Bees avoid the herb
The ragwort is a source of food for many other insects such as butterflies and flies, but it is hardly used by bees. If more interesting nectar plants are available, bees do not even fly ragwort because the nectar yield of the bright yellow flowers is too low.
also read
- Plant characteristics of the ragwort
- How about you? Also poison (plant) in the garden?
- Recognize the dangerous ragwort in the hay
However, if the busy pollen collectors cannot find any other food crops, they are forced to harvest the pollen of the ragwort. The little hums excrete the toxins straight away. However, the honey can be contaminated.
Limit values for food
In addition to honey, traces of PA have also been detected in eggs and milk. Experts emphasize that every microgram of the substance is too much, as PA accumulates in the body and creeping damage can occur. The toxin may even cause cancer. For this reason, the EU is currently discussing the introduction of a uniform limit value.
In a current analysis of 126 honey samples, however, only seven samples were above the recommended limit of 140 micrograms PA per kilo. No PA could be detected in almost half of the samples.
Advice for amateur beekeepers
When the ragwort is in full bloom, the honey harvest in our agricultural landscape is almost over for many beekeepers. In order to avoid PA contamination of the honey, experts recommend that the honey be used before the flowering time of the To hurl scallop and the rest of the summer season to the bees as natural food left.
The PA content of the honey is harmless to the insects and they take differently Horses and cattle no harm.
Tips
If you do not want to do without tasty summer honey and at the same time make sure that there is no PA in the honey, you should obtain it from a beekeeper in the region. Inquire whether their beehives are in the vicinity of a larger ragwort population.
