of small insects (of the aphid family) that feed on tree sap. This is animal origin honeydew honey.
In rarer cases, honeydew honey can also be of vegetal origin, i.e. obtained directly from the sweet sap of trees’ shoots or leaves.
We should note, however, that not all trees are a source of honeydew, whether animal or vegetal (see some examples below).
One characteristic of honeydew honey is its chemical composition. With slight differences from one type to another, it contains about 16% water, 38% fructose, 27% glucose. The fact that fructose is present in a much higher percentage than glucose means that honeydew honey does not crystallize (or it crystallizes extremely slowly, over several years).
Honeydew honey is dark in colour: dark brown to black, with greenish or reddish hues. It is viscous and highly mineralized (5 to 10 times more than floral honey).
It can be obtained from:
❧ coniferous forests (fir, spruce, pine, cedar)
In most cases, honeydew honey comes from the sweet secretions of small insects (of the aphid family) that feed on tree sap. This is animal origin honeydew honey.
In rarer cases, honeydew honey can also be of vegetal origin, i.e. obtained directly from the sweet sap of trees’ shoots or leaves.
We should note, however, that not all trees are a source of honeydew, whether animal or vegetal (see some examples below).
One characteristic of honeydew honey is its chemical composition. With slight differences from one type to another, it contains about 16% water, 38% fructose, 27% glucose. The fact that fructose is present in a much higher percentage than glucose means that honeydew honey does not crystallize (or it crystallizes extremely slowly, over several years).
Honeydew honey is dark in colour: dark brown to black, with greenish or reddish hues. It is viscous and highly mineralized (5 to 10 times more than floral honey).
It can be obtained from:
❧ coniferous forests (fir, spruce, pine, cedar)