Bee Pasturage in India

Booklet No. 265 Apiculture: APS-4

Contents Preface I. Introduction II. Foraging Behaviour of Bees III. Nectar Potential in India IV. Judging Local Nectar Potential V. Bees and Pollination VI. Foraging Bees for Pollen Collection VII. Conclusion Preface Bee pasturage means the area with lot of plants, wild or cultivated having nectar and pollen !earing flowers. "s India is having a wide varieties of floral geograph# the !ee pasturage also varies. $ence the !ee %eeper should have a fairl# good idea a!out the geographical area from the point of view of !ee pasturage. r. !. ". C#and$% Agricultural & 'n(iron)ental 'ducation I. Introduction &he plants that #ield !oth pollen and nectar are called !ee pasturage. $owever, hone# !ees gather nectar, pollen, propolis and water as their food. Nectar is a sweet secretion from the floral and e'tra floral nectarines of !lossoms. It. is the !asic raw product of hone#. It consists of dissolved sugar i.e. sucrose, glucose and fructose. &he plants that produce nectar onl# are called !ee forage. Pollen is a highl# proteinaceous food for !ees. &he plants that produce onl# pollen are called pollen plants. Pollen !eing completel# independent plant cell, contains the su!stances which ma%e up a living cell, and is therefore ver# good !ee food. It provides the !ees all their re(uirements of amino)acids, vitamins and minerals. &he amount of pollen collected !# a colon# depends upon the colon# s immediate re(uirements. &here is a correlation !etween amount of !rood present in a colon# and the amount of pollen collected. " colon# increases the num!er of !ees collecting pollen, when the colon# finds reduced amount of pollen arriving into the !rood. Propolis is a resinous su!stance which is gathered mainl# from !uds and !ar% of trees li%e alder, poplar, horse, chestnut and wounds of wood# plants. It is used for sealing up crac%s in the hive or nest and reducing the si*e of the entrance. +ater is re(uired inside the hive to regulate the temperature and to dilute stores of hone#. ,uch water is collected in earl# spring and hot summer !efore the suppl# of nectar is readil# availa!le. &he colon# survives on its stored hone# during the hot summer weather. II. *oraging Be#a(iour of Bees &he hone# !ees starts its foraging activit# !etween - to . in the morning. Flight usuall# depends on the weather and temperature. &he !ees will not leave the hive if the temperature is !elow /-0C and the wind speed is a!ove 12 %m per hour.

