The FDA says Rhododendron & Mountain Laural honey contains Grayanotoxin (http://www.fda.gov/Food/FoodSafety/FoodborneIllness/FoodborneIllnessFoodbornePathogensNaturalToxins/BadBugBook/ucm071128.htm); very bad stuff. OK fine but the area/region I live in is chuck full of Mountain Laural in the Piedmont & Rhododendron in the Mt's. There is no keeping out of the hive.
My question is this, Has anyone in the eastern U.S. had a problem with: rhododendron poisoning, mad honey intoxication, or grayanotoxin poisoning. I figure if it was a big deal I may have heard about it by now. I haven't so am hoping it's too small to worry about.
I thank mattolebees topic "Buckeye (http://forum.beemaster.com/index.php/topic,26531.0.html)" for getting me on this topic. :-D
This was discussed in some detail in the "Am I Gonna Die?" thread.
http://forum.beemaster.com/index.php/topic,22069.0.html (http://forum.beemaster.com/index.php/topic,22069.0.html)
contactme_11,
Thanks for pointing me in the right direction. Such a lively discussion. Now before this train starts back down the mountain I'll get off here.
Question answered. Thanks.
Mountain laural is not the same as Cherry laural. I have huge hedge rows of cherry laural that my bees attack when they are in bloom Never died from that honey. the Tupelo Beekeepers' Association notes its bloom period. its a real good source of nectar for my bees till my cherry trees bloom.