>The pollen and nectar of Tilia spp. (Tiliaceae) [Linden, basswood] contain
>mannose, a sugar toxic to insects (Vogel 1978).

I have the same reaction today as when Vogel first said the above in 1978.
Hogwash as far as a problem for beekeepers. Both the Osage Honey Farm & now
the Missouri Valley Honey farm were producing huge crops from the trees long
before 1978 with no problems. I plan to use some Linden, basswood locations
in Nebraska next year. The honey is almost water white and has always
produced a crop. Not as good a honey as our clover honey but better yields.

>The pollen of Zygadenus paniculatus (Liliaceae) [Death camas] causes severe
>intoxica- tion to honeybees and can also lead to the death of the colony
>(Goolsbey 1998).

I have heard the above about the unusual white flower of the death camas.
Supposedly common to Missouri. However I have never seen the first plant in
my area.  I especially watch the livestock pasture but always looking at
areas in spring for hives and yet to see the first plant. I was shown one by
a beekeeper in the south years ago so I know what one looks like.

I really do not believe unless a large number of plants death camas would be
a problem.

In the area of Nebraska Missouri Valley Honey is he produces around 300
drums of linden,basswood honey a year and says although Vogel in 1978 found
a poison in the linden,basswood honey neither him or his father before him
ever saw a problem with bees collecting the honey.

The discovery of Vogel in 1978 caused quite a stir until we found Vogel was
speaking of Tilla spp.(Tiliaceae) which is not the common linden tree. The
most common is Tilia americana. In fact the linden tree Vogel wrote about
*to my knowledge * is quite rare. Not even listed in Honey plants of North
America or American honey plants.

*if* one was to sit his hives on a large forest of Tiliaceae then maybe
trouble. I remember the roar which through the beekeeping community when
Vogel reported beekeepers need to avoid basswood nectar around 1978. Tree
nectar is better dependable most of the time than shallow rooted clovers in
the Midwest. However one of the most undependable tree sources is Sourwood.
Some years big harvest and other years not. My friend Dann Purvis said every
year beekeepers putting hives on sourwood try to predict the crop. I stood
in the smokeys one year and the sourwood was in bloom for as far as the eye
could see but my friends said almost no crop. 2 barrels Dann said that year!

Linden from my experience is the opposite. Always dependable and if a short
crop usually only because the weather was not flying weather for the bees.
Always a decent crop when weather is warm and bees can fly each day.

Nebraska basswood locations are always spoken for by beekeepers but my
longtime friend which controls the basswood locations lets me use three. One
reason he does is there is a plant called Leafy Spurge which darkens the
Basswood honey. I think the mix has a decent flavor but he does not so he
will let me use the locations. The only time its worth my while to go five
hours north simply chasing the bloom is when our Midwest clover flow stops
first of July ( which is when the Nebraska basswood bloom starts).

Maybe others will comment on their experience with Basswood?

Basswood comb honey is beautiful to look at and the bees draw out fully.

bob

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