Seasonal Abundance of Common Honey Bees and Floral Resources in Mixed Agriculture and Grassland Habitats

Bee keeping is a traditional practice has been playing significant role in sustainable development of rural and tribal communities. Diversity and abundance of honey bee depends on the floral resources available and can be influenced by seasonal environmental changes. In the present study, we investigated seasonal abundance of hives of three common honey bees Apis cerana, A. florea and A. dorsata in a draught prone area in the Karjat Taluka, Maharashtra (India) for three consecutive years. Also, the flowering plants providing floral resources and their seasonal composition were studied. The study was conducted in mixed agriculture and grassland habitats at 11 locations. The study revealed that A. florea is the most abundant species followed by A. cerana and A. dorsata and their proportion remains similar in different seasons. A total of 72 plant species were recorded with nectar and pollen as floral resources. The proportion of agriculture crop plants was high in monsoon season. The composition of flowering plants varies in different seasons. The results of the present study suggest that in mixed agriculture and grassland ecosystem support the abundance of A. florea species. The changes in the seasonal floral resources do affect the honey bee species abundance. The results of the present study will be helpful as baseline information for the sustainable development of apiculture in mixed agriculture and grassland habitat.