ISSN 2167-0447
International Journal of Agricultural Sciences ISSN 2167-0447 Vol. 7 (7), pp. 1338-1341, August, 2017. © International Scholars Journals
Full Length Research Paper
The bee fauna of Vanaparvam biodiversity park, Kerala, India (Hymenoptera: Apoidea)
K. Sheeja1 and T. Jobiraj2,
1Research scholar, Research and Development Centre, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore-641 046.
2Assistant Professor, Department of Zoology, Govt. College Kodanchery.
Corresponding author E-mail: [email protected]
Accepted 25 April, 2017
Abstract
The bee fauna of Vanaparvam Biodiversity Park, Kerala, India was studied during August 2015 to July 2016. Among the 21 collected species, the identified 18 species belong to 9 genera and 3 families. The identified three families were Apidae, Halictidae and Megachilidae. Maximum number of species recorded belonged to the family Apidae. Apis cerana Fabricius, Ceratina heiroglyphica Smith and Apis dorsata Fabricius were the mostly observed species. In the present study all the bees showed a seasonal trend, the bees were abundantly seen during March, April and May, however a decline in population was observed during June and July. All the bees recorded were good pollinators and were seen in plants such as Sida acuta, Calotropis gigantea, Caesalpinia pulcherrima and Lantana camara were present in the study area. The study indicated a rich and diverse bee fauna in the Vanaparvam Biodiversity Park.
Key words: Hymenoptera, Apoidea, Apidae, Halictidae, Megachilidae, bee fauna, pollinators, conservation, native vegetation.