March 23, 2026

Spotted Lanternfly Honey: Beekeeper Opportunity? (377)

Apple Podcasts podcast player badge
Spotify podcast player badge
YouTube podcast player badge
Goodpods podcast player badge
Amazon Music podcast player badge
Overcast podcast player badge
Castro podcast player badge
PocketCasts podcast player badge
Podchaser podcast player badge
RadioPublic podcast player badge
RSS Feed podcast player badge
Apple Podcasts podcast player iconSpotify podcast player iconYouTube podcast player iconGoodpods podcast player iconAmazon Music podcast player iconOvercast podcast player iconCastro podcast player iconPocketCasts podcast player iconPodchaser podcast player iconRadioPublic podcast player iconRSS Feed podcast player icon

In this episode of Beekeeping Today Podcast, Jeff Ott and Becky Masterman explore a topic that can divide beekeepers, almost immediately: spotted lanternfly honey.

Today's conversation centers on spotted lanternflies, an invasive pest spreading across the eastern United States. Guests Dr. Robin Underwood (Penn State Extension) and Dr. Ferhat Ozturk bring both field experience and research insight to the discussion. Robin shares firsthand observations from Pennsylvania, where the insect first established, while Ferhat connects the honey produced from lanternfly honeydew to broader research on honey composition and bioactive properties.

Together, they unpack what spotted lanternfly honey actually is, how bees collect it, how it tastes, and why it has generated both excitement and skepticism. The discussion remains grounded—this is not a silver bullet product—but rather a unique honey source emerging from an ecological challenge.

For beekeepers, the key takeaway is perspective. Even in the presence of invasive species, honey bees adapt, forage, and sometimes create new opportunities. Understanding those dynamics helps beekeepers make informed decisions rather than react to headlines.

This episode offers a balanced look at a rapidly evolving topic, blending science, field observations, and practical beekeeping considerations.

Websites from the episode and others we recommend:

 

Copyright © 2026 by Growing Planet Media, LLC

 

HBO Logo  

______________

Betterbee Beekeeping Supplies

Betterbee is the presenting sponsor of Beekeeping Today Podcast. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com

Global Patties Pollen Supplements

This episode is brought to you by Global Patties! Global offers a variety of standard and custom patties. Visit them today at http://globalpatties.com and let them know you appreciate them sponsoring this episode! 

A logo with a bee on it AI-generated content may be incorrect.

As a beekeeper, you want products that benefit you and your bees. When you choose Premier Bee Products, you choose hive components that are healthier for bees and more productive for you. Because we believe that in beekeeping, details make all the difference. Premier Bee Products: Better for bees. Better for beekeepers. Use promo code PODCAST for 10% off your next online order.

A logo with a bee in a circle AI-generated content may be incorrect.

APIS Tactical is a beekeeping brand focused on innovation. We create a wide range of gear for beekeepers of all types—whether you’re managing a few hives or working bees every day. We combine science and artistry to create purposeful, hardworking gear. We’re here to help you care for your bees with confidence, so you can focus on what matters most—your hive.

StrongMicrobials

Thanks to Strong Microbials for their support of Beekeeping Today Podcast. Find out more about their line of probiotics in our Season 3, Episode 12 episode and from their website: https://www.strongmicrobials.com

HiveIQ

HiveIQ is revolutionizing the way beekeepers manage their colonies with innovative, insulated hive systems designed for maximum colony health and efficiency. Their hives maintain stable temperatures year-round, reduce stress on the bees, and are built to last using durable, lightweight materials. Whether you’re managing two hives or two hundred, HiveIQ’s smart design helps your bees thrive while saving you time and effort. Learn more at HiveIQ.com.

Vita-Bee-Health

We’d like to thank Vita Bee Health for supporting the podcast. Vita provides proven tools for controlling Varroa—from Apistan and Apiguard to the new VarroxSan extended-release oxalic acid strips—helping beekeepers keep stronger, healthier colonies.

Northern Bee Books

Thanks for Northern Bee Books for their support. Northern Bee Books is the publisher of bee books available worldwide from their website or from Amazon and bookstores everywhere. They are also the publishers of The Beekeepers Quarterly and Natural Bee Husbandry.

_______________

We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments in the show notes of this episode or: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com

Thank you for listening! 

Podcast music: Be Strong by Young Presidents; Epilogue by Musicalman; Faraday by BeGun; Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus; A Fresh New Start by Pete Morse; Wedding Day by Boomer; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; Red Jack Blues by Daniel Hart; Bolero de la Fontero  by Rimsky Music; Perfect Sky by Graceful Movement; I'm Not Running Away This Time by Max Brodie; Original guitar background instrumental by Jeff Ott.

Beekeeping Today Podcast is an audio production of Growing Planet Media, LLC

** As an Amazon Associate, we may earn a commission from qualifying purchases

Copyright © 2026 by Growing Planet Media, LLC

Growing Planet Media, LLC

WEBVTT

00:00:00.480 --> 00:00:08.480
Hi, this is Dave Joneson from Wisconsin, and I'm at the Midwest Honey Bee Expo 2026.

00:00:08.480 --> 00:00:11.840
Enjoy the Beekeeping Today podcast episode.

00:00:11.840 --> 00:00:14.880
Welcome to Beekeeping Today Podcast presented by BetterBear.

00:00:15.480 --> 00:00:19.240
Your source for beekeeping news, information, and entertainment.

00:00:19.240 --> 00:00:20.360
I'm Jeff Ott.

00:00:20.360 --> 00:00:21.880
And I'm Becky Masterman.

00:00:21.880 --> 00:00:26.680
Today's episode is brought to you by the Bee Nutrition Superheroes at Global Patties.

00:00:26.680 --> 00:00:29.640
Family operated and buzzing with passion, Global Patties

00:00:30.240 --> 00:00:34.320
Crafts protein-packed patties that'll turn your hives into powerhouse production.

00:00:34.320 --> 00:00:40.080
Picture this: strong colonies, booming brood, and honey flowing like a sweet river.

00:00:40.080 --> 00:00:43.360
It's super protein for your bees and they love it.

00:00:43.360 --> 00:00:44.880
Check out their buffet of patties.

00:00:45.640 --> 00:00:49.080
Tailor made for your bees in your specific area.

00:00:49.080 --> 00:00:51.320
Head over to www.

00:00:51.400 --> 00:00:52.680
globalpatties.

00:00:52.680 --> 00:00:55.720
com and give your bees the nutrition they deserve.

00:00:55.720 --> 00:00:59.960
Hey, a quick shout out to Betterbee and all of our sponsors who support.

00:01:00.160 --> 00:01:05.600
Port allows us to bring you this podcast each week without resorting to a fee-based subscription.

00:01:05.600 --> 00:01:08.320
We don't want that, and we know you don't either.

00:01:08.320 --> 00:01:09.280
Be sure to check out

00:01:09.640 --> 00:01:11.800
All of our content on the website.

00:01:11.800 --> 00:01:24.360
There, you can read up on all of our guests, read our blog on the various aspects and observations about beekeeping, search for, download, and listen to over 300 past episodes, read episode transcripts, leave comments,

00:01:24.560 --> 00:01:29.920
Comments and feedback on each episode and check on podcast specials from our sponsors.

00:01:29.920 --> 00:01:32.480
You can find it all at www.

00:01:32.720 --> 00:01:34.240
beekeepingtoday.

00:01:34.240 --> 00:01:35.040
com.

00:01:35.040 --> 00:01:38.240
Thank you, Dave Johnson from Wisconsin

00:01:38.140 --> 00:01:39.980
for that opening.

00:01:39.980 --> 00:01:44.540
The Midwest is really taking care of these listener openers, so fantastic.

00:01:44.540 --> 00:01:48.380
We have so many from the Midwest Honey Bee Expo and and many more

00:01:48.460 --> 00:01:51.980
yet to be heard from the North American Honey Bee Expo.

00:01:51.980 --> 00:01:57.020
I think we're pretty good on on openers and one area we're kind of short on.

00:01:57.020 --> 00:01:58.780
We need some new questions.

00:01:58.780 --> 00:01:59.420
Ooh.

00:01:59.420 --> 00:01:59.900
Interesting.

00:02:00.380 --> 00:02:03.260
Listeners who are looking for the hive tool.

00:02:02.720 --> 00:02:07.520
Today's question comes to us from an email from Rich Colvin.

00:02:07.520 --> 00:02:13.200
I'm not going to read the entire question because he's pretty detailed in this question, but he really comes down to

00:02:13.920 --> 00:02:22.000
asking if there's a preference for his Langstreth Hives, whether he should be using like a single deep, a double deep

00:02:22.320 --> 00:02:25.360
or up to three mediums or using all mediums.

00:02:25.360 --> 00:02:26.640
He prefers all mediums.

00:02:26.640 --> 00:02:34.160
It kind of simplifies his frames, simplifies his boxes, just simplifies his operation, just to have one size.

00:02:34.160 --> 00:02:36.000
Is he missing anything?

00:02:35.940 --> 00:02:41.780
He would like to know if there's a preference or a better way of using these.

00:02:42.260 --> 00:02:43.060
Interesting.

00:02:43.060 --> 00:02:45.860
So he's looking at hype configuration and

00:02:46.700 --> 00:02:55.420
Honestly, hype configuration depends upon the bees, the beekeeper, and and what you want to do to get them through winter.

00:02:55.420 --> 00:02:58.620
But all three of those in most climates

00:02:58.840 --> 00:03:02.280
you're going to have to feed your bees to get them into winter, which is fine.

00:03:02.280 --> 00:03:04.040
That's not a big problem.

00:03:04.040 --> 00:03:11.480
But if he does winter in a single deep, that's a little bit more intense.

00:03:11.420 --> 00:03:17.660
because you want to make sure that that single deep has enough both feed and bees.

00:03:17.660 --> 00:03:22.700
And he didn't mention, but I wouldn't try to winter an Italian

00:03:22.940 --> 00:03:24.459
queen in a single deep.

