Diversity and foraging behaviour of insects on mustard crop at Tarai region of Uttarakhand

Abstract

The Tarai region of Uttarakhand area fall under Foothills of Himalayas and has a great diversity of flowering plants. This region was selected for maximum utilization of flora by beekeepers and recognizes the major pollen and nectar source to honeybees. The present study was conducted at Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar-263145, District Udham Singh Nagar (Uttarakhand) India, during the period 2011-2013. The Brassica campestris flowers visited by a number of pollinators. The hymenopterans were the major floral visitors of on Mustard crop. viz. Apidae (Apis dorsata, Apis mellifera, Apis cerana, Apis florae. In Apis dorsata mean foraging speed (time spent/ flower in seconds) 8.64 to 11.42 during different day hours of the day, while in case of Apis mellifera, Apis cerana, Apis florea it was 9.85 to 13.08, 8.57 to 9.42, 11.42 to 14.64 seconds. The maximum time (average 20.35 second) per flower was spent by Halictus ligatus.