# azalea honey?



## g-clef (Nov 15, 2005)

Hello, all.

I'm considering starting up beekeeping in the spring (and am really enjoying the site here...you all are very helpful...thank you), and have just come across a problem: there are scads of azaleas in my neighborhood. Given sites like this one:

http://brewery.org/brewery/library/HonD.html

linking azalea honey with "Mad Honey Disease", would it be safe to eat any honey gathered by hives in my neighborhood? (I was considering bribing my neighbors with offers of free honey, but if the honey's dangerous, that would be a very bad idea.) Does anyone else here raise bees in suburban areas with lots of rhododendrons or azaleas?

Thanks.


----------



## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

I've never had rhodendrons around, but I've seen azaleas and never seen the bees work them. Perhaps in a dearth they would.


----------



## warrior (Nov 21, 2005)

If it were such a risk most of the honey from the south would be tainted. Azeleas are almost the national flower of Dixie. Ride through any of the old towns (Charleston and Columbia, SC Mobile, AL, New Orleans, LA) of the south in spring is a ride through heavenly colors thanks to azaleas. Though to be sure I have rarely seen a honeybee working the flowers though. I have seen bumblebees though.


----------



## nursebee (Sep 29, 2003)

I have not seen bees work them, maybe just a little flirting though. So far, other than an occaisional rude remark on beesource and poor spelling on some words, I have no madness problems.


----------



## AstroBee (Jan 3, 2003)

I personally believe that this is over exaggerated. If this were a real threat, given the very high density of Azalea, Rhodendron, and particularly Mountain laurel, you'd here much more talk about it. It IS a very real problem in Turkey, but here it seems like more fascination than fact. My neighborhood is full of Mountain laurel and I consume a LOT of my honey - no problems. 

Your biggest problem will likely be Mad Neighbors, and not "Mad Honey". 

http://www.paghat.com/toxichoney.html


----------



## GaSteve (Apr 28, 2004)

We've got azaleas all over the place around here. I think it's a requirement for living in the Georgia suburbs. I haven't ever heard of anyone having any problems. In fact, I don't think I've ever seen a single honeybee work an azalea bloom.

BTW, if you want to see some really incredible azaleas, watch The Masters golf tournament next spring in Augusta. They are truly a sight to behold.


----------



## Propolis30 (Aug 25, 2005)

We have tons all around our house and I've never seen a honey bee on them. Bumble Bees yes.


----------



## Ribster (Nov 3, 2004)

Same here. Tons of azales in GA and no problems yet.

I was under the impression that the probiscus of the honeybee (not bumblebees or butterflies) is too short to reach into the deep azalea flowers and that the threat comes from the pollen. The bees can only skim out some of the nectar. I haven't found a credible source to back this up, but haven't seen them working the 30+ azales in my yard even once.

If they do, I doubt that extracted honey would contain enough of a concentration to do any harm.

[ January 09, 2006, 05:36 PM: Message edited by: Ribster ]


----------



## Fernhill (Dec 30, 2004)

Wouldn't it depend on the concentration of the forage and whether or not the bees are working it? If you have high concentration of azaleas but no bees working it, no problem. Same with a lot of bees working one bush. I had heard about rhododendron honey being toxic but nothing about azaleas.

Mike


----------