00:03:24.459 --> 00:03:26.300
All of those work really well.

00:03:26.300 --> 00:03:31.660
The Italians will be fine in two deeps, but when you're going with a smaller configuration

00:03:31.860 --> 00:03:41.220
I would want something like a carneolin or a Caucasian be so that they're good with small spaces and can use their reserves cautiously.

00:03:41.160 --> 00:03:43.480
He does not mention what bee he's using.

00:03:43.480 --> 00:03:46.120
He does mention he's in central Ohio.

00:03:46.120 --> 00:03:47.240
Yeah, yeah.

00:03:47.240 --> 00:03:53.000
It'd be hard to push an a Italian colony down into one deep or keep him in one deep.

00:03:52.740 --> 00:03:53.460
through the season.

00:03:53.700 --> 00:03:55.380
Well the that's the other thing too.

00:03:55.380 --> 00:04:05.700
If if you're managing a single deep during swarm season, that you have to really, really work hard and make sure that depending upon the kind of

00:04:05.660 --> 00:04:09.340
bee you kind of honey bee you have, they're not going to swarm on you.

00:04:09.340 --> 00:04:11.740
So it takes a little bit more intense management.

00:04:11.740 --> 00:04:13.980
But I do I like that single brood nest.

00:04:13.980 --> 00:04:19.420
It's nice because then when you go to control mites you've got one brood nest instead of its spread

00:04:19.539 --> 00:04:20.340
across.

00:04:20.340 --> 00:04:25.780
And and he mentioned another thing that I like is using one size frame for everything.

00:04:25.780 --> 00:04:32.340
So he said, you know, three mediums and then your supers, medium supers would match your brood nest.

00:04:32.060 --> 00:04:42.460
And although you keep those frames separate from each other for contamination purposes, you you still have that ease of mixing and matching your equipment.

00:04:42.460 --> 00:04:44.060
And that's that's always nice

00:04:44.139 --> 00:04:51.660
What you've talked about doing in the past is that when you've perhaps you've used a honey uh frame enough, you can move it down

00:04:51.860 --> 00:04:57.300
quickly to the brood and just leave it down there in the brood chamber just to keep your wax fresh down in the brood chamber.

00:04:57.620 --> 00:05:00.900
But I haven't wintered much at all in mediums.

00:05:00.900 --> 00:05:02.660
Is that something you've done, Jeff?

00:05:03.080 --> 00:05:04.280
No, I've not.

00:05:04.280 --> 00:05:10.680
I've grew up in the Midwest and everything was too deep and to this day I kind of maintain a too deep box.

00:05:10.680 --> 00:05:13.800
I know Kim switched to all mediums.

00:05:13.740 --> 00:05:19.180
and was using all mediums all along and he talked about he preferred that all the time.

00:05:19.180 --> 00:05:20.620
You know, just easier to maintain.

00:05:20.620 --> 00:05:21.500
It's lighter.

00:05:21.500 --> 00:05:26.940
One piece one type of equipment he could use as boxers no matter where he needed to.

00:05:26.760 --> 00:05:34.200
And the frames were interchangeable as long as he kept his wax separated, which he was really particular about.

00:05:34.200 --> 00:05:35.000
Okay, okay.

00:05:35.000 --> 00:05:35.640
Yeah.

00:05:35.640 --> 00:05:39.560
But but I I don't see a problem as far as

00:05:40.220 --> 00:05:41.020
what to do.

00:05:41.020 --> 00:05:50.060
I think that what gets confusing is when you start to do like I I do some, like I'll do a deep and a medium for some of my winter configurations.

00:05:50.060 --> 00:05:50.380
And

00:05:50.860 --> 00:05:55.740
once you get through to spring, if you want to move frames around, you've got two different size frames.

00:05:55.740 --> 00:05:59.820
You have to make sure you are aware of all where all your resources are.

00:05:59.820 --> 00:06:03.420
So I I like the fact that he's thinking about it.

00:06:03.139 --> 00:06:05.699
But honestly, it's whatever you like best.

00:06:05.699 --> 00:06:10.340
And the other advantage that we didn't say out loud, but those medium supers are going to weigh less.

00:06:10.340 --> 00:06:14.900
And so it's it's a little bit easier to move them around.

00:06:14.760 --> 00:06:16.680
So yeah, I think I think it's a good question.

00:06:16.680 --> 00:06:19.160
And did we just he gets a hive tool, right?

00:06:19.160 --> 00:06:23.240
Even though we just said a bunch of stuff and didn't give him a firm answer.

00:06:24.760 --> 00:06:25.400
Rich.

00:06:25.620 --> 00:06:27.379
Rich will receive a hive tool.

00:06:27.539 --> 00:06:29.139
We gave him some things to think about.

00:06:29.139 --> 00:06:30.419
You can't go wrong, Rich.

00:06:30.419 --> 00:06:31.940
There's no right or wrong way.

00:06:31.940 --> 00:06:37.300
It's what you're used to and you manage your bees for that box appropriately.

00:06:37.300 --> 00:06:40.259
You can go wrong if you put an Italian in a single deep.

00:06:40.480 --> 00:06:45.120
I mean, for wintering, I wouldn't that wouldn't be my first choice.

00:06:45.120 --> 00:06:48.240
But other that other than that he can't go wrong.

00:06:49.760 --> 00:06:56.320
Well folks coming up today, we have two guests talking about a very topical topic.

00:06:56.320 --> 00:06:58.480
Boy, am I redundant today.

00:06:58.480 --> 00:06:59.200
It's okay.

00:06:59.200 --> 00:07:00.320
It's okay.

00:07:00.800 --> 00:07:04.080
So uh today's topic, it's in the news today.

00:07:03.840 --> 00:07:13.680
the spotted lantern fly and we're talking two experts on spotted lantern fly at spotted lanternfly honey and they will be able to tell us the ups and downs about it.

00:07:13.680 --> 00:07:17.120
I am really looking forward to this discussion because

00:07:18.020 --> 00:07:23.700
It's it's really a special honey and and I bet beekeepers can do some great things with it.

00:07:23.700 --> 00:07:25.940
I'm excited to learn more about it.

00:07:25.860 --> 00:07:26.340
Very good.

00:07:26.340 --> 00:07:28.420
Well coming up, we will be talking with Dr.

00:07:28.420 --> 00:07:29.940
Robin Underwood and Dr.

00:07:29.940 --> 00:07:32.020
Ferrat Osterk.

00:07:32.020 --> 00:07:35.700
I'll have to ask him how he says his name, and we'll be talking to them right after these

00:07:35.960 --> 00:07:38.680
Messages from our sponsors.

00:07:38.680 --> 00:07:50.599
For more than 45 years, Betterbee has proudly supported beekeepers by offering high-quality, innovative products, providing outstanding customer service, many of our

00:07:51.039 --> 00:07:57.680
Staff are beekeepers themselves, and sharing education to help beekeepers succeed.

00:07:57.680 --> 00:08:04.319
Based in Greenwich, New York, Betterbee serves beekeepers all across the United States.

00:08:04.319 --> 00:08:05.599
Whether you're just getting

00:08:06.199 --> 00:08:15.159
started or a seasoned pro, BetterBe has the products and experience to help you and your bees succeed.

00:08:15.139 --> 00:08:16.900
Visit Betterbee.

00:08:16.900 --> 00:08:23.540
com or call 1-800-632-3379.

00:08:23.540 --> 00:08:26.979
Betterbee, your partners in better beekeeping

00:08:32.940 --> 00:08:41.820
This episode of Beekeeping Today podcast is brought to you in part by Apis Tactical, a beekeeping brand focused on innovation.

00:08:42.060 --> 00:08:47.500
They use new designs, new materials, and new ideas to bring more joy to beekeeping.

00:08:47.500 --> 00:08:52.380
Apis Tactical creates a wide range of gear for beekeepers of all types.

00:08:52.380 --> 00:08:56.860
They use new designs, new materials, and new ideas to bring more joy to beekeepers.

00:08:57.060 --> 00:08:57.940
Beekeeping.

00:08:57.940 --> 00:09:06.900
Their products are built with purpose and they're already getting attention well beyond the US, with beekeepers in Europe discovering them through this podcast.

00:09:06.900 --> 00:09:11.700
If you're looking for well-made beekeeping gear from a company that understands the work,

00:09:11.900 --> 00:09:13.980
Take a look at Apis Tactical.

00:09:13.980 --> 00:09:17.260
You can learn more at Apis-tactical.

00:09:17.260 --> 00:09:17.900
com.

00:09:17.900 --> 00:09:24.620
Hey everybody, welcome back, sitting around the great big virtual beekeeping today podcast interview table.

00:09:24.620 --> 00:09:25.500
We have Dr.

00:09:25.500 --> 00:09:26.860
Robin.

00:09:26.440 --> 00:09:28.440
Underwood and Dr.

00:09:28.600 --> 00:09:30.440
Ferrat Osterk.

00:09:30.440 --> 00:09:32.360
Thank you for joining us this afternoon.

00:09:32.360 --> 00:09:34.200
We're so glad you both joined us.

00:09:34.200 --> 00:09:38.360
We're very excited to talk about some spotted lantern fly.

00:09:38.320 --> 00:09:40.880
all the stories you have and the research.

00:09:40.880 --> 00:09:42.160
So thank you.

00:09:42.240 --> 00:09:45.200
Please introduce yourselves to our listeners.

00:09:45.360 --> 00:09:48.320
Give us a little bit of background about yourself.

00:09:48.240 --> 00:09:51.600
And your history with bees and this entire topic.

00:09:51.920 --> 00:09:53.600
Hi, I'm Robin Underwood.

00:09:53.600 --> 00:09:56.720
I work for Penn State Extension.

00:09:56.920 --> 00:10:04.600
And I happen to live in Berks County, Pennsylvania, where spotted lanternflies were first introduced to our country.

00:10:04.600 --> 00:10:07.399
So that's how I came upon this research.

