How to tell if there is nectar or syrup in the cells?

[Jen]

I asked this question last night but forgot which title it was on (over 50).

It came to my attention that bees can fill the cells with syrup and not nectar...

How do we tell the difference?

Why would the bees fill the cells with syrup?

Would the syrup season into honey eventually?

[efmesch]

Jen, that 's a real tough question. 
Food testing labs have equipment that can test the light-bending  characteristics of honey as opposed to syrup. 'You and I can't quite do that trick. 
If you have a real good good nose, you might be able to spot the absence of a floral fragrance.  That is, providing you are not dealing with an intentional fraud, where perfumes can be added to the fake supposed honey.

Assuming your question is about a beekeeper who feeds syrup and doesn't want his/her real honey adulterated with syrup---then it just requires some advance planning.    There are diferent ways to keep your honey pure---NEVER feed syrup when there iis a honey flow going on,
Remove syrup-containing frames from the hive when the honey starts coming in or make sure to mark the frames with syrup and keep them separate from the honey frames in the hive (preferrably in a different super).
I'm a firm believer in my method---I never feed syrup, only honey.  When I melt down my cappings (if I don't use them for mead) I save the heated honey for feeding later on, should the hives run short of their own reserves.  Heated honey is not as good a quality item as unheated, but at least it's the real thing.

[Jen]

That feeding method of your is My Dream! It's just that I've had so many casaulties starting out as a beek, into my fourth year, that I have yet to get any of my honey and seriously doubt that I'll get any this year do to massive swarming. So it's syrup for now ~shrug~

Also Apis, I've been told to keep feeding cause it encourages the bees to pull wax, and my bees really need to do this for the new queens I've put in.

[efmesch]

Don't feel bad about starting with syrup feeding.  As Apis told you, it's the way to start them on the road.  You can save "my" method for when you are establshed with enough built combs and honey reserves.
Then again, not every climatic area can provide a mild enough winter not to require bolstering up the stored reserves in the hive.  I would think that in California you've got a good chance to be able to make it on your own reserves.

[Jen]

K Thanks Ef 

[pistolpete]

Sugar syrup stored in comb is nearly water white, while honey very seldom is.   If you dig your hive tool in there and get a few drops on it, you can do a taste test.  sugar syrup will definitely taste like syrup and nectar will taste like honey.    There's nothing wrong with seeing syrup in the cells as long as you don't plan on extracting.   Since you don't have supers on yet, you should not worry about it.

[Jen]

Hi Pete - Okay that's a thought right there about supers. So When I put a super on for just honey, I should remove the feeders?

[robo]

How do we tell the difference?

If your concerned, put food coloring in your syrup

Why would the bees fill the cells with syrup?

It is food, they store food in cells

Would the syrup season into honey eventually?

It is what they refer to as sugar honey and a practice employed by less scrupulous producers

[LazyBkpr]

Basically Jen..  If you HAVE supers on, and you are feeding syrup, there WILL be syrup in the supers.


    If you have a hive on all drawn comb and you want that hive to produce HONEY, but you need to feed a different hive, do it internally. Over the inner cover hole etc.. so the hives producing HONEY will not have access to the syrup, while the hives drawing comb WILL have access to the syrup.
   Reduce the entrance on the hive/hives being fed so the other hives cant ROB the syrup and put it in their supers.. you will be good to go!

[Bsweet]

I feed my splits,swarms and packages syrup as long as they will take it or until they have two deeps drawn and filled (80%) and then I pull the feeders and add a super. In the spring I feed with Qt. mason jars on each hive, the jars are placed on the inner cover(if I use one) and covered with and empty deep and then the cover. Often in the fall I will open feed and also place jars on selected hives that need extra help. I don't use entrance feeders but PVC rings/stands for my jars.  Jim

[litefoot]

That is really a good question. Back in the Fall, I thought about marking all the capped frames of honey BEFORE starting the pre-winter feeding. Then any capped frames (both syrup or honey) left over in the Spring (either not used or from a dead out)could be distinguished by the mark.