3. Nectar is source of honey, which
include both floral and extra floral nectaries
of flower.
Pollen is source of protein.
4. • The period when a good number of plants
have nectar is called a honey flow
period.
• The season when there is no honey flow
is called a dearth period.
5. • The honey bees usually forage about
100 m distance from the hive but they can
go upto 1.5 km.
• The bees are most active in foraging
within a temperature range of 250c to
270c.
6. • The workers make about 6000 trips a day
to collect 500 to 1000 mg of pollen.
• A worker makes about 19000 trips a day
for collection of nectar.
• In addition to pollen and nectar ,the bees
also collect propolis.
7. Importance of bee flora:
• Essential to understand various types of
bee flora and their blooming phenology
in a given area to conserve bee colonies.
• Pollination is an ecosystem service
provided by the bees that is almost
always taken for granted.
8. Choosing flowering plants for a bee-
friendly garden:
Native flowers:
• Honeybees may collect nectar from a
wide variety of flowers, but many wild
bees are partial to native flowers.
Colorful flowers:
• Bees are more attracted to yellows and
white and the blue-purple range.
9. Contd…
Fragrant flowers:
• Flowers carry fragrance for the very
purpose of attracting pollinators.
Long bloomers:
• Plants with a long flowering season
assure the bees of a continuous food
supply.
10. Contd…
Early season flower:
Early spring flowers are a relief to bees
that have been on a meager ration during
winter.
Mass plantings :
Plant large patches of the same plant in an
area, or have a mixed planting with a few
selected bee favorites.
11. List of important bee flora:
Sr.No. Common name Botanical name Family Flowering
period (1-12
months)
Source for N -
nectar P -
pollen
1. Stone and pome
fruits
Prunus & Pyrus spp. Rosaceae 2-4 N+P
2. Bramble Rubus ellipticus Rosaceae 2-3 N+P
3. Barberry Berberis lycium Berberidaceae 3-4 N+P
4. Honey suckle Lonicera
angustifolia
Caprifoliaceae 3-4 N+P
5. Yellow clover Medicago
denticulata
Leguminosae 3-4 N+P
14. Contd…
16. Toon Toona ciliata Meliaceae 4-5 N+P
17. Sunflower Helianthus annuus Compositae 4-7 N+P
18. Shisham Dalbergia sissoo Leguminosae 4 N+P
19. Wild rose Rosa moschata Rosaceae 4-6 N+P
20. Ber Zizyphus jujuba Rhamanaceae 5-7 N
15. • Most bees collect just pollen or just
nectar on any trip, but a few carry both at
the same time.
• The pollen is stuffed into hairy
receptacles on their hind legs called
corbiculae.
16. • Honey bees usually forage on only one
kind of flower on any single trip.
• A single bee can carry about 35% of its
body weight of pollen.
17. Fruit trees:
• Most fruit trees will provide forage to
bees Apple, Plum and Cherry trees are
some of the most bee-attracting trees.
• Fruit trees provide both nectar and pollen
to foraging bees in the spring and early
summer.
18. Plants which are visited by bees only
for nectar:
• Tamarind(Tamarindus indicus)
• Neem(Azadirachta indica)
• Soapnut tree(Sapindus spp.,)
• Eucalyptus spp..
• Pungam(Pongamia pinnata)
• Moringa tinctoria
• Prosopis spicigera
19. Plants which supply pollen to the bees:
• Sorghum
• Maize
• Roses
• Finger millet
• Bajra
• Castor
• Tobacco
22. Some beautiful flowers that attract
bees:
Blackeyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta):
• Flowering period is summer blooming
flowers.
23. Saffron flower:
• Saffron are found in Simla ,kulu ,Manali
regions.
• Bloom period: October and November.
24. Jamun flower:
• Jamun fruit flowers (Naaval pazham)
blossoms in the Himachal region during
the month of may and june.
25. Sheesham:
• Dalbergia sissoo known commonly as
North Indian Rosewood is an evergreen
rosewood tree also known as Sheesham.
• The flowering seasons is march to may.
26. Mango:
• In India flowering season start from
december and goes on till march.
27. Ber:
• Jujube flower (Elantha pazham)blossom
in the Himalayan and Rajasthan region
during the months of september.
28. Aster:
• It bloom around the time when other
flowers are fading.
• It gives the honeybee a much needed
pollination option.
• They bloom in late summer and stay in
bloom .
29. Lemon balm:
• The honeybees well fed from the plants
nectar rich flower.
30. Purple coneflower:
• It is a daisy like flower is a honeybee
magnet and provides both pollen and
nectar to foraging bees.
31. Snapdragon:
• It release a stronger scent than most other
flower and this attracts lots and lots of
bees.
36. Blanket flower (Gaillardia x
grandiflora)
tough with a profusion of daisy-like
flowers can provide sustenance for bees
in gardens many other flowers.
Bloom period: May to October.
37. Reference
• Elements of Economic Entomology – 8th
edition - B.Vasantharaj David and V.V.
Ramamurthy.
• Compressive guide to bees and bee
keeping 2013-D.P.Abrol
• Net source.