00:10:07.520 --> 00:10:14.400
And it happened because I've been studying honeybees since, you know, before the turn of the century.

00:10:15.280 --> 00:10:17.120
Boy, that sounds that sounds

00:10:17.560 --> 00:10:19.880
That sounds impressive.

00:10:20.440 --> 00:10:23.160
Uh old, yeah.

00:10:23.160 --> 00:10:30.360
So I got a bachelor's degree in entomology where I was lucky enough to take an apidology course with Dewey Karen

00:10:30.860 --> 00:10:40.380
who we all know and love, ended up doing a PhD in Winnipeg, Manitoba, with Robee Curry and on Honeybees and

00:10:40.860 --> 00:10:43.020
you know, have been in love with them ever since.

00:10:43.020 --> 00:10:48.140
I'm currently as Penn State Extensions educator, also a sideliner.

00:10:48.140 --> 00:10:54.460
So I keep about 135 colonies here in Pennsylvania for honey production and also for research

00:10:54.160 --> 00:10:56.160
Is that Eastern Pennsylvania?

00:10:56.160 --> 00:10:57.200
Western Pennsylvania?

00:10:57.200 --> 00:10:58.320
I'm not familiar.

00:10:58.320 --> 00:11:00.640
Yeah, it is Eastern Pennsylvania.

00:11:00.640 --> 00:11:02.240
And Fairhat?

00:11:02.160 --> 00:11:04.240
My name is Dr. Ferhat Ozturk.

00:11:04.240 --> 00:11:08.400
I work at Solros State University International in Eagle Pest, Texas.

00:11:08.400 --> 00:11:14.320
I'm an associate professor of biology and program director of the biomedical sciences.

00:11:14.040 --> 00:11:19.000
I have been studying about medicinal honey for about 14 years.

00:11:19.000 --> 00:11:24.920
So I fell in love with honey in back in 2012 when I was studying about wound healing.

00:11:24.660 --> 00:11:31.060
I found out honey is the ultimate wound healer used by every civilization on earth for thousands of years.

00:11:31.060 --> 00:11:36.820
And I was studying about cleft pellet, how the pellet development occurs in our mouth during the embryogenesis

00:11:36.660 --> 00:11:45.780
and the mechanism of palatogenesis and wound healing is the same and then when I was studying about you know how I can improve this mechanism and I found out honey

00:11:45.860 --> 00:11:47.540
It just came out from there.

00:11:47.540 --> 00:11:53.540
Uh got my PhD in cellular and molecular biology from University of Nevada Reno back in 2003.

00:11:53.540 --> 00:11:55.300
Sorry, 2007.

00:11:54.959 --> 00:11:56.000
And then with Dr.

00:11:56.000 --> 00:11:57.279
Christopher Proda.

00:11:57.279 --> 00:12:07.920
And then I got my postdoc at Creighton University and uh Nebraska Medical Center and worked on cell signaling, bioinformatics, and cleft pellet.

00:12:07.360 --> 00:12:20.080
And then I returned to my home country, Turkey, in 2013 as the director of Honey Research Center there, and then as well as Chair of Molecular Biology and Genetics at the newly established university

00:12:20.000 --> 00:12:22.800
It was called Janik Bashela University.

00:12:22.800 --> 00:12:29.360
It was in my hometown and it was also like I returned to be you know to serve as an ST professor.

00:12:29.060 --> 00:12:38.420
But then I found that they also have the Honey Research Center just being established there by a well-known professor, Kamritin Mohammed Yusuf from Malaysia.

00:12:38.060 --> 00:12:49.900
So he was the initial people, one of the pioneers that used honey for clinical trials in Malaysia and they treated thousands of patients by using just local Tualang honey.

00:12:49.459 --> 00:12:57.620
It was impressive and after that I kind of devoted my life to introduce honey as the a healing for humankind.

00:12:57.300 --> 00:13:04.899
So not only for wound healing, but also for gastrointestinal disease, respiratory infections, skin disorders, you know, even acne.

00:13:04.899 --> 00:13:09.380
So honey can be used for various diseases and I'm trying what I am studying is

00:13:09.459 --> 00:13:15.380
which honey has more medicinal potential and how they can be applied for therapeutic purposes.

00:13:15.380 --> 00:13:17.380
And for I was uh I'm also there

00:13:18.180 --> 00:13:26.580
director of Honey Pathway, which is a USDA next-gen funded program and basically we are teaching our students about

00:13:26.959 --> 00:13:38.240
medicinal properties of honey through research and as well as BKME apprenticeship and like the internships and research about use of honey and bees for various purposes in the research.

00:13:38.240 --> 00:13:38.800
Wow

00:13:38.959 --> 00:13:41.360
I did not know all of that was going on.

00:13:41.360 --> 00:13:43.200
That is very exciting.

00:13:43.200 --> 00:13:44.720
This is gonna be a fun show.

00:13:44.720 --> 00:13:46.880
I am really interested in what you have to say.

00:13:46.880 --> 00:13:49.839
I was a paramedic for quite a few years.

00:13:49.640 --> 00:13:56.360
And during that time I also looked into the medicinal properties of honey and was always excited about what I was reading.

00:13:56.360 --> 00:13:58.920
So we'll have to have more discussion on that.

00:13:58.920 --> 00:14:02.200
But that's not totally reason why we're here today.

00:14:02.200 --> 00:14:03.800
We're we're gonna talk about

00:14:03.959 --> 00:14:05.959
The spotted lanternfly?

00:14:05.959 --> 00:14:09.959
Robin, why don't you give us some background on the spotted lanternfly?

00:14:09.959 --> 00:14:10.519
Okay.

00:14:10.519 --> 00:14:14.519
Spotted lanternfly is a type of insect

00:14:14.759 --> 00:14:17.480
Kind of like an aphid, but only much larger.

00:14:17.480 --> 00:14:19.480
It is a leaf hopper.

00:14:19.480 --> 00:14:27.880
Their mouth is a big hard straw that they poke into plants and suck out the plant phloem, which is the sugar water

00:14:28.220 --> 00:14:30.700
blood system of the plant.

00:14:30.700 --> 00:14:35.660
And while they're doing that, you know, they're drinking all day long and

00:14:36.320 --> 00:14:42.960
Filtering out the nutrients that they need, but then excreting basically sugar water as well.

00:14:42.960 --> 00:14:49.040
So they tap into plants as adults, they're tapping right into trees, right through the bark.

00:14:49.260 --> 00:14:55.900
and excreting this honeydew, which is their excrement, on whatever is below them.

00:14:55.900 --> 00:15:01.100
So it could it's on the trunks of trees, leaves, other insects below them, or meat.

00:15:02.220 --> 00:15:03.100
Are you there?

00:15:03.100 --> 00:15:03.660
Yep.

00:15:03.900 --> 00:15:05.420
Did you say you, Robin?

00:15:05.580 --> 00:15:05.900
Yeah.

00:15:05.900 --> 00:15:06.460
Mm-hmm.

00:15:06.460 --> 00:15:08.300
Because I go toward these insects.

00:15:08.300 --> 00:15:11.660
So so you regularly are dripping with honey too?

00:15:11.839 --> 00:15:14.240
Well, it's it's all for science.

00:15:14.240 --> 00:15:15.120
I love that.

00:15:15.120 --> 00:15:17.519
That is that is such dedication.

00:15:17.519 --> 00:15:18.959
That is fantastic.

00:15:20.079 --> 00:15:24.800
And then I I this is kind of like a Disney movie because if honeydew drips on you then

00:15:24.600 --> 00:15:28.120
Do butterflies land on you and then drink it up?

00:15:28.120 --> 00:15:30.519
Is it I mean, are you like a flower then?

00:15:30.519 --> 00:15:33.639
I suppose I could be if I ever stood still.

00:15:34.280 --> 00:15:42.040
So yeah, what happened is when lantern flies were introduced, like I said, into Berks County, Pennsylvania, of course, you know

00:15:42.160 --> 00:15:46.720
Everyone freaks out about a new invasive species and they tried to eradicate them.

00:15:46.720 --> 00:15:50.000
So they were doing all kinds of things to try to control them

00:15:50.040 --> 00:15:53.560
which included, of course, learning what plants they like.

00:15:53.560 --> 00:15:58.120
And one thing they like as ad as adults is to gather on Tree of Heaven

00:15:58.520 --> 00:16:04.760
Lots of them, that's kind of where the mating occurs, and then they go off and lay eggs late in the season.

00:16:04.760 --> 00:16:11.000
And so they were cutting down most of the tree of heaven, which by the way is also an invasive species.

00:16:10.759 --> 00:16:13.880
So it's not a big deal to be eliminating most of them.

00:16:13.880 --> 00:16:18.600
And then they would spray the bark of these trees with a systemic pesticide

00:16:18.880 --> 00:16:28.640
And the workers were noticing that some beneficial insects were visiting those trees and they got concerned about them getting harmed by the pesticides.

00:16:28.400 --> 00:16:34.400
So I came in and put up some Sentinel beehives to see if I they were bringing it back to the hive.

00:16:34.400 --> 00:16:37.200
And at the time, it was quite early on.

00:16:37.200 --> 00:16:39.760
The paper was published in 2017.

00:16:39.560 --> 00:16:45.880
I did not see any impacts at all of the treatments and the bees were making their normal honey.

00:16:45.880 --> 00:16:48.280
It wasn't until twenty nineteen

00:16:48.720 --> 00:16:53.920
that beekeepers started to notice their honey was different.

00:16:53.920 --> 00:16:58.800
So they suddenly were getting supers full of dark

00:16:59.220 --> 00:17:10.339
honey at times that is normally a dearth here in Pennsylvania, so August, September, and the flavor and odor were just something that was not familiar at all.

00:17:10.240 --> 00:17:18.880
And so the by that time I was working for Penn State and they were calling extension, they were calling the entomology department saying, What is this strange honey?

