I wanted to briefly bubble up a couple interesting notes from private messages and the comments section of previous posts:
- Consensus is that the reason store bought honey tends to stay liquid longer than “craft” honey is that it’s pasteurized. Pasteurization involves heating the honey with wipes out any life in it, both good and bad. This has always struck me as an odd move, since honey is a natural antibiotic. Raising the temperature that much alters the taste and also breaks down the natural enzymes that contribute to honey’s healthfulness.
- If using a tray under your Varroa screen, spray it with pam or wipe it down with cooking oil to prevent the mites from crawling out. Do not batter and fry them, though, as they lack nutritional value.
I made that last bit up.
