# Does Goldenrod nectar smell like dirty, sour, wet socks?



## rainesridgefarm (Sep 4, 2001)

Most likely goldenrod. foulbrood does smell like death.


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## wltwine (Oct 13, 2009)

I think it's the goldenrod, I had the same situation last year at this time. and my bees are fine, and it had the smell of dirty wet socks.


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## waynesgarden (Jan 3, 2009)

I'll vote for goldenrod, but I have to ask, if you have been worried that you may have foulbrood for the last 4 weeks, why haven't you opened your hive to check? If there ever is a time a hive needs immediate, drop everything and stop wondering and do it now attention, it is when there is even a hint of foulbrood.

Wayne


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## hemichuck (Oct 27, 2009)

Its the goldenrod.My whole yard smells like a locker room this week.I'm glad that smell dont carry over to the honey.


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## ChristopherA (Jul 20, 2010)

Some treatments smell like dirty socks. We recently had a class on how to judge honey where one of the judges brought some honey that had been treated and it smelled like dirty socks or rotten corn.


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## lulubee (Apr 14, 2010)

Thanks for the replies. Waynesgarden, I did inspect bees and they all seem to be thriving and busy, but I just didn't know if I was missing something. They are new Italian package installed in May. Two deeps and they never did draw the super, so I thought something was amiss. Then I got SHB and am looking into how that might affect hive. Books just don't give me enough info.


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## Barry (Dec 28, 1999)

People give this smell a bad rap. I love the smell and look forward to it every year. It's one of those unique smells that's associated with beekeeping that brings back good memories for me. My wife and I went out last night and when we came home and got out of the car that was the first smell to hit my nose and I took a deep breath. :thumbsup:


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## devdog108 (May 7, 2009)

Im with Barry and can smell it 100 yards away. Thats a goooood smell this time of year!


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## honeyshack (Jan 6, 2008)

I asked our beeinspector what AFB smelled like. To her, AFB smelled like a sweet sickly fishy smell. Quite disgusting were her words


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## Wits End (May 16, 2009)

I was worried about the dirty sock smell last year. I could even smell it in the honey. But everyone else said it was the best honey they ever tasted and it was. So this year I am loving the dirty sock smell! Not that my socks smell like that of course.


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## Skinner Apiaries (Sep 1, 2009)

Yea goldenrod. AFB smells like rotting bugs. Kind of like an old cricket bucket. Smelly feet smell wont kill ya, it'll cure out.


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