Q. Are there plants that are toxic to bees? What about honey made from plants with toxic flower parts - can it be hazardous to people?

A. I spoke with two apiary owners, consulted three books on beekeeping, and contacted the U of A Health and Public Safety Office, and none of these sources could cite a recent case in which honey made from toxic flower parts had been hazardous to a human. (The last reported case occurred in 1910.) There have been a handful of cases where highly sensitized individuals have had an allergic reaction to some of the pollens found in honey. On the other hand, some allergists prescribe local honey to their patients as part of a program to desensitize them to local pollens. There are plants that are poisonous to bees, two of which are the Mountain Laurel and the California Buckeye. In general, however, the greatest hazard to bees is the chemical pesticides sprayed on commercial and home gardens. Chemical pesticides sprayed on crops that are 100% pollinated by bees, such as melon, have wiped out entire hives.