Pollinator Diversity and Foraging Behaviour of Insect Pollinators in Aonla

Abstract

This study is on the diversity, abundance of floral visitors, foraging rate and speed of major pollinators in aonla orchard. Aonla flowers were observed with 22 floral visitors belonging to the Hymenoptera, Diptera, Lepidoptera and Coleoptera. Tetragonula iridipennis was the most abundant floral visitor followed by Apis cerana indica and A. dorsata. Number of flowers visited by A. cerana indica (13.46 flowers/ min) and T. iridipennis (8.26) was maximum during 1100-1200 hr. The time spent by A. cerana indica (6.24 sec/flower) and T. iridipennis (6.20) was also maximum during 1100-1200 hr.