Fall is in the Air

[Jacobs]

I have definitely been getting that "off butterscotch" smell coming from my hives at the house and at McLeansville for the last week. I don't know if it is goldenrod or aster, but the bees are getting into something and are taking longer to empty the dilute honey water I have out in one of my external (not boardman) jar feeders here at the house.

[EduCat5]

Thanks for sharing. I just recently began smelling strange (acidic smells) much like vinegar.

[Jacobs]

I don't know how much nectar my bees at home are taking in, but the stink of fall has never been stronger!

[Jacobs]

With the first day of fall comes the "stink" of goldenrod and aster nectars curing in the hive. At least, that is what is happening with my hives at the house. The bees are very active and showing less interest in the feeder jar of honey water I keep at the back of the yard. You don't really have to get too close to the hives to pick up the smells of fall.

[Jacobs]

Today is the first day I am smelling some of the fall aster/goldenrod in my home hives. I went to help a first year beekeeper with her hives this afternoon and the fall smells were much stronger coming from her hives. I'm not counting on a strong fall flow to feed the bees, but at least they are finding something.

[quentin]

My bees are active the last few days as well. They are finding something.

[Jacobs]

Last night and tonight the fall nectar smells were and are almost strong enough to knock me over. Bees were actively foraging yesterday and today. I hope this keeps going.

[quentin]

Mine also, very active.

Southeast School area.

[reedyfork]

This is only my second fall as a beekeeper, but do really notice the smell now! I agree with the spoiled vinegar description... My bees are currently working the asters really hard - I have several of the 'October Skies' asters in full bloom right now.

Question: does this odor transfer to the taste of fall honey?

[Jacobs]

I think the fall honey does have a stronger taste than spring honey, and a lot of beekeepers leave it as winter feed for the bees. I have extracted frames from winter deadouts that had a good portion of fall honeys. While the taste was stronger, it was not the same as what I was smelling as the bees cured it. Genetic differences in people may determine the response to the odor and taste of fall honey. I don't find the off butterscotch smell from the hives offensive, even if it is strong. Then again, skunk smells like lemon concentrate (real lemon) to me and not significantly offensive.

[Wally]

The smell of aster and goldenrod honey being cured does NOT carry over into the taste after curing. Although the taste is still fairly strong, it is not even similar to the smell when curing.

[Jacobs]

I checked my hives at Brown Summit late this morning and had the same smell coming from them. I combined a laying worker hive into a queenright hive and put on a top feeder. I had feeders and 2:1 for the other hives, but did not put them on. There were large amounts of fresh nectar in the hives and some frames were being capped. I can't remember having this kind of fall flow before.

[Jacobs]

Yesterday was the first day I really smelled the off butterscotch smell of aster coming from my hives at the house. The bees have been slower to empty my "nectarometer" for about the last week.

[Jacobs]

Today I got a strong off butterscotch smell from the hives for the first time this fall. Bees are working aster that is blooming in my yard and I am confident they are gathering it from around the neighborhood. We don't have much in the way of goldenrod around my house. It took the bees a few hours longer to empty the nectarometer today. I'm not counting on a good fall flow, but it is nice to smell that the bees are bringing some nectar in.

[Wally]

Don't know what it is, but I have a tiny purple flower in the yard. Smaller then dead nettle. The bees are working it today.