Identification of plants visited by the honeybee, Apis mellifera L. in the Sudan Savanna zone of northeastern Nigeria

Abstract

A total of 61 species of savanna plants visited by the honeybee, Apis mellifera L. were identified through direct observation of foraging bees. The time of flowering of the plants was also recorded. The largest number of species (26.2%) was recorded for the family Fabaceae. Combretaceae ranked second with 9.8% of the species, while Arecaceae, Lamiaceae, Poaceae Rhamnaceae and Rubiaceae ranked third each with 4.9% of the species. Each of the remaining families had 2 or 1 species. Many of the species are being reported as bee plants for the first time. An overlap of the periods of flowering of the plants, which made forage available to the bees throughout the year, was observed.