Honey bees collect pollen and nectar for food. Pollen is essential it is their only natural source of protein. Without it, colonies would be unable to produce new bees and would eventually die. Nectar is the carbohydrate portion of the honey bee’s food and is the raw material of honey. Bees convert nectar into honey by adding an enzyme which breaks down the complex sugars into simple sugars.
Not All Attractive Poisonous Plants Are Edible
People grow Foxglove for its looks and there are plenty in the wild. Its bell-shaped flowers are bright purple but can also be white, yellow, or pink. The bloom time is in the spring. Foxglove has fruits with seeds that children could mistake as edible. All the parts of the flower are very poisonous and can slow or disrupt your heart.
Oleander shrub has long, leathery leaves that grow in groups of three. Clusters of flowers bloom at the ends of branches in colors that vary from red and pink to white. All the parts of the plant are very poisonous. One leaf can kill an adult or you may have stomach pain, diarrhea, vomiting, dilated pupils, dizziness, and even breathing problems.
Azalea and Rhododendron
Roman soldiers got sick on “mad honey” made from these flowers. Their enemies in Turkey gave it to them to weaken them before the battle. The Romans lost. The leaves, nectar, and flowers of these bushes can poison you eat a lot. Their flowers irritate the mouth and could make you nauseated enough to vomit. Kids may mistake them for honeysuckle and eat the nectar.
Jimsonweed is a strong-smelling nightshade herb that has thick stems that grow tall, with leaves up to 3 inches long. Nectar from the white, trumpet-shaped flower could make you sick. Even the leaves and the seeds, which some people use to get high can be poisonous. Jimsonweed can make you nauseous, thirsty, and feverish. Jimsonweed weakens your pulse and raises your heart rate.
Honey bees collect pollen and nectar for food. Pollen is essential it is their only natural source of protein. Without it, colonies would be...
