Honey Bees and Azaleas

[bwallace23350]

Has anyone ever seen a honey bee on Azaleas?

[MikeyN.C.]

Here in the sandhills of N.C.
The honeybees don't touch the older mature plants.

[sc-bee]

Nope.....usually something else in bloom....

[Acebird]

I think they are toxic.

[Dallasbeek]

I have an azalea right outside my back door.   I've never seen a bee on it in the ten years it has been there.

[Acebird]

http://www.countryfile.com/countryside/top-ten-plants-are-bad-bees
Top ten.

[Barhopper]

I have but not many. Around here the bumbles work them hard

[tjc1]

I would have thought that bees would 'know' toxic plants to avoid...

[Acebird]

They do because the ones that don't die.

[BeeMaster2]

Azaleas are in the Rhododendron family. If the bees have nothing else they will collect it. It makes a toxic honey.
The Greeks left large vats of Mad Honey for 1000 Roman soldiers and then while they were incompasitated, slaughtered the entire army. This has been done several times in history.
Jim

[The15thMember]

Azaleas are in the Rhododendron family. If the bees have nothing else they will collect it. It makes a toxic honey.
The Greeks left large vats of Mad Honey for 1000 Roman soldiers and then while they were incompasitated, slaughtered the entire army. This has been done several times in history.
Jim

Oh man, that is such a Greek thing to do!  Nobody was good at coming up with clever solutions when backed into corners like the Ancient Greeks.   

Is the honey made from Rhododendrons toxic to the bees as well, or just to mammals?     

[Acebird]

#1 in post #5 link I provided.

[The15thMember]

Oops, sorry Ace.  Should have done my research first! 

[Michael Bush]

Bees usually ignore azaleas.