Abundance and foraging activity of bee visitors to pigeonpea

The abundance and foraging activity of different bee visitors to pigeonpea [Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp.] cultivar ICPL – 151 and Bahar were studied. The four species of bees were recorded visiting the flowes viz. Megachile sp., Apis florae, Apis cerana indica and And Apis mellifera; and five species of bees namely Apis mellifera, Apis dorsata, Apis florae, Apis cerena indica and Megachile spp. Of both cultivars respectively. Megachile sp. Constitute the maximum population (69.06%) followed by Apis florae (25.33%), Apis cerana indica (4.67%) and Apis mellifera (0.94%) in cultivar ICPL -151 and in cultivar Bahar Apis mellifera constituted and maximum population (35.99%) followed by Apis dorsata (32.13%), Apis florae (16.45%), Apis cerana indica (8.89%) and Megachile sp. (4.42%), The average time spent by bee visitors viz. Megachile sp. Spent least time (6.36 and 5.81 + 0.45 seconds per flowers) and Apis florae spent maximum time (9.24 and 8.63 +0.47 seconds per flowers) in both cultivars of pigeon pea. This paper was presented at International Conference held on 11 -13 Dec. 1998 in Kanpur, India.