Assessment of Honeybee (Hymenoptera: Apidae) Diversity and Abundance in Lakhimpur Kheri District, Uttar Pradesh, India
Keywords:
Agro-ecosystems, Brassica campestris, Foraging activity, Honeybee’s diversity, Relative abundanceAbstract
Pollinator diversity is crucial for maintaining crop productivity and ecological health in agro-ecosystems. This study assessed the composition, diversity and foraging activity of honeybee pollinators on Brassica campestris L. across five agricultural sites in Lakhimpur Kheri district, Uttar Pradesh, India, from January to March 2023. We recorded four species of honeybees: Apis dorsata, Apis cerana indica, Apis florea and Apis mellifera. A total of 1,000 individuals were observed. A. dorsata made up the highest relative abundance at 46.0%, followed by A. cerana indica at 27.5%, A. florea at 14.0% and A. mellifera at 12.5%. Species richness varied from 3 to 4 across the sites. Diversity metrics showed moderate variation, with Shannon-Wiener index values ranging from 0.99 to 1.28, Simpson’s diversity (1–D) from 0.60 to 0.70, and consistently high Pielou’s evenness at 0.90 to 0.92, indicating a relatively balanced pollinator group. The temporal analysis showed peak visits between 10:00 and 11:00 h, with 60 visits per 15 minutes, coinciding with the best floral resource availability. The dominance of native honeybee species highlights their important role in mustard pollination. These findings provide essential ecological data for pollinator conservation and management strategies aimed at improving sustainable crop production in northern Indian agro-ecosystems.Downloads
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