AndyTh
House Bee
- Joined
- Feb 10, 2010
- Messages
- 112
- Reaction score
- 15
- Location
- Worcestershire
- Hive Type
- Commercial
- Number of Hives
- 8
Anyone getting a dark honey with ranunculus Pollen?
That may depend on what tree the aphids are feeding on.What does honeydew honey taste like? Just extracted 3 supers as running low on empties and got very dark runny honey that tastes of chestnuts????
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Honeydew also produced by Scale insects which are also Hemipterans but look very different to Aphids.
That's interesting because near neighbour-beekepers 2-3 miles from me are also getting the same. Chestnuts?
Honeydew honey often has a malty taste to it
Bees are not keen on buttercups unless there is absolutely nothing else as the pollen is toxic. It causes "May Madness"
I did a BSc in Medical Herbalism. We were told to stay well clear of the Renunculacae family (which includes Buttercups - and Monkshood which is absolutely lethal). They do indeed contain toxic glycosides. There are other plant families where some members contain toxic alkaloids - mostly the Solanacae (which includes Deadly Nightshade and Belladonna), Borage, Orchid, Convolvulus families. The plants produce these secondary metabolites to repel insect predators.
All parts of the Rhodedendron are quite toxic with the highest concentration in the nectar. These toxins suppress respiration. Honeybees ignore it, but I have seen bumble bees gathering from it. I do not know if they are immune or about to have a very bad day.
The bees are smart enough to - by and large - steer clear of toxic plants, although I understand that a small amount of toxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids can turn up in some honey's. I doubt that this is in sufficient quantities to be of concern.
A normal liver is a very efficient detox chemical factory unless overwhelmed by something really nasty like Monkshood or Deadly Nightshade.
If any Beek is interested in this subject, the Poison Garden site is well worth a visit.
Thanks very interesting. We have monkshood in the garden and I have seen the odd bumblebee in it. Our rhododendrons are always buzzing.
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