Honeydew: what is it?

Honeydew is a liquid slime excreted by some parasitic insectssuch as aphid, psyllid, cochineal or whitefly. These insects bite the tender parts of plants to feed on the sap. This passes through a device called a filtering chamber which separates the matter nitrogen (which serves as food for the insect) sugars. These are excreted without passing through the intestines to form honeydew. The aphid is by far the insect that produces the most.

honeydew honey

The honeydew deposited on the leaves, the needles or the trunks can be foraged by bees which will make honey from it, like that made from the nectar of flowers. This honey is called honeydew honey. It is generally darker and somewhat less sweet than nectar honey, but contains more acids amino acids, antioxidants and trace elements. Rich in fructosethe Honey Honeydew generally crystallizes slowly, except that produced from larch, which contains a sugar called melezitose. The latter causes the honey to crystallize in the cells, which therefore cannot serve as food for the bees.

If it is appreciated by beekeepers, honeydew is feared by gardeners, because it tends to attract ants and parasites such as sooty mold, a fungus that coats the leaf and prevents the photosynthesis. Very sticky, the honeydew also causes dirt on the carsthem terraces and monuments.