IDENTIFICATION, CHARACTERISATION, AND EVALUATION OF HONEY BEE FLORA IN BENISHANGUL GUMUZ REGIONAL STATE, ETHIOPIA

This study aimed to identify and evaluate the major and minor bee forage sources to recommend seasonal colony management practices. Conducted in the Bambasi, Homosha, and Mao Komo districts of Benishangul Gumuz Regional State in western Ethiopia, the research involved a survey of 90 beekeepers using semi-structured questionnaires from three peasant associations per district. Honey and pollen samples were collected from established colonies in each district for melissopalynological analysis. 71 plant species were identified as forage sources for honeybees in the study area. Two primary flowering periods were observed in 2020, 2021, and 2022 G.C., corresponding to the honey harvesting seasons. During the first season, key plants included Pterocarpus lucens, Bidens prestinaria, Glycine species, Guizotia abyssinica, Guizotia scabra, and several Bidens species. From February to May, the main sources of pollen and nectar in the second season were woody plants such as Cordia africana, Syzygium guineense, Turraeanthus africanus, and Terminalia laxiflora. In the first honey flow season, Guizotia scabra and Guizotia abyssinica made up 62.13% of monofloral honey. In the second season, Turraeanthus africanus and Syzygium guineense contributed 48.23%. In Benishangul Gumuz, beekeepers report that food scarcity peaks during the rainy season (late July to August) and the dry season (December to January) when flowering plants are limited. Providing supplemental food and water and conducting regular inspections is important to support the bee colonies during these times. Additionally, rapid biodiversity loss from deforestation and agricultural expansion reduces available bee forage in the region.