intoxicated bear in Turkey

[RJC]

 

[enrico]

My bees often go on rhododendron. I haven't been drunk yet! That I know!

 

[Brian Bush]

Rhododendron is generally poisonous to bees. The bees on Colonsay were victims of it when forced by a shortage of flower sourxes to use it some years ago.
The bear was lucky. Some bees in the areas where the plants grow have become immune to the toxins.
There is the story of a Roman Legion being duped into eating Rhododendron honey and being deatroyed whilst in an intocicated state. (The first recorded episode of chemical warfare)
Travellers to the Hindu Kush and Himilayers in the 18th. Centuary give vivid accounts of the induced high effects of eating local honey had on them.

 

[blackcloud]

My parents kept pedigree Ryelands as a retirement occupation. The sheep occasionally broke into the orchards and soon were off their faces on windfall fruit.
Marinated lamb is exquisite....

 

[Murox]

There's around 700 different types of rhododendron in the world, but only a few have the necessary grayanotoxin in them.

 

[victor meldrew]

My bees often go on rhododendron. I haven't been drunk yet! That I know!

The Rhododendron is ponticum .and the bees need to have been working it almost exclusively!
there is an area near the Black Sea which has square miles of the stuff.

 

[Skinfaxi]

My parents kept pedigree Ryelands as a retirement occupation. The sheep occasionally broke into the orchards and soon were off their faces on windfall fruit.
Marinated lamb is exquisite....

In africa the baboons and elephants get drunk from eating fermented marula fruit.

 

[JamezF]

A drunk elephant has to be a bit scary...

James

 

[blackcloud]

Friday night at the local bingo hall- it is scary indeed

 

[Skinfaxi]

My grandfather lived on the wild kavango river delta Namibia. He and some locals getting a lift with him got attacked by a elephant as they were cruising on sandy soil and just a diff lock. The starter was broken and hardly worked. He was driving on a bush road in thick bush
All of a sudden a herd of eli s crossed the road and he hit one. The ele was ok but then the bakki truck stalled and the ele stood in front of the bakki shouting and ears up and all. ( Very scary not for the weak of heart )The kovangos jumped off the back of the bakki ,babies and all through the ele herd 8and all.
back to ele in front of grandfather and the stalled bakki. Ele attacks my Opa in the bakki. it rips off the bull bar , smashed lights and bonnet. Opa
Tries to start the bakki and a miracle happens the bakki starts and he drives off collects the locals down the track and off they go..
Legend

 

[Erichalfbee]

My grandfather lived on the wild kavango river delta Namibia. He and some locals getting a lift with him got attacked by a elephant as they were cruising on sandy soil and just a diff lock. The starter was broken and hardly worked. He was driving on a bush road in thick bush
All of a sudden a herd of eli s crossed the road and he hit one. The ele was ok but then the bakki truck stalled and the ele stood in front of the bakki shouting and ears up and all. ( Very scary not for the weak of heart )The kovangos jumped off the back of the bakki ,babies and all through the ele herd 8and all.
back to ele in front of grandfather and the stalled bakki. Ele attacks my Opa in the bakki. it rips off the bull bar , smashed lights and bonnet. Opa
Tries to start the bakki and a miracle happens the bakki starts and he drives off collects the locals down the track and off they go..
Legend

Phew!

 

[Gilberdyke John]

Can you imagine the current typical UK urban dweller being involved in such an incident? I reckon the entire event would involve screaming and sobbing plus discovering adrenaline is brown.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

at least they'd capture it on the dashcam!

 

[Amari]

The Rhododendron is ponticum .and the bees need to have been working it almost exclusively!
there is an area near the Black Sea which has square miles of the stuff.

Rhododendron is my pet hate. I've seen it swamp areas of Snowdonia and the north coast of Somerset. Nothing can grow beneath its canopy.
This was 30 years ago and I know that the NT et al have pursued an eradication programme. I've not been back to those areas since - has anyone got an update?

 

[JamezF]

Rhododendron is my pet hate. I've seen it swamp areas of Snowdonia and the north coast of Somerset. Nothing can grow beneath its canopy.
This was 30 years ago and I know that the NT et al have pursued an eradication programme. I've not been back to those areas since - has anyone got an update?

I used to know someone who actually worked removing it on the Quantocks and other areas at this end of Somerset. This would have been about ten years ago I guess. I've not seen him since then though, so perhaps he was eaten by a rhododendron.

James