Thyme growing by hives.

erbs honey · April 05, 2017, 01:52:42 AM

We have a raised bed, approximately 3' x 8' of thyme in front of some of our hives, next to the flowering oregano. They love the flowers, and it's got to help with mites. We have very few.
What about pennyroyal? Is it toxic?

bwallace23350 · April 06, 2017, 04:39:01 PM

Quote from: erbs honey on April 05, 2017, 01:52:42 AM
We have a raised bed, approximately 3' x 8' of thyme in front of some of our hives, next to the flowering oregano. They love the flowers, and it's got to help with mites. We have very few.
What about penny royal? Is it toxic?

Why do you think it is toxic? The only toxic honey I know of comes from rhododendrons

Acebird · April 07, 2017, 08:50:03 AM

Quote from: bwallace23350 on April 06, 2017, 04:39:01 PM
The only toxic honey I know of comes from rhododendrons

The honey is toxic or the rhododendrons are toxic to bees?

bwallace23350 · April 07, 2017, 10:08:40 AM

The honey is toxic to people

Acebird · April 07, 2017, 04:59:21 PM

That is interesting. How would you know if your bees made honey from rhododendrons?

bwallace23350 · April 07, 2017, 06:02:50 PM

Quote from: Acebird on April 07, 2017, 04:59:21 PM
That is interesting. How would you know if your bees made honey from rhododendrons?

From what I understand you will have to have a lot of it in there for it to be toxic and bees don't really like the most common rhodeodendron in the states the common azalea. I also heard the honey tastes very bitter

Acebird · April 07, 2017, 09:05:47 PM

That is what I was thinking. I had a lot of rhododendron around my house in CT. but in NY we have azalea around the house and I don't see any bees on it. So as usual a little poison is OK.

erbs honey · April 08, 2017, 01:24:57 AM

Quote from: Acebird on April 07, 2017, 09:05:47 PM
That is what I was thinking. I had a lot of rhododendron around my house in CT. but in NY we have azalea around the house and I don't see any bees on it. So as usual a little poison is OK.

erbs honey · April 08, 2017, 08:43:26 PM

Quote from: Acebird on April 07, 2017, 09:05:47 PM
That is what I was thinking. I had a lot of rhododendron around my house in CT. but in NY we have azalea around the house and I don't see any bees on it. So as usual a little poison is OK.

lastfling · April 09, 2017, 09:36:40 AM

Bees are working the Coral Bell azaleas at the house. Not a large number but several. I sat on front porch and watched them yesterday evening.

bwallace23350 · April 10, 2017, 10:06:51 AM

Quote from: Acebird on April 07, 2017, 09:05:47 PM
That is what I was thinking. I had a lot of rhododendron around my house in CT. but in NY we have azalea around the house and I don't see any bees on it. So as usual a little poison is OK.

Yeah I never see honey bees on the azaleas but lots of bumble and carpenter bees on them.