Honey Bees in the Garden... August

By Mindy03
August 1, 2011

August is another hot month for both gardeners and honey bees. Water for plants and honey bees remains a top priority. You may also find the honey bees you encounter are more aggressive than they have been since spring. That's because they are anxious to store enough food to last the colony through the coming winter. Be careful when you bend to sniff a flower, a honey bee might be there and will think you are trying to get the nectar for yourself.

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Aug 20, 2011 3:18 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: Jackie Sharon Anderson
TX/OK border (Zone 7a)
Region: United States of America Region: Oklahoma Region: Texas Ponds Irises Daylilies
Hummingbirder Birds Butterflies Bulbs Vegetable Grower Plant and/or Seed Trader
do you think datura makes poisoned honey?


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Aug 20, 2011 5:52 PM CST
Name: Margaret
Delta KY
I'm A Charley's Girl For Sure
Forum moderator I helped beta test the Garden Planting Calendar Hosted a Not-A-Raffle-Raffle Charter ATP Member I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Beekeeper
Seed Starter Permaculture Region: Kentucky Million Pollinator Garden Challenge Garden Ideas: Master Level
I did some research and found this information from Wikimedia

Bee nectar collection from Datura plants in Mexico and Hungary, belladonna flowers, henbane (Hyoscamus niger) plants from Hungary, Serjania lethalis from Brazil, Gelsemium sempervirens from the American Southwest, and Coriaria arborea from New Zealand[42] can all result in toxic honey,[43] as can honey made from other toxic plants such as oleander.[44] Narcotic opium honey has also been reported from honey made in areas where opium poppy cultivation is widespread.[45]

Various beekeeping discussion groups seem to be divided on the issue. Some say it's toxic to humans, others say if it's pure datura honey it would be toxic but small amounts mixed in with other nectar may not be toxic.
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