Main pollen sources for honeybees Apis mellifera L. in some regions of Iraq

Abstract The current study was conducted in Al-Kafeel apiaries, traveling between Babylon and Baghdad to collect weekly pollen from 10/30/2021 to 10/30/2022. To collect and know the sources of nectar and pollen in the research area. The annual average amount of pollen collected was 654.3 gm/hive/year. The highest amount of pollen collected was obtained during March. The most abundant target pollen, clover, was collected in May, and beans in February (69.3, 68.35) gm/hive, respectively. As for non-target pollen, the highest collection was recorded in March, 212.32 gm/hive. The highest bee density (12.09 and 11.65) frames/hive was recorded for May and April, and the lowest (3.49 and 3.733) frames/hive, was recorded for November and December. The density of bees was positively related to pollen collected in the field, whether total, targeted, or non-targeted. The nutritional value and amino acids of the pollen collected were analyzed.