Diversity of Floral Visitors and Foraging Behaviour of Major Bee Species on Buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum M.)

Abstract

Buckwheat flowers attract a diverse range of insect floral visitors contributing to pollination. This study aims to assess their diversity, dominance and foraging behaviour of major bee species on the pin and thrum morphs of buckwheat during different blooming phases. A total of 46 insect species visited buckwheat flowers, which included both Apis and non-Apis species, out of which 21 species were from Hymenoptera, 14 species from Diptera, six from Lepidoptera, three from Hemiptera and two from Coleoptera. The Berger-Parker dominance index for floral visitors on pin morph and thrum morph of buckwheat varied among different blooming phase with Apis cerana F. being the most dominant visitor throughout blooming phase. The diversity of floral visitors was highest during maximum bloom phase on pin and thrum morph as compared to initial and late blooming phases. Irrespective of blooming phases, the diversity of floral visitors was maximum on thrum morph as compared to pin morph. Among the dominant bee floral visitors, foraging rate of A. cerana was highest during maximum blooming phase. The foraging duration of A. florea for collection of nectar and pollen from pin and thrum morphs was highest among the major bee floral visitors recorded during maximum bloom phase. Effective pollination requires the peak foraging activity of dominant bee species during the maximum bloom phase.