The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1878-08-28
WHAT I KNOW ABOUT HONEY
DEW.

Honey dew is a substance secreted
by the aphis or plant louise, as it is
sometimes called, of which there are
many species. The kind most num-
erous in this section of country is the
common green fly that lives Oh the
nnder side of the leaves OF house
plants, The first honey dew may be
expected about the 10 of May, if the
Weather has been dry and warm for
a week or more. At that time a
person in the vicinity of a sugar maple
tree, early in the morning, will have
his attention called to it by the loud
bum Of bees, aud most persons would
say that bees were gathering honey
rapidly from the blossoms. Now ex-
anime carefully. II the bees are at
work at the end Of the tasscIs, they
are gathering honey; but if they are
st work where the tassels join the
stem, they are gathering honey dew.
Break off branch and examine.
On the under side OF the bracts you
will find herd Of blush green lice.
and near them, and usually near the
foot of the taseels, you viii see small
drop cfeweetish liquid. This is hon
ey dew. 1t will last several days if
: the dry weather continues. Coming
70 early in the Spring it does no par
Gcular injury. 1t stimulates the bees
30 breed. If the weather should be
dry for week or two during the
month OF June, another "fall" OF hon
ey dew may be expected. Aphid@
breed and grow very rapidly, SO that
in three or four days after they can
be seen there will be an abundance
ofhoney dew. Often the underbrush
arips with it, and no aphid@ in sight.
This has led many persons to think
that it comes form some other source;
but the aphid@ will be found on the
hsvea of the upper branches. The
aphidse secrete honey dew in PARTICLES
as fine as mist. Near sunset, when
every particle Of dust and every small
insects in the air could be seen, have
seen honey dew falling from a tree
IKE mist, and floating quite distance
on the least wind, This accounts for
the fact that it is sometimes found q:
= distance from any tree or shrub.
Should the wind continue for hours
in one direction, honey dew might be
carried from forest covered with
aphid@ and deposited at distance of
several miles, in quantity sufficient to
attract bees. Another kind OF aphis
inhabits the seed-pod of the alders,
completely liuEg che inner surface.
The dew escapes through an opening
in the bottom Of the pod. Consider
able dew from this source is some.
tinea collected if there are many al
ders near The swarms. The same
kind or similar aphid@ cause pod
shaped excrescences to grow on the
ieRves of trees. I have seen many
other varieties Of aphid@ in this vicin-
isy, but they are not plenty enough
to attract bees. From the large
quantity Of honey dew at times TO be
found C have seen it dripping from
the leaves of large trees,l bees do not
collect the amount one would think,
owing, no doubt, to its poor quality
as food. They havo preference tor
that secrcted On certain trees, ch0os
inc that on chestnut, birch and maple
trees. Nm elm tree near their hives,
that has cften been covered with it,
+hey never touch. Honey dcW, II
pure, il dark colored, and Of q rank,
raw sweetness, and unfit for table use.
Reminding long in The cells, it thick
els into sticky, nauseat.ng mass, re-
sembling partly melted "Griswald's
Salye" more than it does honey. in
this state it can no more be extracted
than pollen.
There is always more or less honey
from flowers collected with it, giving
it g favor according to the proportion,
and if there is enough, preventing its
NGckeniug 1t is only fit for swarm
ing bees to build comb with, and to
feed bees in the spring to stimulate
them 10 breed. Bees wintered on it
have dysentery. Many persons think
honey dew is made by honey from
Aowers being evaporated by the heat
Of the sun, on the leaves like other
dew. This is impossible as only the !
water, and perhaps some Of the flavor |
can be evaporated from honey. The |
Maker has put honey into the flowers
.,,.c fo'd ohinct Dlacifcs IL so |