Pollinators’ community of Capparis aphylla at Dera Ghazi Khan, Punjab, Pakistan

Abstract

Pollination is an important ecosystem service responsible for better plant yield and production. In the current study, pollinator community of Capparis aphylla was investigated at Dera Ghazi Khan, Punjab, Pakistan. The results revealed four bee, three wasp and two butterfly species visiting the flowers of C. aphylla. Bees were the most abundant floral visitors (1035 individuals) followed by wasp (354 individuals) and butterflies (151 individuals). Among all pollinator species Amegilla sp. had the highest visitation rate (20 ±1.22 number of flowers/min) while Danaus chrysippus butterfly had the lowest visitation rate (2.75±2.68 number of flowers/min). Amegilla sp. showed the highest visitation frequency (3.38±0.12 individuals/flower/5 min) and the Ropaldia marginata wasp represented the lowest visitation frequency (0.17±0.16 individuals/flower/5 min). Maximum numbers of pollen grains were recovered from the body of Amegilla bee (20432.5 ± 1025) and minimum from Eumenes punctatus (4140 ± 250). The results indicated Amegilla sp. (bee) as effective pollinator of C. aphylla plant.