Portal de Periódicos da CAPES

Comparative foraging activity of Apis mellifera L. and Apis cerana indica F. on rapeseed bloom

1997; Gazi Entomological Research Society; Volume: 21; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês

0974-4576

V.K. Rana, Desh Raj, R. Kaushik,

Plant and animal studies

Comparative foraging activity of Apis mellifera L. and Apis cerana indica F. on rapesed bloom revealed that population of A.c indica (1.90±0.35/m2/2 minutes) was much higher than A. mellifea (0.54±0.08/m2/2 minutes). In both the species, maximum activity of bees was observed at 1200 hours. However, there were no significant differences in the number of foragers between 1200 and 1500 h in both the species. The lowest number of bees was recorded at 0900 hours. In both the species, the number of nectar gatherers was highest followed by nectar + pollen, and pollen gatherers. But, in A.c indica more proportion of foragers was collecting nectar than A. mellifra The proportion of pollen gatherers of each bee species was highest at 0900 h and lowest at 1500 hours. In both the species, the highest percentage of nectar gatherers was recorded at 1500 h and lowest at 0900 hours. The nectar + poollen gatherers of both the species were at their peak working spree at 1200 hours.