... not sue if it blooms the same time as the regular tupelo tree... or some  other time.


...DOUG
KD4MOJ

[KD4MOJ]

Don't think I've seen a popcorn tree before... at least from the images I saw from google. I know the bees are working the crepe myrtles. Those suckers are all over town. For some reason mine don't bloom until late summer.

...DOUG
KD4MOJ

[johng]

Is it possible a super or two were left over from last fall? It don't take much dark honey to darken the whole batch. Just a guess on my part.

Chinese Tallow (popcorn tree) Black Gum and Spring TiTi all have light colored honey. Not sure about Tulip Popular.

[10framer]

tulip poplar is dark.  if you're close to a swamp in florida i'd bet you've got poplars. 
i thought black gum and tupelo were the same thing.

[KD4MOJ]

Just got kicked off-line for some reason and lost my last post.

What I had said I thought there were 5 of 6 different kinds of what we call tupelo. But I just did a google and came up with this:

The genus name Nyssa refers to a Greek water nymph.[5] The name tupelo, one of the common names used for Nyssa, is of native American origin, coming from the Creek words ito 'tree' and opilwa 'swamp'; it was in use by the mid-18th century[6]

The city of Tupelo, Mississippi is named for this tree.

Here is the list of north american ones:

Nyssa aquatica L. – Water Tupelo (North America)
Nyssa biflora Walter – Swamp Tupelo (North America)
Nyssa ogeche W.Bartram ex Marshall – Ogeechee Tupelo (North America)
Nyssa sylvatica Marshall – Black Tupelo or Pepperidge (North America)
Nyssa ursina Small – Bear Tupelo (North America)

And this is what we call Tupelo from the Apalachicocola River:

In Florida, beekeepers keep beehives along the river swamps on platforms or floats during tupelo bloom to produce certified tupelo honey, which commands a high price on the market because of its flavor. Monofloral honey made from the nectar of Nyssa ogeche has such a high ratio of fructose to glucose that it does not crystallize.

And now we have Black Gum tupelo:

Nyssa sylvatica, commonly known as black tupelo, tupelo, or black gum, is a medium-sized deciduous tree native to eastern North America from New England and southern Ontario south to central Florida and eastern Texas, as well as Mexico.

I think I just expanded my knowledge this morning!!


...DOUG
KD4MOJ

[BeeMaster2]

Thanks Doug.
Several times I have been corrected when I call Black Gum, Tulelo.
I think I will call it Black Tupelo. :)
Jim

[divemaster1963]

I reserve several deeps of two year old frames of drawn foundation for several of my customers they love the dark woody flavor of the honey. Several say they love woody flavor for cooking and in brq sauces.
Can't have enough of to satisfy them


John