From the Desk of Amanda:
We all love the smell of Jasmine....BUT did you know that certain Jasmine is DEADLY to honey bees?!
Gelsemium Sempervirens, commonly known as YELLOW JASMINE, FALSE JASMINE, EVENING TRUMPET FLOWER, CAROLINA JESSAMINE is very common and is notably toxic.
This climbing plant, which has yellow flowers and resembles climbing forms of jasmine, contains strychnine-related alkaloids that can cause effects ranging from skin irritation to convulsions and death. IT IS ALSO DEADLY TO BABY BEES!
Its toxic effects were described in a 1936 USDA report: young workers are affected and die soon, whereas older adult bees appear normal. Larvae and pupae die in cells and become mummified, and the colony can be slightly to severely weakened by using it as a food source (Burnside and Vansell 1936).
Beekeepers reported that, during the bloom, younger bees can often be found dead on the bottom board. The bees act weird, as if they are intoxicated, and are less active. If the poisoning is bad, brood often dies. It seems to affect queen breeders the most. Beekeepers have reporting having low success rates when trying to raise queen cells during bloom.
Yellow Jessamine is native to the Southeast US, and blooms early in the spring. The effects seem to be much worse early in the season, before there is a consistent flow of non toxic pollen.
True jasmines (Jasminus spp.) are perfectly safe plants, but beware of those sold under the names above! 🐝🐝
Posted originally by Gardners Apiary