00:17:19.220 --> 00:17:26.740
And so I was brought back to the research at that time and again, you know, looking for pesticides again.

00:17:26.740 --> 00:17:32.420
So I found a collaborator in a research labee that was able to look for those specific pesticides.

00:17:32.419 --> 00:17:45.860
And I'm naughty, I have not published that work, but um it's clear that spotted lanternflies are involved, that this honey is a result of honeybees collecting the lanternfly honeydew

00:17:46.040 --> 00:17:48.600
Pesticides are not a problem.

00:17:48.600 --> 00:17:53.080
Whatever they're doing, by the time it gets into honey, it's we can't really find it.

00:17:53.080 --> 00:17:56.600
And when we do it at exceedingly low levels, that would be safe.

00:17:56.620 --> 00:17:57.740
for bees.

00:17:57.740 --> 00:18:09.580
But I have been ever fascinated by the this honey and its flavor and every new location that gets lantern flies that has beekeepers, it's a new fascination again

00:18:09.540 --> 00:18:15.060
So this story will never end until the lantern flies have finished occupying the entire country.

00:18:17.260 --> 00:18:18.620
I have so many questions.

00:18:18.620 --> 00:18:19.100
Yeah.

00:18:19.100 --> 00:18:19.580
Go ahead.

00:18:20.059 --> 00:18:22.299
You might have said this in your introduction.

00:18:22.299 --> 00:18:25.980
When was the spotted lantern fly initially found?

00:18:25.740 --> 00:18:26.940
in Berks County.

00:18:27.180 --> 00:18:28.940
They found it in twenty fourteen.

00:18:28.940 --> 00:18:31.660
They think it probably arrived in twenty twelve.

00:18:31.660 --> 00:18:34.700
And interestingly it took about five years for the

00:18:35.419 --> 00:18:44.860
The I think it's because the population has to increase enough so that the honey bees have, you know, large quantities of honeydew to collect.

00:18:44.820 --> 00:18:48.980
And that's exactly what I've seen also now in other places.

00:18:48.980 --> 00:18:53.300
So it's like five years after you first see them, that's when the beekeepers notice the honey.

00:18:53.460 --> 00:18:57.860
In how many states is the spotted lanternfly found now?

00:18:58.180 --> 00:19:00.180
Seventeen or eighteen.

00:19:00.180 --> 00:19:08.260
So a lot of beekeepers are kind of in the the path of finding this unusual honey.

00:19:08.200 --> 00:19:14.120
that they've never seen before and it possibly being the spotted lantern fly honey then.

00:19:14.120 --> 00:19:15.240
That's correct.

00:19:15.240 --> 00:19:15.720
Mm-hmm.

00:19:16.200 --> 00:19:21.560
Let's ask the obvious question right away because I I'm sure all of our listeners are wondering the same thing.

00:19:21.560 --> 00:19:25.160
Is the spotted lanternfly honey safe to eat?

00:19:25.240 --> 00:19:26.600
It is safe to eat.

00:19:26.600 --> 00:19:28.360
Can you call it honey at that point?

00:19:28.360 --> 00:19:31.720
From a legal labeling standpoint, is there an issue?

00:19:31.800 --> 00:19:39.480
It depends who you ask, but in my opinion, and we'll ask for hot this as well, the definition is, you know

00:19:39.840 --> 00:19:47.840
This sweet product that comes from honeybee colonies who collected either floral nectar or

00:19:48.340 --> 00:19:51.299
other exudates of a plant, right?

00:19:51.299 --> 00:19:52.740
So it's all phloem.

00:19:52.740 --> 00:19:54.500
It's just did it go into a flower?

00:19:54.500 --> 00:19:56.740
Did it pass through an insect?

00:19:56.640 --> 00:20:05.600
or even they can directly collect the sap when the lantern fly removes their mouth parts and it starts directly leaking out of the plant through the wound.

00:20:05.720 --> 00:20:09.720
And there are other plants with these extra floral nectaries, right?

00:20:09.720 --> 00:20:13.640
So they all fr are from the same source and to me

00:20:13.940 --> 00:20:17.620
When it's then processed by honey bees, it becomes honey.

00:20:18.260 --> 00:20:20.820
Do you have a good definition for what honey is?

00:20:20.820 --> 00:20:22.899
Yeah, I mean you define it pretty well.

00:20:22.899 --> 00:20:24.980
So honey is basically

00:20:25.120 --> 00:20:36.240
the nectar that has been collected from plant secretion or animal excretions and as well as other from the blossoms of the trees and that has been enzymatically processed

00:20:36.060 --> 00:20:48.060
by the honeybees, like through the invertase enzyme that it's converted from sucrose to glucose and fructose, and then it has been placed and dried by the honeybees, I mean cured by the honeybees.

00:20:47.660 --> 00:20:50.300
So that's kind of the overall definition of the honey.

00:20:50.300 --> 00:20:55.340
So in this c according to this definition, which is International Honey Commission's definition, is this this way.

00:20:55.340 --> 00:20:57.100
And I think USCA does the same.

00:20:57.100 --> 00:20:59.660
So it's a honey-dew honey, but yes

00:20:59.580 --> 00:21:04.060
So two types honeydew honey or blossom honey, but they are both honeys.

00:21:04.060 --> 00:21:09.820
So in essence, instead of talking about sourwood honey, we're talking about lanternfly honey.

00:21:11.440 --> 00:21:12.000
Right?

00:21:12.000 --> 00:21:20.320
Yeah, there are other honeydew honeys I would say like there are for example there is a pine honey, it's a honeydew honey, oak honey, it's another honeydew honey

00:21:20.160 --> 00:21:26.640
Suprece, fur, these are different type of honeydew honeys available in the market or people can buy those.

00:21:26.640 --> 00:21:28.080
Are honeydew honeys

00:21:28.800 --> 00:21:36.320
often very dark or is there a variety of shades of honey if it's from honeydew?

00:21:36.320 --> 00:21:38.880
They do seem to be dark honeys, yes.

00:21:38.880 --> 00:21:43.360
That's kind of exciting for maybe the beekeeper and the consumer.

00:21:43.419 --> 00:21:50.780
And and are are we gonna get there about these the amazing properties of the spotted lanternfly honeydew

00:21:51.040 --> 00:21:55.840
as far as as what makes it maybe different than some of your other kinds of honey.

00:21:55.840 --> 00:21:59.360
Well were you maybe interested in tasting it first?

00:21:59.279 --> 00:21:59.840
Well I'm a little bit more than a lot of people.

00:22:04.559 --> 00:22:07.840
So I can open the jar and start there.

00:22:09.720 --> 00:22:19.799
I I have had this it actually s it's it's actually so I'm more of an IPA person than a honey person.

00:22:19.840 --> 00:22:24.799
So the smell is a good start because it's it's very robust.

00:22:24.799 --> 00:22:26.640
So that's a good start.

00:22:26.640 --> 00:22:28.320
I'm gonna go ahead and taste it.

00:22:28.320 --> 00:22:28.880
Go ahead.

00:22:28.880 --> 00:22:30.480
I'm not afraid.

00:22:30.480 --> 00:22:31.360
I'm not afraid.

00:22:31.360 --> 00:22:32.880
I'm losing my finger, but

00:22:37.120 --> 00:22:39.520
That's a honey.

00:22:39.520 --> 00:22:40.799
That is lovely

00:22:41.820 --> 00:22:44.380
It's not super sweet.

00:22:45.180 --> 00:22:47.580
I found okay, I like very few honeys.

00:22:47.580 --> 00:22:50.620
I found another one that's this is a good one.

00:22:50.620 --> 00:22:51.260
Okay.

00:22:51.260 --> 00:22:52.060
I'll try it.

00:22:52.060 --> 00:22:53.820
I'm giving it thumbs up

00:22:53.940 --> 00:22:56.260
This is the opposite of clover honey.

00:22:56.340 --> 00:23:06.980
So Robin gave us these samples of honey or the spotted landerfly honey or the honeydew honey at the North American Honey Bee Expo in January.

00:23:07.240 --> 00:23:16.440
And she was kind enough to give me this little tiny plastic bear because I was flying home and um I didn't want TSA to enjoy my honey.

00:23:16.440 --> 00:23:17.480
So here we go.

00:23:17.560 --> 00:23:18.440
There we go.

00:23:19.160 --> 00:23:21.720
This is lovely.

00:23:21.720 --> 00:23:24.920
It's bold.

00:23:26.360 --> 00:23:27.560
It's complex.

00:23:29.420 --> 00:23:29.740
Wow.

00:23:31.180 --> 00:23:37.420
I will I will tell you my my daughter who was helping us in the booth and at the North American Honey Bee Expo

00:23:38.120 --> 00:23:39.720
really likes this honey.

00:23:39.720 --> 00:23:44.680
Then when I explained to her what it was, she did she take a step back?

00:23:44.680 --> 00:23:45.720
She took a step back.

00:23:45.720 --> 00:23:46.840
She literally

00:23:47.460 --> 00:23:52.740
I thought I was joking with her as a dad, but no, it's it's but it's it's good.

00:23:52.740 --> 00:23:55.700
So wow that's that's really fascinating.

00:23:55.700 --> 00:23:59.860
So let's take this opportunity right now, since this is a great place to break

00:23:59.500 --> 00:24:03.580
And we'll come back and we'll discuss the honeydoo honey in a little bit more detail.

00:24:03.580 --> 00:24:09.020
We'll be right back after these words from our sponsors.

00:24:09.020 --> 00:24:11.500
Beekeeping is demanding work.

00:24:11.500 --> 00:24:14.460
The last thing you need is equipment that can't keep up.

00:24:14.500 --> 00:24:23.940
That's why Premiere Bee Products builds every frame and hive body in our South Dakota factories with one goal in mind, reliability when it matters most.

00:24:23.940 --> 00:24:29.300
From our beefy pure frames to our natural profila hive bodies with rough interiors,

00:24:29.500 --> 00:24:38.540
We designed for long life in the field and in the colony because we believe that in beekeeping, details make all the difference.

