Finally, smell the goldenrod hive?

[rookie2531]

I have been reading alot about everywhere, the goldenrod is blooming, but haven't noticed things like, the smell or the yellow staining at the entrance. Well, there was some heavy yellow staining here in July and I thought that was it, but apparently not. But yesterday, I got a whiff of the hives and In about 90% sure, that is what it is. We got cold a few nights ago (down to 48) but now 80/60 for highs / lows.

How long does this goldenrod last, 1, 2 weeks?
I see golden rod all over for 2 months now but never a bee on it.

[GSF]

One way to describe the smell of goldenrod. If you've never heard of goldenrod and smelt the area around your hives, it would make you something was wrong with your bees.

[johng]

Samething here in N. Florida. I could smell it from the lawn mower as I was mowing.

[AL from Georgia]

Got a goldenrod flow going here in Georgia.  My bees didn't work the first goldenrod that bloomed in early September, but they are all over the goldenrod that is in bloom now.  I can smell it in the hives, they are collecting both nectar and pollen, and I have observed hundreds of them working the goldenrod.

[GSF]

My wife and I stood in the pasture out front. Looking west and blocking the sun out it was like a race track. The sun lit up the bees real good against the trees in the back ground. We just stood there amazed and enjoying the heck out of it.

[buzzbee]

Aster also contributes to the smell.

[Better.to.Bee.than.not]

To me, it smells like what you would imagine the smell to be, of a huge larvae infestation eating all your comb and rotting in the bottom of your hive wriggling all over the place, frankly. not quite a dead animal smell, but a sickly rotten infestation smell. though that isn;t quite what a sickly rotten infestation smells like, it is what I imagine it smells it when I smell it.

[10framer]

they've been working what i think is aster for weeks but yesterday i finally smelled dirty feet in the beeyard.  ate a spoonful of pollen and it is the most bitter i've ever had and today i have a sinus headache.  i'm guessing ragweed.  still haven't seen bees on goldenrod.  ken, doesn't the aster have almost a moldy smell? 

[rookie2531]

they've been working what i think is aster for weeks but yesterday i finally smelled dirty feet in the beeyard.  ate a spoonful of pollen and it is the most bitter i've ever had and today i have a sinus headache.  i'm guessing ragweed.  still haven't seen bees on goldenrod.  ken, doesn't the aster have almost a moldy smell? 

Was the honey you tasted, capped? I have heard that, goldenrod is not that good, until it has cured and capped.

[PeeVee]

Pulled honey last Sat. A lot was probably from goldenrod as the early bloom at the end of July (a different strain of goldenrod from later bloom - bees may not have collected from there). The smell as I go by the yard reminds me of butterscotch. Honey that I pulled is a golden color. Customers like it. Bloom still on so bees can finish stocking for Winter. A couple weeks ago I pulled from another yard. A dark honey but good flavor. A lot of Knot weed there.

[10framer]

it was pollen, not honey. 

[rookie2531]

it was pollen, not honey. 

Sorry, I didn't read it slow enough,  :-\

[johng]

Butter scotch is a good way to describe Golden Rod honey.