,ost of the !ees return home carr#ing load of nectar, pollen or !oth. Pollen collection is stimulated !# the presence of !rood in the hive. 3ome !ees visit onl# pollen producing flowers li%e corn, rose popp# etc. for collection of pollen. 4ther !ees collect nectar onl#. &he proportion of !ees that collect one su!stance onl# or !oth, varies with the nectar and pollen availa!ilit# in tile vicinit#. Bees fre(uentl# change their activit# during the same da#. &he average nectar load weighs 52 milligrams. Pollen load have an average weight of a!out /- milligrams. Bees have !een found fl#ing a!out up to . %m in search of forage. III. Nectar Potential in India " !ee %eeper must %now the nectar potential of his localit# !efore ma%ing an# investment to start this enterprise. Nectar is the !asic raw product of hone#. &he da#s when a good num!er of plants have nectar to !e foraged !# hone# !ees is called a hone# flow period. If tile nectar #ield is copious o!tained from a good num!er of plants of a particular species, it is called ma6or hone# flow period. +hen the amount of nectar to !e collected is small is called a minor flow period and the da#s when there is no hone# flow is called a dearth period. 3ome e'amples of suita!le localities, !ased on the availa!ilit# of !ee pasturages in India are descri!ed !elow, as !ee %eeping is onl# profita!le if !ee pasturage is a!undantl# availa!le in a particular localit#. +. !ulu (alle$ 7ulu valle# in $imachal Pradesh is suita!le for !ee %eeping !ecause there are nectar secreting plants availa!le in large num!er. It has two ma6or hone# flow periods. i.e. spring and autumn. &he nectar mostl# comes from fruit !loom and !ar!err# during spring. Plectranthus 8 a flowering plant in 7ulu9 produces enough nectar during autumn. &he dearth period in 7ulu valle# is not of a long duration. It occurs in summer from mid June to mid "ugust. +inter dearth period coincides with the coldest part of the #ear when !ees are inactive. 2. !angra (alle$ 7angra valle# in $imachal Pradesh is a suita!le area for !ee%eeping !ecause there is a regular flow of !ee pasturage , throughout the #ear. " ma6or hone# flow is e'perienced during spring season whereas an average hone# flow is noticed during milder winter. :uring the rest of the #ear a minor hone# flow is o!served. ,. Pun-a. plains &he plains of Pun6a! are not a suita!le localit# for !ee%eeping, !ecause it has onl# a short spell of ma6or hone# flows in winter and spring. &here is long dearth period from mid ,a# to mid Novem!er, when !ees are active for collecting the forage !ut !ee pasturage is not availa!le in the localit#. "lso !ees have to face !igger herds of enemies, namel#, wasps, ants, wa' months, !ee eaters etc. 4. !arnataka state &he western ghat area in 7arnata%a is famous for its hone# and !ee wa'. Its hone# flow period is from mid Januar# to June. Bee forages 8nectar9 is availa!le in plent# from plants li%e Diospyros nontana, D. Candollena, Tenninalia crenulata, Vitex leuconylon and Elaeocarpus setrrantus. " ma6or hone# flow i.e. surplus nectar, is o!tained from Syzygium cumini, Skeels caryophylatus and Scheffera venulosa. ,onsoon season is from June to "ugust. It receives a torrential incessant rains, which confines colonies with sugar s#rup. &he post monsoon period is from mid "ugust to mid) Novem!er, which is a minor hone# flow period. 4nl# small amount of pollen and nectar is availa!le from neitema, !oligarna, "itsea, #mpatiens, Cassia etc. &he

winter season is from Novem!er to Januar# is again a minor hone# flow period. Ver# little forage is availa!le from plants li%e calamus, caryota. lseodaphne and Croton. &his results in wea%ening and heav# losses of the colonies. 5. !as#)ir (alle$ 7ashmir valle# has two distinct periods, i.e. ma6or hone# flow, period and winter dearth period. &he ma6or hone# flow period starting from spring and ending in autumn. &he surplus hone# #ielding sources are; $o%inia pseudoacacia, esculus hippocastunum, &runus avium, $osa spp, &leetranthus rugasus, 'rassica (uncea, )agopyrum esculenlum, #ris eusata, Crocus saliva and lmpatients glandulifera. 7ashmir valle# is %nown for its traditional !ee%eeping which re(uires nominal e'penditure and attention. &he onl# precaution re(uired !efore adopting the modem !ee%eeping techni(ues in 7ashmir is against acarine and virus diseases. 6. /ttar Prades# #ills In this region, !ee pasturage is availa!le throughout the #ear. Both cultivated and wild plants provide pollen and nectar. &he colonies develop well in spring. Natural swarming occurs in earl# ,arch to "pril. &he period from "pril to June is a ma6or hone# flow period. &he rain# season is well mar%ed from mid June to mid 3eptem!er. &he hone# !ees get less time to collect the pollen and nectar, !ut !ee pasturage is availa!le from a few plants li%e Tenninalia lomenlosa and several her!s and grasses. +asp and to some e'tent wa' moth are the worst enemies during rain# season. "utumn season starting in 4cto!er and ending in Novem!er is again good for the development of !ee colonies. :uring this period tendenc# to rear (ueens is found in !ee colonies. &his period have a good hone# flow from plants li%e Eugenia, &runus, &letlranlhus etc. :uring winter from :ecem!er to Januar#, !oth availa!ilit# of !ee pastur1ge 1nd the !ee activities decline. &herefore, winter pac%ing is re(uired 1ccording to the altitude and severit# of winter. 0. /ttar Prades# plains In the plains of <ttar Pradesh summer season from "pril to June is a hone# flow season. &he weather is hot, however, !ees are active in collecting !ees pasturage from cloves. cucur!its. some vegeta!les and wild trees li%e zadirachta. Eugenia, Tamarindus etc. In the later half of the summer !ee flora decreases, !rood rearing depletes to a great e'tent, water re(uirements of the colonies shoots up and enemies li%e wa' moth and ants !ecome (uite active. 3uppl# of enough fresh water, li(uid fluid, shade and wind!rea% !ecomes re(uirements of the colon# during summer months. &he rain# season is followed !# summer. Besides high temperature, atmospheric humidit# also increases. Bee pasturage !ecomes availa!le in plent#. &he plants that provide !ee pasturage are ; mai*e. sorghum, cotton and some legumes. &he !ees collect pollen and nectar during the interval when rain stops. &his results in faster !ee activities. <nder these conditions of high temperature, humidit# and less opportunit# for !ees to collect food, it !ecomes necessar# to ma%e proper chec% on wa' moth and ants. Colonies re(uire open shade and enough thic% food. &he rest of the period up to spring through winter is good for !ee forage suppl#. &he important plants that provide pollen and nectar are mustard, ram, eucal#ptus and cloves. &his period receives a good hone# flow. 1. C#otanagpur region Chotanagpur in Bihar is (uite rich in flora producing !ee pasturage. ='cept two months of Jul# and "ugust there is a regular suppl# of !ee forages. &he important plants of this region