00:24:38.540 --> 00:24:42.780
Premier bee products, better for bees, better for beekeepers.

00:24:43.060 --> 00:24:45.700
Visit online at PremierBproducts.

00:24:45.700 --> 00:24:47.540
com or call us today.

00:24:47.540 --> 00:24:53.220
Use promo code Podcast for 10% off your next online order.

00:24:58.220 --> 00:25:05.019
Beekeepers, if you're looking for a smarter way to support colony health, take a look at bee bites from strong microbials.

00:25:05.019 --> 00:25:11.100
Bee bites are a new protein patty made with spirulina, chlorella, and targeted probiotics.

00:25:11.940 --> 00:25:15.539
To support nutrition without creating new problems in the hive.

00:25:15.539 --> 00:25:24.740
With 15% protein, bee bites are unique because they do not attract small hive beetles, a big deal if you've ever battled infestations during feeding.

00:25:24.740 --> 00:25:26.659
Strong microbials has been supporting.

00:25:26.860 --> 00:25:33.899
Beekeepers and farmers since 2012, developing high-quality commercial probiotics and nutritional supplements you can trust.

00:25:33.899 --> 00:25:38.620
Learn more about Bee Bites and their full line of bee nutrition at strongmicrobials.

00:25:38.620 --> 00:25:39.580
com.

00:25:40.740 --> 00:25:44.340
We'd like to thank Vita Bee Health for supporting this podcast.

00:25:44.340 --> 00:25:48.580
Vita provides proven tools for controlling Varroa, API Stan,

00:25:48.500 --> 00:25:57.700
from Apiguard to the new Roxanne extended release oxalic acid strips, helping beekeepers keep stronger, healthier colonies.

00:25:57.800 --> 00:26:00.520
Welcome back, everybody.

00:26:00.520 --> 00:26:01.640
Oh goodness.

00:26:01.640 --> 00:26:02.120
Okay.

00:26:02.120 --> 00:26:06.360
So so if you've listened to the show, you know that I'm I'm just not a huge fan of honey.

00:26:06.360 --> 00:26:11.960
And and I'm super excited that I've actually found one another one that I I really like.

00:26:11.760 --> 00:26:16.000
I have to ask Robin Fairhat, how do you feel about the the taste of this honey?

00:26:16.000 --> 00:26:24.240
I mean I personally like it and um I have several samples of those and I tasted most of them, uh almost all of them, and I really enjoy them.

00:26:24.240 --> 00:26:24.960
I like the

00:26:25.160 --> 00:26:34.280
darker color honeys because they're not like they look more robust and not regular honeys, not everybody tastes as, you know.

00:26:34.280 --> 00:26:35.240
It's a kind of a

00:26:35.620 --> 00:26:37.860
different taste and I enjoy it.

00:26:38.020 --> 00:26:40.020
I am not a fan.

00:26:40.020 --> 00:26:46.340
I much prefer the very sweet light honeys from Blossoms.

00:26:46.280 --> 00:26:54.840
And it's interesting because part of how we identify the sunny is by the taste, so I'm forced to put that in my mouth.

00:26:54.900 --> 00:26:56.260
Regular food.

00:26:56.260 --> 00:26:56.740
Right.

00:26:56.740 --> 00:27:02.820
I'll be over Well okay, now you know how I feel about having to taste my clover honey.

00:27:02.820 --> 00:27:06.820
So Robin, you you impressed me with everything you do for science

00:27:06.640 --> 00:27:08.400
Rob, this is fantastic.

00:27:08.400 --> 00:27:20.080
Because Robin, you shared you've got a hund over a hundred colonies, a hundred and thirty-five colonies, so come late summer, you are producing a lot of this honey, correct?

00:27:19.500 --> 00:27:22.620
Well it's interesting, I'm not producing that much.

00:27:22.620 --> 00:27:32.700
It seems that when the lantern flies come, they're abundant, you make the honey, and then they kind of move off and go somewhere else, and then I can't make it anymore.

00:27:32.519 --> 00:27:37.720
And so I made it in 2020 in abundance almost by accident.

00:27:37.720 --> 00:27:39.799
And then I made some more this year.

00:27:39.799 --> 00:27:41.559
But in between I didn't.

00:27:41.440 --> 00:27:42.320
Oh interesting.

00:27:42.320 --> 00:27:49.840
So it might just be it might even be like a preference from the bees, possibly, or do you think it's the actual population of the lantern fly?

00:27:49.760 --> 00:27:51.919
I think it's the population of the lantern fly.

00:27:51.919 --> 00:28:01.039
They really like to feed on high trigger pressure phloem and I think they literally like suck the plants dry and they have to go somewhere else with healthier plants.

00:28:01.039 --> 00:28:04.559
What I'm sorry, Robin, that that term you used, high what?

00:28:04.260 --> 00:28:09.700
Turger pressure, like you know, like it flows into their mouth practically from the plant.

00:28:09.700 --> 00:28:10.340
Yeah.

00:28:10.340 --> 00:28:12.100
And have you been tracking it

00:28:12.240 --> 00:28:19.840
for well it hasn't been around, I guess, long enough to have a really good understanding of of what it looks like in everybody's location

00:28:20.520 --> 00:28:23.560
In other locations has it come and gone also?

00:28:23.880 --> 00:28:24.440
It has.

00:28:24.440 --> 00:28:27.800
And it's very, very you know how beekeeping is lo you know, very

00:28:28.400 --> 00:28:33.680
location specific, even within a county, you know, it they're making it here, they're not making it there.

00:28:33.840 --> 00:28:36.400
So it's not reliable, which is unfortunate.

00:28:36.720 --> 00:28:47.200
Because if we do show that this is medicinal and we want to produce it on purpose for those purposes, it may prove to be difficult.

00:28:46.860 --> 00:28:48.059
That's so interesting.

00:28:48.059 --> 00:28:49.740
Let's get to the fair hat.

00:28:49.740 --> 00:28:54.860
Tell us the good properties of this of this spotted lantern fly, honeydew honey.

00:28:54.860 --> 00:28:56.139
What's so good about it?

00:28:56.139 --> 00:28:57.500
What have you found?

00:28:57.260 --> 00:29:04.220
In our lab we analyzed more than 500 honey samples until now, since twenty three twenty-two I would say.

00:29:04.220 --> 00:29:09.419
And then among those honey samples we analyzed, Spotted Lanternfly is a very bright one

00:29:09.160 --> 00:29:10.600
with medicinal properties.

00:29:10.600 --> 00:29:17.240
I would even say it can it is a one of the greatest candidates to become the medicinal honey of the United States.

00:29:17.240 --> 00:29:19.480
Like the manuka honey from New Zealand.

00:29:19.480 --> 00:29:23.960
So Swatterfly honey has the same or similar potential.

00:29:23.720 --> 00:29:35.080
In order to identify southern Lanthanfly honey, thanks to Robin and Penn State, you know, the pollen analysis lab, or they so sorry, Robin's colleagues they were able to identify the QPCR

00:29:35.060 --> 00:29:42.580
To find out the DNA from the spotter lanternfly insect so that we are sure that these are spotted lanternfly honeydew honeys.

00:29:42.580 --> 00:29:46.820
So that is the way how we confirm it's coming from the source.

00:29:46.440 --> 00:29:50.360
And as you know, bees are not do not like monoculture.

00:29:50.360 --> 00:29:55.799
So they go different varieties to collect their nectar and make honey out of this.

00:29:55.480 --> 00:30:03.640
So that's why not every SLF honey or spotted anti-fly honeydew honey is the same amount or is the same quality or the same medicinal value.

00:30:03.640 --> 00:30:09.640
So that's why we measure them by using quantitative PCR, like which is a DNA technique that we checked for the

00:30:09.840 --> 00:30:12.000
presence of the SLF DNA in it.

00:30:12.000 --> 00:30:18.400
And then after that, we analyze their antimicrobial, antioxidant, and physical chemical characteristics.

00:30:18.400 --> 00:30:23.200
So to find out like how many how how large the zone of inhibition of

00:30:23.440 --> 00:30:28.000
How efficient they can kill the bacteria that cause disease in hospital infections.

00:30:28.000 --> 00:30:30.960
And our bacteria cephylococcus aureus

00:30:31.060 --> 00:30:40.340
So we grow uh the bacteria on a loan, I mean on a agar as a loan, and then we open up wells on it and we put the honey into those wells and we measure the

00:30:40.540 --> 00:30:42.300
zone of inhibition next morning.

00:30:42.300 --> 00:30:48.460
So which is like the the larger the size of zone of inhibition, the higher antibacterial activity.

00:30:48.460 --> 00:30:53.420
And when we analyzed these had we had to head comparison with some manuco honey is

00:30:53.440 --> 00:30:56.320
which are purchased from different commercial sources.

00:30:56.320 --> 00:31:02.880
So we found that Spotter Lanton Fly honeys, the average of them is higher than the average of the Manuka honeys

00:31:03.320 --> 00:31:14.760
So, I mean which is a great surprise and at the same time it's a kind of excitement for us because we were able to identify something very unique but also very high potential

00:31:14.640 --> 00:31:18.080
On the other hand, we also look for antioxidant properties.

00:31:18.080 --> 00:31:26.400
So basically, most of the diseases in our body are caused because of the oxidative stress, including Alzheimer and multiple cycloresis, or

00:31:27.000 --> 00:31:35.000
Cardiovascular diseases, as well as some even fetal imperfections, you know, lung diseases, they are all kind of related with oxidative stress.

00:31:35.000 --> 00:31:38.600
And when we can manage the oxidative stress in our body,

00:31:38.160 --> 00:31:40.240
So we will have a healthier life.

00:31:40.240 --> 00:31:46.880
So in order to combat the oxidative stress, we need to get antioxidants into our diet.

00:31:46.560 --> 00:31:55.200
And we get these antioxidants from different fruits, but at the same time, honey is one of the major foods that is rich in antioxidants.

