Pink Honey Isn’t What You Think
- Pete Rizzo
- Jul 4
- 4 min read
We Found Pink Honey in a Hive. The Truth Behind It Is a Warning to Beekeepers and Homeowners
Yesterday, during one of our bee removals here in Las Vegas, we stumbled upon something strange.
Inside the hive, glistening in the comb, was something we’d never seen in all our years of beekeeping: bright pink honey.
At first glance, it looked like some kind of novelty product, like something you’d expect to see at a candy store, not inside a real beehive. But this wasn’t a joke. It was real, and it was being made by living, hardworking bees.
The question was: how?
After some investigating, we cracked the case, and what we found deserves your attention.
The Shocking Source of Pink Honey
Bees in the area had discovered a backyard hummingbird feeder full of red-dyed sugar water. Yup, the kind you can buy pre-mixed at garden stores or grocery chains. And just like that, the bees started collecting it.
Bees are smart, efficient foragers. When nectar is scarce, they’ll seek out any sugary liquid nearby, and that includes hummingbird feeders. These feeders often use red dyes to attract hummingbirds. But when bees access them, they don’t see the difference between real flower nectar and artificially dyed sugar syrup.
So what happens?
The bees bring the dyed syrup back to the hive, store it in the comb, and cap it just like they would with regular nectar. The result: combs filled with pink-colored honey.
Only it’s not honey. It’s red dye # 40 sugar syrup in a bee disguise.
This Isn’t Honey and It’s Not Safe
Let’s get one thing straight: what we found inside that hive was not real honey. It was sugar water, tinted with dye, processed by bees and stored in wax.
It lacked the enzymes, micronutrients, and natural floral compounds that real honey contains. And the red dye? It doesn’t belong anywhere near the inside of a beehive.
That pink “honey” was a warning.
It’s not just unnatural — it could be harmful to the bees and to anyone who might unknowingly eat it.
Artificial dyes like Red # 40 have no nutritional value.
They can contaminate an entire honey harvest.
And worst of all — this isn’t a one-off incident.
If bees are getting into hummingbird feeders filled with dyed syrup in Las Vegas, it’s likely happening elsewhere too.
What We Learned And What You Should Know
Bees don’t naturally make pink honey. Period.
If you see it in stores, online, or even trending on social media, you’re looking at one of two things:
Artificially flavored and colored sugar spreads being sold as “specialty” honey.
Contaminated honey from bees collecting dyed sugar water like we witnessed.
Either way, it’s not pure, raw honey. And as beekeepers who deeply care about the health of our bees and the integrity of honey, we felt compelled to speak up.
The Role of Hummingbird Feeders
If you use a hummingbird feeder, please don’t use red dye.
The red color is unnecessary as most feeders are already red plastic to attract hummingbirds. But adding dye to the liquid does nothing for the birds and can be devastating for the birds and bees.
Not only do the bees lose out on real nutrition, but they unknowingly bring back that contaminated sugar to the hive, mix it with their stores, and pass it on to the colony. Over time, this can weaken the hive and jeopardize honey quality.
Here’s what we recommend:
Make your own nectar for hummingbirds with a 4:1 ratio of water to white sugar because no coloring is needed.
Place feeders away from bee activity and have bee guards on each feeding station.
Keep an eye out for bee traffic at your feeder. if you see bees on it, it might be time to relocate it.
At Vegas Bees, we believe education is just as important as removal or relocation. And what we saw inside that hive shocked us enough to tell the world.
If it’s happening in one backyard, it’s probably happening in dozens more.
And if someone harvested that pink comb, bottled it, and sold it at a farmers market or online, people might actually believe it was a rare honey variety, even though it was nothing more than colored sugar water.
That’s not honey. That’s a warning sign.
Our Final Thoughts
Nature never intended honey to look like a gumball. What we saw inside that hive wasn’t a sweet surprise, it was a sobering reminder that bees live in the same world we do, and every action we take can ripple through the ecosystem.
So let’s keep it real. Let’s protect our bees and let’s call out fake honey wherever we see it. Whether it’s made by marketing gimmicks, or caused by a well-meaning feeder in someone’s backyard.
If you’re in Las Vegas and have questions about your bees, your honey, or your feeders, Please talk to us. We’re here to help, and we’re not afraid to speak the truth.
Betsy & Pete
🐝Las Vegas’s All-Natural Live Bee Removal Team
About Us: The Authors
We’re Betsy and Pete - Beekeepers on a Mission in Las Vegas
We’re not just in the bee business, we’re in the bee-saving business. Trained by a master beekeeper and backed by hundreds of successful removals, we are dedicated to rescuing and relocating honey bees with care and precision.
Every swarm we save and every hive we manage reflects our deep love for the bees.
At our Joshua Tree Preserve in Arizona, we care for dozens of thriving hives. Some wild, some honey-bearing, and all are part of our commitment to ethical, sustainable beekeeping.
Why Vegas Bees? Because We Never Stop Learning or Caring
Beekeeping is always evolving, and so are we. We stay on the cutting edge by continuing our education, connecting with fellow beekeepers, and refining our beekeeping practices and techniques to ensure the best outcomes for both bees and people.
Whether it’s advanced bee removal strategies or the latest natural methods, we’re always one step ahead.
We’re also proud to support the beekeeping community with high-quality beekeeping supplies for everyone—from curious beginners to seasoned pros. If you’re ready to suit up and start your journey, we’ve got what you need.
