Honeybee Flora for Commercial Beekeeping in Manipur, India

Abstract

Beekeeping, otherwise known as apiculture is a lucrative business providing supplementary or major income to the people in rural areas. Honey has certain health benefits, with its nutritional composition closely similar to fruits and is a natural sweetener. Honeybees are also a good pollinator and gives valued products such as beewax, propolis, bee venom, etc. However, for commercial beekeeping, selection of bee species is very important and for yearly flow of honey, a beekeeper should know the flora preferred by the bees for every seasons. The present study revealed that, out of the total 161 plant species identified, which is visited by the honeybees (Apis cerana and Apis mellifera) for nectar and pollen, maximum plant species belong to the horticultural crops (33%) followed by the wild plants and forest trees (29%); and ornamental plants and avenue trees (28%). The least (10%) was recorded in agronomic crops.