00:31:54.940 --> 00:32:02.860
And again, out of those 500 honey samples we found, there is almost always a uh great correlation between the color of the honey

00:32:02.660 --> 00:32:04.900
and the antioxidant activity.

00:32:04.900 --> 00:32:14.100
So basically we put a free radical into the into the solution and then we add honey into it and we see how quickly or at which percentage

00:32:14.060 --> 00:32:19.740
Honey can scavenge the free radicals which is showing its antioxidant activity or potential.

00:32:19.740 --> 00:32:22.860
So when we analyze spotted antifly honeys,

00:32:22.760 --> 00:32:28.520
Which are usually darker than manuka honeys or other honeys, so they have high antioxidant potential.

00:32:28.520 --> 00:32:34.360
So overall, high antimicrobial activity, high antioxidant potential, it's kind of a golden bullet

00:32:34.240 --> 00:32:36.800
So to be graded as medical grade honey.

00:32:36.800 --> 00:32:41.200
And as Father Lands and Fly honeys, a good number of them are in this category.

00:32:41.360 --> 00:32:44.720
Manuka honey has a a scale, what do they call it the UMF?

00:32:45.760 --> 00:32:47.520
UMF, yes, unique manical factors.

00:32:47.520 --> 00:32:48.559
Yeah, an MGO.

00:32:48.559 --> 00:32:51.520
So how does the lantern fly honey run at scale?

00:32:51.520 --> 00:32:56.559
Because when you look at a jar of manuka honey and you've paid an absorbent amount of money for the manuka honey

00:32:56.640 --> 00:33:02.800
it always has that scale and says it above I can't remember the number on the UMF scale.

00:33:02.800 --> 00:33:07.360
The monocot tree, which is the spermum, it has a sp uh it has a chemical

00:33:07.540 --> 00:33:16.340
uh which is known as DHA and then when it is converted into honey by the honeybees in New Zealand mostly, it will produce MgO, metylglyoxal

00:33:16.200 --> 00:33:22.200
So methylglyoxal is an antiseptic agent, so it kills the bacteria as a chemical.

00:33:22.200 --> 00:33:25.399
But on the other hand, I mean the higher the amount of MGO

00:33:25.580 --> 00:33:34.060
the higher antibacterial potential of the manuka honeys and mgo used to be i mean still some of the manuka companies it use this scaling

00:33:33.960 --> 00:33:41.800
But the New Zealand government has made a new method of classification, they use unique manuka factor or UMF

00:33:41.600 --> 00:33:47.440
And UMF has 5 plus, 10 plus, 15 plus, 20, 25 plus, and above.

00:33:47.440 --> 00:33:52.240
So anything like uh most of the honeys, monocanies that are available on the market are

00:33:52.360 --> 00:33:55.399
10 plus or 15 plus or even 5 plus or less.

00:33:55.399 --> 00:34:02.519
So these are the manuka honeys that are that are still medical grade but not very high and can be used for daily purposes.

00:34:02.519 --> 00:34:02.679
But

00:34:02.860 --> 00:34:12.300
When the UMF value goes 20 or 25 plus, then these are the honeys that are used for that are used for wound gels or for wound dressings or hydrogels.

00:34:12.300 --> 00:34:14.139
So these are the ones that are used for

00:34:14.240 --> 00:34:19.280
Medical applications for burn wounds or other different types of wounds for treatment.

00:34:19.280 --> 00:34:27.440
What we found out is some of the SLF honeys are equivalent or even surpassing the 20 and 25 UMF values

00:34:27.460 --> 00:34:31.220
We are not putting them UMF because it is only for manuka.

00:34:31.220 --> 00:34:36.580
The method that we developed in our lab is uh bioactivity level, which is BAL

00:34:36.740 --> 00:34:45.300
So the bowel value is the the way that we analyze or classify the honeys for for their medicinal potential.

00:34:44.859 --> 00:34:52.619
Is the spotted lanternfly honeydoo honey going to be standardized or how do beekeepers know that they have it

00:34:52.559 --> 00:35:01.039
Currently we are working on standardization of those because we would like to see if there is a s a particular active ingredient coming from the SLF honeys.

00:35:01.039 --> 00:35:06.319
But as Robin mentioned, the SLF, I mean those insects, they will visit

00:35:06.420 --> 00:35:09.460
more than like hundred and seventy different plants.

00:35:09.460 --> 00:35:16.740
So the majority they go for Tree of Heaven or Black Walnut or uh even the vineyards, I mean the the grapes and

00:35:16.760 --> 00:35:25.400
They go and collect them, but also they are as they collect the phloem, they are also collecting those phytochemicals in them like phylloonates and phenolic acids.

00:35:25.400 --> 00:35:29.640
So this is also inserted or embedded into the honey

00:35:29.540 --> 00:35:33.460
when the honey bees collect the honeydew and make uh honey out of it.

00:35:33.460 --> 00:35:37.300
So in terms of standardization, the pollen uh analysis

00:35:37.640 --> 00:35:40.760
is helpful but it's not the only standard right now.

00:35:40.760 --> 00:35:43.079
So we are focusing on on the QPCR.

00:35:43.079 --> 00:35:44.760
The identifying the

00:35:45.240 --> 00:35:49.240
the DNA source and then trying to classify them based on those.

00:35:49.240 --> 00:35:53.480
But overall, uh my approach as a honey uh expert for you know about

00:35:53.940 --> 00:36:01.700
14 years of experience, I usually go with the bioactivity level, so this will encompass any honey in the world as long as it is real honey.

00:36:01.700 --> 00:36:04.740
Any honey in the world will have a bioactivity level

00:36:04.400 --> 00:36:10.160
And then a spotted lantern fly will be on the classification of high bioactivity level honeys.

00:36:10.160 --> 00:36:13.359
What's the moisture content or does that vary also?

00:36:13.460 --> 00:36:15.940
It does, depending on how quickly, yeah.

00:36:15.940 --> 00:36:24.020
I mean, you know, moisture content is mostly dependent on, you know, the m the environment, the climate, but as well as how quickly or how early.

00:36:23.559 --> 00:36:25.559
the beekeepers are collecting the honey.

00:36:25.559 --> 00:36:27.960
So it is as low as I think 13.

00:36:27.960 --> 00:36:30.599
5 and goes all the way to 19.

00:36:30.599 --> 00:36:34.760
8 or something like that among the samples that we analyzed

00:36:34.820 --> 00:36:41.300
So which is kind of dangerous because anything above 18 is considered, you know, uh prone to fermentation.

00:36:41.300 --> 00:36:45.380
You asked how a beekeeper will know they got this without a lab test.

00:36:45.380 --> 00:36:47.540
So of course it's based on

00:36:47.840 --> 00:36:48.560
several things.

00:36:48.560 --> 00:36:57.440
So first of all, the color, odor, and flavor that you experienced in the jar, and also the time of year that it was collected.

00:36:57.520 --> 00:36:59.040
and the location.

00:36:59.040 --> 00:37:03.520
So whether there were lantern flies present and in abundance at the time.

00:37:03.520 --> 00:37:08.400
The test that Farhat is referring to with the QPCR is quantitative.

00:37:08.400 --> 00:37:10.480
So you can kind of find out how much

00:37:10.760 --> 00:37:12.600
lanterfly DNA is in there.

00:37:12.600 --> 00:37:13.960
And it does seem to matter.

00:37:13.960 --> 00:37:18.600
There's some other tests that we've done that show that, you know, there's like high, medium, and low

00:37:19.180 --> 00:37:21.660
Because it's not pure honeydo honey.

00:37:21.660 --> 00:37:23.500
There are other things for them to forage on.

00:37:23.500 --> 00:37:26.460
There could be goldenrod and knotweed and things like that around.

00:37:26.460 --> 00:37:27.099
So it's like

00:37:27.340 --> 00:37:32.780
Partial lantern fly, partial nectar, and again it's going to be very location specific.

00:37:32.780 --> 00:37:35.100
So this honey does vary

00:37:35.140 --> 00:37:38.900
But it's very obvious when lantern fly honeydew is in there.

00:37:39.059 --> 00:37:44.819
Like there's classic, like what you have, the odor, flavor, and color are the aftertaste.

00:37:44.819 --> 00:37:47.059
The aftertaste is like

00:37:48.140 --> 00:37:49.500
It lingers.

00:37:49.500 --> 00:37:50.619
Do you still like it?

00:37:51.099 --> 00:37:52.380
I still like it, yeah.

00:37:52.380 --> 00:37:56.619
I like I said, give me an IPA, I'm very happy.

00:37:56.940 --> 00:37:59.579
So this is my kind of honey.

00:37:59.579 --> 00:38:02.859
I like I liked Robin's uh skepticism.

00:38:03.480 --> 00:38:05.079
And you still like it?

00:38:05.400 --> 00:38:07.160
I still like this honey.

00:38:07.160 --> 00:38:08.920
No, I love this honey.

00:38:08.920 --> 00:38:10.040
I love this honey.

00:38:10.040 --> 00:38:11.480
But let's let's talk about it.

00:38:11.480 --> 00:38:12.280
So this is

00:38:12.559 --> 00:38:15.680
It's kind of it's so exciting to have a medicinal honey.

00:38:15.680 --> 00:38:17.200
I've got two questions.

00:38:17.200 --> 00:38:19.279
One, let's just start here.

00:38:19.279 --> 00:38:21.200
What does this do for the bees?

00:38:21.200 --> 00:38:24.799
Do we know that this honey is great for the bees to winter?

00:38:24.720 --> 00:38:27.119
on because they're collecting it late season.

00:38:27.119 --> 00:38:29.920
Does do they get benefits from this honey?

00:38:30.000 --> 00:38:31.359
That is a great question.

00:38:31.359 --> 00:38:35.839
I'm glad you're asking me that because I've changed my tune on that.

00:38:36.040 --> 00:38:39.240
Certainly, it's a great savings to the beekeepers.

