What is Mad Honey?
“Mad honey” is a special honey obtained by bees taking nectar from the rare “rhododendron” plant that grows on the coast of the Black Sea Region and blooms for only 15-20 days a year.
Mad Honey, The Subject of Movies
The different properties and effects of mad honey have also been an interesting subject in the world of cinema. For example, the effects and stories of mad honey were covered in the 2009 film Sherlock Holmes and in the film “Murder in Venice”, which was adapted from Agatha Christie’s novel “The Snake Bite the Apple”.
Production and Features
According to Cem Başar, President of the Kastamonu Beekeepers Association, mad honey production varies depending on factors such as rainfall and climate conditions. Due to low rainfall this season, yield is expected to increase. Mad honey has many benefits, from stomach diseases to skeletal structure.
Beekeeping and Production Quantity
Karaçam, a producer who started beekeeping as a hobby, states that he produces 150-200 kilograms of mad honey per season. Karaçam emphasizes that mad honey is a special honey and states that it can act as a natural antibiotic, especially for those with lung diseases.
An Interesting Story: The First Biological Weapon in History
According to Prof. Dr. İsmail Hamit Hancı, a faculty member at the Department of Forensic Medicine at İzmir Katip Çelebi University, Faculty of Medicine, one of the most interesting stories of mad honey in history is told in Strabon’s book “Geographika.” The book includes a memoir in which mad honey, used by Pontus King Mithridates VI against the Roman Empire, is considered a biological weapon.
