Why Your Beehive Smells Like Dirty Socks (And Why That's Good!)
Chilton Bee Company
1,035 views
Have you ever opened your beehive in the fall and noticed a smell like dirty, sweaty socks? Don't panic! Here in central Alabama, that's often a sign that the goldenrod nectar is coming in.
Our goldenrod flow typically gets going around mid to late September, and it's one of the most important nectar flows of the year for our bees.
In this video, I'll show you what I'm seeing in our hives during the goldenrod flow and explain why I leave that fall honey on the colonies instead of extracting it.
We'll also cover:
• Why fresh goldenrod nectar has such a strong smell
• How the fall flow helps build winter food stores
• Why strong colonies can put away more nectar than weak ones
• The importance of winter bees and their longer lifespan
• When I start supplemental feeding after the flow
• Why I use 2:1 sugar syrup by weight late in the season
• Why I prefer individual hive feeders over open feeding when certain colonies need extra help
My goal this time of year is to get as much weight on these hives as possible and give them the resources they need to make it through winter.
How's the goldenrod flow looking in your area? Let us know in the comments!
#Beekeeping #Goldenrod #HoneyBees #FallBeekeeping #WinterBees #GoldenrodHoney #OverwinteringBees #ChiltonBeeCompany
2 Comments
Why Your Beehive Smells Like Dirty Socks (And Why That's Good!)
Chilton Bee Company
1,035 views
Have you ever opened your beehive in the fall and noticed a smell like dirty, sweaty socks? Don't panic! Here in central Alabama, that's often a sign that the goldenrod nectar is coming in.
Our goldenrod flow typically gets going around mid to late September, and it's one of the most important nectar flows of the year for our bees.
In this video, I'll show you what I'm seeing in our hives during the goldenrod flow and explain why I leave that fall honey on the colonies instead of extracting it.
We'll also cover:
• Why fresh goldenrod nectar has such a strong smell
• How the fall flow helps build winter food stores
• Why strong colonies can put away more nectar than weak ones
• The importance of winter bees and their longer lifespan
• When I start supplemental feeding after the flow
• Why I use 2:1 sugar syrup by weight late in the season
• Why I prefer individual hive feeders over open feeding when certain colonies need extra help
My goal this time of year is to get as much weight on these hives as possible and give them the resources they need to make it through winter.
How's the goldenrod flow looking in your area? Let us know in the comments!
#Beekeeping #Goldenrod #HoneyBees #FallBeekeeping #WinterBees #GoldenrodHoney #OverwinteringBees #ChiltonBeeCompany