00:38:39.240 --> 00:38:45.000
If the bees can just feed themselves, right, they will fill up their hive and then some with this honey.

00:38:45.000 --> 00:38:46.040
Lots of winters.

00:38:46.040 --> 00:38:47.960
We've had great success.

00:38:47.840 --> 00:38:57.280
However, this year we had in Pennsylvania a very long cold spell where they couldn't fly for a very long time.

00:38:57.480 --> 00:39:03.240
and I'm s hearing and seeing in my own hives some dysentery.

00:39:03.240 --> 00:39:08.600
So honeydo honey is quite well known to have too high of an ash content.

00:39:08.860 --> 00:39:23.020
I don't have the data yet on that, but that's like my next sort of area of research is to go and collect honey from colonies with dysentery and without dysentery and and measure the, you know, electrical conductivity and see because

00:39:23.580 --> 00:39:33.340
I think the honey's okay as long as the bees can have cleansing flights regularly, but I'm fearing now that perhaps if we have a winter like this year

00:39:33.640 --> 00:39:35.480
it it could cause some harm.

00:39:35.480 --> 00:39:41.000
I I don't know what to tell beekeepers about how to predict what the wenders gonna be like or w how they should respond.

00:39:41.000 --> 00:39:42.520
I haven't had a chance.

00:39:42.520 --> 00:39:43.000
Right.

00:39:43.000 --> 00:39:43.319
Right.

00:39:43.319 --> 00:39:44.760
No that's and that's even

00:39:45.320 --> 00:39:48.200
it's I mean it's even tricky to navigate that.

00:39:48.200 --> 00:39:53.640
How do you how do you keep them from storing that in their ne in the brood nest?

00:39:53.960 --> 00:39:55.480
You'd have to move the hive.

00:39:55.480 --> 00:40:02.040
Or or in Europe they have to like strip it out and then feed them back sugar water, which I don't want to have

00:40:03.060 --> 00:40:13.780
I remember I I remember I was looking up some really, really old over a I think hundred year data uh reports on molasses and ash content and

00:40:14.040 --> 00:40:25.560
And I I I caught that there's that honeydew reference as far as the early on beekeepers knew that or they they were saying that wintering and on honeydew led to dysentery

00:40:25.840 --> 00:40:30.000
And they were they were looking at that and the ash content and the and the honeydew.

00:40:30.000 --> 00:40:31.600
So that's so interesting.

00:40:31.600 --> 00:40:34.240
So again, I'm gonna go toward the hives with

00:40:34.160 --> 00:40:35.840
poop on them for science.

00:40:36.320 --> 00:40:40.800
I I you are just a giver, Robin.

00:40:42.240 --> 00:40:43.840
I I have to ask

00:40:43.940 --> 00:40:45.060
You mentioned knotweed.

00:40:45.060 --> 00:40:47.060
Did you mean Japanese knotweed?

00:40:47.060 --> 00:40:53.220
Because I I found that for the first time in my bees and I collected a bunch of it.

00:40:53.220 --> 00:40:55.540
It took a little while to figure out what it was.

00:40:55.540 --> 00:40:55.859
But

00:40:56.000 --> 00:40:59.760
That is dark too, but just not as dark as the lantern fly.

00:40:59.760 --> 00:41:01.840
Yeah, it looks blood red in the hive.

00:41:01.840 --> 00:41:02.720
It's really cool.

00:41:02.720 --> 00:41:06.640
And it it also doesn't taste as bad as clover honey.

00:41:10.200 --> 00:41:18.600
So the so the lantern fly, if I recall right, is spreading pretty quickly across the United States and they're worried about it being in the

00:41:18.680 --> 00:41:21.400
You mentioned they feed on the grapes as well.

00:41:21.400 --> 00:41:26.280
I know that there is some concern about the lantern fly in Oregon and Washington State here too.

00:41:26.280 --> 00:41:29.080
Like all invasive species, there's really not much

00:41:29.700 --> 00:41:34.260
Anyone or the beekeepers can do about the spotted lantern fly is there.

00:41:34.260 --> 00:41:35.940
Cut down all the tree of heaven.

00:41:35.940 --> 00:41:37.140
Good luck with that

00:41:37.460 --> 00:41:41.059
Yeah, it is a major problem for grapes, for vineyards.

00:41:41.059 --> 00:41:43.859
You know, that is the main commodity that suffers.

00:41:43.859 --> 00:41:49.940
And so there are lots of extension materials for them, specifically about lanterflies.

00:41:49.760 --> 00:41:56.960
Spider and Lanternfly, they're invasive, not good, but there are definitely beekeepers who are now benefiting from this.

00:41:56.960 --> 00:42:01.280
They're kind of making the best out of a bad situation as far as able to

00:42:01.540 --> 00:42:04.980
collect and sell the honey and report on the properties.

00:42:04.980 --> 00:42:09.940
So is that happening across these seventeen or so states?

00:42:09.840 --> 00:42:13.440
Where people are beekeepers are specializing in lantern fly honey?

00:42:13.440 --> 00:42:15.040
Well, I see both ends.

00:42:15.040 --> 00:42:22.480
I see beekeepers that are like, this is gross, I don't like it, I don't want to sell it, I don't know what to do with it.

00:42:22.140 --> 00:42:25.900
And they just kind of put it in a pail and in the corner.

00:42:25.900 --> 00:42:32.299
And then there's others that are absolute brilliant marketers who are like, I'm gonna make this a thing and I'm gonna

00:42:32.440 --> 00:42:36.920
you know, charge extra and make it look appealing and they're doing very well.

00:42:36.920 --> 00:42:41.400
So it's, you know, everyone has their own op opinion of the flavor and

00:42:41.859 --> 00:42:47.460
It's usefulness, but my advice is at least let the consumer know what they're buying.

00:42:47.460 --> 00:42:48.579
That makes sense.

00:42:48.579 --> 00:42:49.700
That makes sense

00:42:49.900 --> 00:42:51.660
Taste it first.

00:42:51.660 --> 00:43:01.020
So And maybe I would uh just uh step in here for the selling this other Lanthrim fly honey as you know it's a high medicinal value or it is a great honey.

00:43:00.660 --> 00:43:11.780
In order for the honey to be in the medical uh medicinal market or to be as medical grade, so there are some additional steps that needs to be taken, like the storage conditions, but as well as you know harvesting time

00:43:11.740 --> 00:43:13.100
you know less moisture.

00:43:13.100 --> 00:43:23.260
But there's also a gamma sterilization, uh s uh especially for manuka honey they always do this because there might be some endospores that uh inside the honey that may cause

00:43:23.180 --> 00:43:27.180
you know maybe design to any bees or other uh you know other organisms as well.

00:43:27.180 --> 00:43:34.220
So do not I mean try not to buy any medicinal honey from a corner store or you know something like that because

00:43:34.460 --> 00:43:49.100
I mean, yes, honey is medicine and has been used for thousands of years, but according to the the regulations in the the you know, medicin market today or medicinal, you know, value or FTA, so the medical grade honeys, they have to go through the process of

00:43:49.160 --> 00:43:54.440
gumma serilization to be considered or to be consumed as uh medical grade honey.

00:43:54.440 --> 00:43:58.920
I was at my local farmer market and I picked up a jar of honey and it listed

00:43:59.420 --> 00:44:08.620
every single possible benefit that that honey could give you and I was like, oh, we should be more careful than that when we're putting things on the label because

00:44:09.080 --> 00:44:13.000
It was it was curing, diabetes, it was it was doing all of these things.

00:44:13.000 --> 00:44:17.880
So really be careful everybody as far as sort of what you're claiming your honey can do.

00:44:17.880 --> 00:44:23.560
I mean it's exciting to be able to talk about it and to talk about what the research has shown.

00:44:23.640 --> 00:44:28.279
But be really careful about not practicing medicine with your with your honey.

00:44:28.279 --> 00:44:35.799
The honey, dew honey from the spotted lantern fly has some qualities to it that people either like or don't like.

00:44:35.559 --> 00:44:38.440
Robin doesn't like, Becky does.

00:44:38.440 --> 00:44:39.960
No, I love it.

00:44:40.200 --> 00:44:45.240
We're we're looking at the the potential medicinal properties of the honey

00:44:45.200 --> 00:44:47.599
And I think that's really, really exciting.

00:44:47.599 --> 00:44:54.079
I know it's honey is very important in wound care and from ulcers and uh non-healing wounds.

00:44:54.240 --> 00:45:02.800
and to have another source of honey for this from an invasive species that's making good out of bad, basically, you know, so that's

00:45:03.140 --> 00:45:09.859
I I like looking at the positive side of that and I'm hopeful that we can find that use for it.

00:45:09.859 --> 00:45:11.380
That was well said.

00:45:11.160 --> 00:45:13.240
Thank you, it was roughly said.

00:45:13.240 --> 00:45:19.320
But yeah, it it is it the effect of a sell of honey that you just tried?

00:45:19.320 --> 00:45:20.920
I mean it's kind of slow you down or not.

00:45:21.480 --> 00:45:22.520
See unicorns.

00:45:22.520 --> 00:45:23.000
What is it?

00:45:23.000 --> 00:45:24.600
What is good in this honey

00:45:27.640 --> 00:45:31.880
What else should we know about the spotted lanternfly and or the honeydoo honey?

00:45:31.880 --> 00:45:39.160
I'll I'll say that the spotted lanternflies is making it more difficult for beekeepers to move their bees from state to state.

00:45:39.480 --> 00:45:47.880
So if you are in a state that has spotted landerfly and you do move your bees to pollination, that requires extra certification.

00:45:47.760 --> 00:45:54.000
And that's not because of the honey, it's because of the egg cases and the the spotted lantern fly itself.

00:45:54.000 --> 00:45:56.960
It's just like anything, you need to get to know your pest, right?

00:45:56.960 --> 00:46:02.560
Like we all very well know the Varroamite life cycle because we need to understand the enemy.

