Pollen Analysis of <I>Apis florea</I> Fabr. Honeys from the South-western Satpura (Maharashtra)

Abstract

The present paper deals with the analysis of nine squeezed honey samples of Apis florea Fabr bee, collected from the South-western Satpura (Maharashtra, India) during the period of 1991-1993. The area was represented by tropical moist deciduous to dry deciduous forests of South-western Satpura (Jalgaon and Dhule Districts of Maharashtra, India). The samples were of both unifloral and multifloral type containing a total of 28 pollen types. The results that, Lannea coromandelica, Caesalpinia sp. Guizotia abyssinica, Flacourtia latifolia, Terminalia, spp. and Syzygium cumini constitute fairly reliable nectar source for honey bees in this area. The samples were categorized under two groups i.e. Group IV and Group V.