Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => DISEASE & PEST CONTROL => Topic started by: COLVIN on November 04, 2005, 11:07:19 am

Title: SMELL
Post by: COLVIN on November 04, 2005, 11:07:19 am

I NOTICE THE LAST TWO TIMES I WAS IN THE HIVES (2) A SOUR FEMENTED SMELL. IT IS NOT REAL STRONG BUT NOTICIABLE. I LOOKED AT ALL FRAMES AND DIDN'T SEE ANY THING OUT OF THE ORDINARY. I DID PULL ABOUT FOUR CAPPED BROOD AND SAW VAROA MITES. SOME HAD ONE OTHERS 2-3. WHAT DO I NEED TO DO OR LOOK FOR? THEIR IS MORE TO BEEKEEPING THAN MEETS THE EYE BUT I AM DETERMINED TO BE A BEEKEEPER. HELP!! AND THANKS FOR YOUR RESPONSES TO MY STUPID QUESTIONS. COLVIN

Title: SMELL
Post by: manowar422 on November 04, 2005, 11:17:05 am

If everything else is normal within the hive and forage traffic
is unchanged, given your location, my guess would be
Goldenrod nectar is being gathered by your bees.
Lots of folks give similar descriptions of the goldenrod's aroma.

Title: SMELL
Post by: Apis629 on November 04, 2005, 04:58:28 pm

I was smelling something sour a few weeks ago.  Just last week I extracted 3 gallons of honey.  At first I thought it was SHB larva but, an inspection showed no larvae once so ever.  I guess I know what my honey came from...

Title: SMELL
Post by: TREBOR on November 05, 2005, 10:58:30 am

ya!
   I was all worried when I smelled the smell!
and then watched all my supers filled with golden rod honey!
 the smell was more like dirty sox and wine!
I looked at the broad cappings, looking for anything old or
discolored.
  research and faith!

Title: SMELL
Post by: BEE C on May 04, 2006, 01:21:34 am

Thanks for the heads up.  I'll go pull the golden rod I planted in the bee garden...

Title: SMELL
Post by: Michael Bush on May 04, 2006, 08:52:50 am

>Thanks for the heads up. I'll go pull the golden rod I planted in the bee garden...

I buy goldenrod seed for $150 a pound and you're going to pull it up?  Goldenrod is a wonderful fall honey source.  If you don't like the taste (and many people and I LOVE the taste) you can leave it for the bees.  DON'T pull it up.

Title: SMELL
Post by: TREBOR on May 04, 2006, 09:02:58 am

MB my field is full of goldenrod every summer, maybe we could make a trade  for some seed......boy that seems high...$150 a lb.... :shock:
 but I havn't tried to harvest the seed yet, it might prove harder then I think.
 MB is that really how much you pay?
    Trebor

Title: SMELL
Post by: Finsky on May 04, 2006, 10:00:08 am

Quote from: TREBOR

MB my field is full of goldenrod  MB is that really how much you pay?
    Trebor

If you sell pieces of roots. Take one plant and cut roots in inch pieces. calculate if it is wiser to be "goldenrod root agent".

Title: SMELL
Post by: TREBOR on May 04, 2006, 10:48:25 am

:lol:

Title: SMELL
Post by: Jerrymac on May 04, 2006, 01:05:29 pm

What kind of environment does golden rod grow in?

Title: SMELL
Post by: thegolfpsycho on May 04, 2006, 01:46:01 pm

I've wondered the same thing jerrymac.  We don't have it here, no fall flow at all.  Are you going to move your bees over to the russian olive area?  It makes a good crop.

Title: SMELL
Post by: TREBOR on May 04, 2006, 06:09:26 pm

I've seen it growing from s. Va. to north Vt.
it might in texes or in utah, it will withstand cold down to -25f
maybe lower, though you my have a water issue......
 make it worth my while and I'll send you some
I'll just dig some roots like finsky said.....
 I think its just starting to wakeup here..
PM me.. :D

Quote

Goldenrods are very common wildflowers throughout Virginia and North America. It is difficult to describe only one, because there are over 50 species of Goldenrod in North America and most of them are very similar and hard to tell apart.

http://www.gpnc.org/goldenro.htm

Title: SMELL
Post by: Jerrymac on May 04, 2006, 06:32:28 pm

We are kind of dry around here. I forgot what the average rain fall is suppose to be.

thegolfpsycho,
I might wait to do that next year. I went by there yesterday and the trees had bunches of little yellow flowers. This place is right at two miles as the bee flies. They might do a little visiting over there.

Title: SMELL
Post by: Michael Bush on May 05, 2006, 09:26:39 am

>MB my field is full of goldenrod every summer, maybe we could make a trade for some seed......boy that seems high...$150 a lb..

Yes.  I paid $150 for one pound.  Usually I just collect seed from the plants in the ditches around here.