00:46:02.100 --> 00:46:03.940
Same thing with spotted lander flies.

00:46:03.940 --> 00:46:05.220
You need to know their life cycle.

00:46:05.220 --> 00:46:13.780
You need to recognize the egg cases and what they look like as nymphs and what they look like as an adult so that you don't carry them to new places.

00:46:13.780 --> 00:46:17.060
Because they will lay their eggs on anything.

00:46:16.420 --> 00:46:18.260
practically any flat surface.

00:46:18.260 --> 00:46:22.100
They like your wood pallets, you know, they like rusty metal.

00:46:22.100 --> 00:46:23.700
Could be anything.

00:46:23.780 --> 00:46:26.580
Is there an estimated distribution of this pest?

00:46:26.580 --> 00:46:29.140
Is do they think that it's going to

00:46:29.900 --> 00:46:32.140
Travel all the way west?

00:46:32.140 --> 00:46:40.300
Well, first of all, if anybody wants to track where they are currently, you go to the Cornell webpage and look for the spotted lanternfly map.

00:46:40.300 --> 00:46:42.860
They are the ones that maintain the map

00:46:42.840 --> 00:46:47.080
regularly, every time there's a new sighting, new spot, they add it to the map.

00:46:47.080 --> 00:46:53.160
There also was a paper that tried to predict the distribution that will be

00:46:53.520 --> 00:47:01.200
And if I remember correctly, it was based on pretty much everywhere where there's tree of heaven was a

00:47:01.740 --> 00:47:03.820
you know, where they're probably going to be.

00:47:03.820 --> 00:47:05.180
Do you know what zone that is?

00:47:05.180 --> 00:47:08.220
I'm sorry, I'm I'm asking you all the tough questions.

00:47:08.620 --> 00:47:12.380
I just I don't think we have tree of heaven in my part of Minnesota.

00:47:12.380 --> 00:47:14.940
Great, then you might be safe because they've shown that

00:47:14.940 --> 00:47:19.260
Technically, lantern flies can reproduce without it, but they do very poorly.

00:47:19.260 --> 00:47:24.460
So they would much prefer to have it and uh do very well when they have.

00:47:24.540 --> 00:47:25.580
Tree of heaven.

00:47:25.580 --> 00:47:28.140
And I think another thing is that the climate.

00:47:28.140 --> 00:47:34.140
I think I don't know if they will be ever come to very south like Florida or Texas or those areas.

00:47:34.120 --> 00:47:37.160
because of the like very hot uh summers.

00:47:37.160 --> 00:47:38.840
It's hardy to zone four.

00:47:39.160 --> 00:47:40.760
Zone four to eight.

00:47:40.760 --> 00:47:47.720
Well, Robin for hot, we really appreciate you coming this afternoon and talking to us about the spotted lantern fly and

00:47:48.160 --> 00:47:55.520
SLH Honeydew Honey and giving us an opportunity to taste it live on the podcast.

00:47:55.520 --> 00:47:58.320
Well, it's recorded live on the podcast.

00:47:58.320 --> 00:48:00.080
And get our reaction.

00:48:00.080 --> 00:48:01.760
It's really quite fun.

00:48:01.720 --> 00:48:10.520
And look forward to learning more as we learn more about the uses of the honey and also of the spotted lantern fly as it makes its way across the country.

00:48:10.660 --> 00:48:12.020
Yeah, thank you both.

00:48:12.020 --> 00:48:18.020
What a resource both of you are as far as taking the lead on getting down to what

00:48:18.359 --> 00:48:24.520
this honey means for beekeepers, for bees, and for wound healing and mid medicine.

00:48:24.520 --> 00:48:25.640
So thank you both.

00:48:25.640 --> 00:48:26.440
Thanks for having me.

00:48:26.440 --> 00:48:27.400
It's my pleasure.

00:48:27.400 --> 00:48:29.800
Thanks for helping us spread the word.

00:48:31.000 --> 00:48:33.160
It's gonna be hard for anybody to take that jar.

00:48:33.680 --> 00:48:36.640
of honeydew honey out of your hands.

00:48:36.640 --> 00:48:41.280
I'm actually considering I need to start looking for a new source of this honey.

00:48:41.280 --> 00:48:43.040
This is the best honey.

00:48:44.160 --> 00:48:45.200
So good.

00:48:45.200 --> 00:48:47.040
It like it it just

00:48:47.160 --> 00:48:49.800
It's just such a cool honey.

00:48:49.800 --> 00:48:51.080
I it's so impressive.

00:48:51.080 --> 00:48:52.120
It's so different.

00:48:52.120 --> 00:48:54.680
And it's I mean it's different than buckwheat honey.

00:48:54.680 --> 00:48:56.760
It's differ different than the Japanese knotwood.

00:48:56.760 --> 00:48:59.720
It's different than any honey I've ever had.

00:48:59.520 --> 00:49:04.400
It doesn't taste like manuka honey, but you can kind of taste some of those undertones.

00:49:04.480 --> 00:49:05.200
Those qualities.

00:49:05.200 --> 00:49:05.440
Yeah.

00:49:05.839 --> 00:49:08.560
I find anything with a hydrogen peroxide or the high

00:49:09.380 --> 00:49:14.740
values like that has a medicinal type kind of aftertaste or taste to it.

00:49:14.740 --> 00:49:22.020
And I was looking at the on the Cornell website and and it doesn't look like the spotted lantern fly is supposed to be very big in

00:49:22.520 --> 00:49:23.640
Minnesota.

00:49:23.640 --> 00:49:24.440
Ever.

00:49:24.440 --> 00:49:27.000
Yeah, mill maybe a little bit down in the southeast corner.

00:49:27.400 --> 00:49:27.720
Yeah.

00:49:27.720 --> 00:49:32.680
That's interesting because the whole like that association with the Tree of Heaven and

00:49:33.700 --> 00:49:41.380
I even though we are in that zone now, I haven't I just haven't heard of it being planted or spreading

00:49:41.440 --> 00:49:42.400
I could be wrong.

00:49:42.400 --> 00:49:51.920
I could definitely be corrected, but I don't see where this is the map I'm looking at is connected with the tree of heaven, but it's kind of like the known risk regions.

00:49:51.840 --> 00:50:04.560
And so it's Central California, very big, of course through the all the the valley there, Central Valley, and eastern uh Washington and Oregon where all the orchards and vineyards are

00:50:04.660 --> 00:50:07.700
And up cross a big swath of the the Midwest.

00:50:07.700 --> 00:50:08.900
So I hope.

00:50:08.900 --> 00:50:12.180
I mean and it would not be good for my bees

00:50:12.720 --> 00:50:17.039
to feed on and store that kind of honey for the winter with that ash content.

00:50:17.039 --> 00:50:24.480
So even though I really like this honey and and and I of course I never wish for an invasive species to come.

00:50:24.460 --> 00:50:25.260
to spread.

00:50:25.260 --> 00:50:28.220
So even though some of them the bees really, really like.

00:50:28.220 --> 00:50:34.460
But I will say, I will say though, it it it would be easier for beekeepers if

00:50:34.840 --> 00:50:42.760
it stays in a little bit warmer climates so that uh the bees are able to take their cleansing flights and um it's not a concern.

00:50:42.760 --> 00:50:49.000
Because that's I I know I look at the calendar, there are i it's weeks between the bees being able to

00:50:49.340 --> 00:50:58.060
get out and and when they do it's still it's like thirty-two degrees and and a sunny day, which is, you know, not a great day for a bunch of bees to leave the colony and fly.

00:50:58.060 --> 00:50:58.860
So No.

00:50:58.880 --> 00:51:00.640
Yeah, it makes a mess also.

00:51:00.880 --> 00:51:09.120
Like I mentioned before, I do like the fact that there is some good that could potentially be found in this honey, and I I I'll just focus on that.

00:51:08.960 --> 00:51:10.480
I'll be probably annish about it.

00:51:10.800 --> 00:51:16.560
I no, I I I I really it it's exciting and and Robin was just mentioning to us about how

00:51:16.840 --> 00:51:31.560
the story of the the spotted lantern fly honey is is interesting and people enjoy it and honestly people are really sophisticated when it comes to tastes and flavors and I think they're really embracing just the variety of of honey.

00:51:31.540 --> 00:51:33.700
that beekeepers can provide.

00:51:33.700 --> 00:51:35.380
So I I agree with you.

00:51:35.380 --> 00:51:37.140
We can we can be positive about this.

00:51:37.140 --> 00:51:42.180
Negative about the impact to beekeepers moving bees or to the vegetation.

00:51:42.180 --> 00:51:44.420
But let's be positive about the honey.

00:51:45.320 --> 00:51:49.400
And that about wraps it up for this episode of Beekeeping Today.

00:51:49.400 --> 00:51:54.600
Before we go, be sure to follow us and leave us a five-star rating on Apple Podcasts.

00:51:54.640 --> 00:51:56.960
or wherever you stream the show.

00:51:56.960 --> 00:52:02.000
Even better, write a quick review to help other beekeepers discover what you enjoy.

00:52:02.000 --> 00:52:08.160
You can get there directly from our website by clicking on the reviews tab on the top of any page.

00:52:08.160 --> 00:52:09.119
We want to thank Better

00:52:09.880 --> 00:52:13.319
Our presenting sponsor for their ongoing support of the podcast.

00:52:13.319 --> 00:52:22.680
We also appreciate our longtime sponsors, Global Patties, Strong Microbials, and Northern Bee Books for their support in bringing you each week's episode.

00:52:22.680 --> 00:52:24.279
And most importantly, thank you for the next video.

00:52:24.720 --> 00:52:26.559
for listening and spending time with us.

00:52:26.559 --> 00:52:30.960
If you have any questions or feedback, just head over to our website and drop us a note.

00:52:30.960 --> 00:52:32.319
We'd love to hear from you.

00:52:32.319 --> 00:52:34.000
Thanks again everybody