Summer Pollen Sources to Apis dorsata honeybees collected from Chimur tahsil forest area of Chandrapur District of Maharashtra State (India)

Abstract

TThe pollen loads from 137 honeycombs of Apis dorsata (Rock Bee) were examined. These honeycombs were collected from the Chimur forest area (Allizanza, Jamni Borgaon of Chandrapur District of Maharashtra State) during the period between May 13 and May 23, 2013. It was determined that 25 loads (18.24%) were unifloral, 23 loads (16.78%) were biforal, and 89 loads (64.96%) were multifloral. Unifloral pollen loads contained pollen from Terminalia sp. In fact, Terminalia sp. pollen was present in 111 loads (81.02%) of the total pollen samples examined. This study establishes that Terminalia sp. (Combretaceae) constitutes the primary source of pollen for honey bees during the summer, with Mangifera indica (Anacardeaceae), Citrus sp. (Rutaceae), Blumea sp. (Asteraceae), and Delonix regia (Caesalpineaceae) following as significant sources.