Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum
BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: Aroc on October 24, 2019, 08:59:39 pm
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Ran into a lady today whose husband is a commercial beekeeper in the area. She knows we have a handful of beehives ourselves and often strikes up a conversation.
Today she was asking me if I knew anything about honey being sent ?in? to be tested for certain medicinal qualities it may contain by the flowers the bees have attended. Things like leafy spurge or wild lettuce that people claim help pain etc.
Has anyone run across anything like this and if so where would this be?
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I would start with Cornell University: they tested my apple leaves for minerals, trace minerals, nitrogen, phosphorus, ash. They provided a very detailed list of what my orchid needed and how much to apply.
Most helpful by phone; they even sent a special bag for sampling and instructed how to obtain samples down to rinsing with distilled water.
My orchid exploded with apples the following year and looked so healthy.
Van
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I would start with Cornell University: they tested my apple leaves for minerals, trace minerals, nitrogen, phosphorus, ash. They provided a very detailed list of what my orchid needed and how much to apply.
Most helpful by phone; they even sent a special bag for sampling and instructed how to obtain samples down to rinsing with distilled water.
My orchid exploded with apples the following year and looked so healthy.
Van
This is good information and appreciated Mr Van
Phillip
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Van,
Good information.
What do they charge for this service?
Jim Altmiller
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The price was very reasonable, like $25.00 in the 1990?s.
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Beeks: I checked the web site of Cornell University. The univ still conducts leaf analysis: providing a comprehensive review and subsequent guidance for application of fertilizer with specific trace elements required.
However for honeybee disease analysis the US Agricultural, Bee Lab in Maryland was recommended. I do not believe there is a charge for this service although 6 months is required for analysis.
Van
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Beeks: I checked the web site of Cornell University. The univ still conducts leaf analysis: providing a comprehensive review and subsequent guidance for application of fertilizer with specific trace elements required.
However for honeybee disease analysis the US Agricultural, Bee Lab in Maryland was recommended. I do not believe there is a charge for this service although 6 months is required for analysis.
Van
By the time you get the results back your bees are dead. 😡
Jim Altmiller
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By the time you get the results back your bees are dead. 😡
Jim Altmiller
As with all research funding comes from the industry it supports. They are looking for heading off epidemics not saving your hives.
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Ya bet ya Ace. Specifically there are looking for American Foul Brood, so contagious, so deadly, and the spores are reported to live 50 YEARS. AFB has the ability to wipe out a honeybee industry if unchecked.
The THREAT: AFB infects and kills a single hive, the hive is robbed out. The robbers return to their hive which spreads the disease to 10 new hives which are killed from disease and are robbed out. The process continues: 100 then 1,000, 10,000 then an entire state can be wiped out. And all it takes is one hive to begin the process. Remember the spores remain viable for 50 years. European foul brood does not make spores, completely totally different ordeal.
Blessings
Van
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We had honey tested for medicinal factors at Sydney University. It was part of a Leptospernum, Tea Tree, trial to determine levels in comparison to Manuka honey,(which is a Leptospernum).
Our honey Tea tree honey came back very good for antimicrobial effect but did not have the oxidase MGO factor of Manuka.
It was tested on bacteria with Phenol being the comparison.
Tea tree honey is very jelly like and is hard to spinout of the frames so a lot of BK's avoid it. At our markets it has a following so each season we put some hive on it.
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OldBeavo, thank you for your information.
Tea tree oil to me, is an extremely strong bitter oil. I know nothing about the TeaTree, Bush, vine or what ever. Would you kindly elaborate on the TeaTree flowers. Does the flower smell anything like the oil? Is the honey produced light or dark colored? You mentioned the honey is thick, hard to extract which raises the question does the TeaTree honey crystallize?
I find your part of the world so interesting so fascinating. A gold meteorite hit the East part of your continent: a solid chunk of gold weighing tons flying thur space:, thus PertMint still mines to this day: mind blogging to me.
So Beavo, back to bees, tell me more about the TeaTree?
Blessings
Van
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It is a small tree that grows from 8-20 ft, very small leaves and flowers about 1/2" dia.
Google Leptospernum images.
The honey does crystalise with big crystals.
The honey is a brown/orange color with a different flavour, it is on the strong side and almost a caramel type to me but that's just my taste buds, it has a slightly bitter after taste that you only recognise if you are looking for it.
Our local Tea tree is similar flavour to Manuka.
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Aroc, I am interested in this too. If you find somewhere please post. I would like to have my Japanese knotweed honey tested to see if it contains Resveratrol. Japanese knotweed is a source plant for Resveratrol but it is mainly in the root. Not sure about nectar.