POLLINATOR DIVERSITY AND FORAGING BEHAVIOUR OF INSECT POLLINATORS IN CORIANDER

Abstract

This study on pollinator diversity and abundance of frequent floral visitors was conducted during on coriander during rabi 2019-20 in Lalapuram village of Kallikudi block, Madurai district. Coriander flowers were observed to be visited by 25 pollinators. Among the visitors, four species were hymenopterans belonging to Apis (16%) and six from Non- Apis spp. (24%) Four belonged to Lepidoptera and Diptera (16%), three from Hemiptera and Coleoptera (12%) and one from Araneae (4%). Among all these, Apis florea was the most dominant one among Apis spp. followed by Apis cerana indica and Tetragonula ridipennis. The foraging activity and Shannon- Weiner’s diversity index (2.78) was observed to be maximum during 1000- 1200 hrs.