Diversity of insect pollinators on medicinal tree, Baheda (Terminalia bellirica Roxb.) in southern Haryana

Abstract

Field experiment was conducted at CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar during 2014-15 to investigate the diversity of insect pollinators on (Terminalia bellirica Roxb). Dipterans were found to be the most diversified followed by Hymenoptera, Coleoptera. One species belong to orders Hemiptera and Lepidoptera were also reported. Among Dipterans, Syrphidae (Eristalinus obliquus, Eristalis sp. and Eristalinus obscuritarsus) and Calliophoridae (Chrysomya rufifacies) visited Baheda flowers. Among hymenopterans Apis florea and Allorhynchium metallicum were the major visitors of the flowers. Coleopterans family like Coccinellidae (Coccinella septempunctata and Chilomenes sexmaculata) and one Hemipteran family Scutellaridae (Chrysocoris stolli Wolff) and one lepidopteran from Pieridae (Pieris sp.) were also documented. Period of study were about two years and almost similar insect visitors were noted during both the years.