Investigation of pollen preferences of honeybee

Abstract

This study was established in Agriculture Faculty of Ordu University Campus in test field area. Most of the bee visitings were to phacelia plant by 71.8 number m -2. The second visiting rate was to sainfoin plant by 55.9 number m -2. Alfalfa plant visiting was the least preferred visiting by 1.5 number m -2. In this study honeybee collonies gathered 10 pollen packages from sainfoin plant and phacelia plant followed that by 4 pollen packages by chosen randomly among 200 pollen packages. There was no alfalfa plant pollen in measured pollen packages. Alfalfa plant had the maximum flower quantity by 9317 flowers/number in m2, phacelia had 7038.2 flowers m -2 and sainfoin had 4312.7 irT2 flowers. Although, alfalfa plant was in the first place due to flowers in m2 honey bees did not prefer it as a nectar source. © Medwell Journals, 2012.