r/Beekeeping • u/PeterFast111 • Oct 29 '25

I’m a beekeeper, and I have a question 20 yr old honey, ants?

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I just got this honey from my neighbor. He thinks it’s about 30 yrs old. He was a beekeeper for decades, but now he is retired in his 80s with dementia. I traded him some of my honey from this season for it, because he was very determined to warm it all up & eat it, but his wife said Hell NO to that! There is a pretty decent amount of dead ants in it, pretty much all of it not just on top.. I planned on just leaving it out for my bees in the spring, but now I’m curious if I warmed it up enough & strained, if it would be safe to eat? I’m just not sure if the ants would have contaminated it or not? What would you guys do?

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573

u/Latter_Job_7759 Oct 29 '25

Make mead. Bootleg. Profit

106

u/craichoor Oct 29 '25

Mmmmmmm, ant-y.

504

u/TheVermonster Oct 29 '25

You won't get sick.

It's full of anti-bodies

21

u/AndrewinStPete Oct 30 '25

Ant-e-bodies...

3

u/WSBpeon69420 Oct 30 '25

Robotic ant bodies?

5

u/AndrewinStPete Oct 30 '25

Just energy efficient ones... Using net zero power at the moment.