are; eucal#ptus. mango, litchi. 6amrm. %aran6, tamerind, gulmohur, !er, niger, arhar, drumstic% etc. 2. Anda)an and Nico.ar &here are plent# of flora which provide a pea% hone# collection season from :ecem!cr to ,a#. But this island gets a rainfall of, a!out 122 cm from ,a# to :ecem!er with c#clones and gales. &herefore, !ees are less active during three months of Jul# to 3eptem!er and re(uire artificial feeding. >ains and wind ma%e the colon# wea% and sometimes colonies get lost though plent# of !ee pasturage is availa!le. +3. 4a#a.les#5ar region &his region is rich in !ee pasturages. &he rain# season in this area is during June to 3eptem!er. :uring this dearth period colonies are migrated to plains, where rainfall is a!out ?2 to ?5 inches and rich in !ee pasturages. &he period of Januar# to Fe!ruar# is ma6or dearth, period. &he main hone# flow period is from Fe!ruar# to Jul#. ++. 4eg#ala$a region Bee %eeping in ,eghala#a has not attained much importance though a num!er of plants producing !ee pasturage are availa!le throughout the #ear. 3ome important plants li%e oilseed crops, vegeta!les, fruits, plantation crops, and ornamental plants are the natural !ee pasturage of this region. &he region is !est for !ee%eeping. &he weather in this region remains humid throughout the season and the temperature ranges from -0C to 1/C which is suita!le for !ee activities. 3ometimes winters are ver# cold. &herefore, a migrator# !ee%eeping has !een found more popular in this region. +2. Padgaon in 4a#aras#tra Padgaon region in ,aharashtra is one of the ma6or hone# #ielding centre in southern ,aharashtra. " num!er of plants !elonging to families as raliaceae. *yrtaceae, Com%retaceae, "a%iateae, canthaceae. $u%iaceae, etc. are !ee forages. &wo hone# flow seasons, one ma6or during the summer months and second minor during the winter months are seen. &wo dearth periods, one large during rain# season and a shorter during the spring have !een spotted for this region. I6. 7udging 8ocal Nectar Potential &he !road description of !ee pasturage in India e'plain what is meant !# suita!ilit# of various regions for !ee %eeping !ased on its nectar and pollen potential. &he evaluation of the nectar potential of #our localit# can !e done !# as%ing following (uestions. a. $ow man# !lossoming periods are there in #our localit#@ !. $ow long each !lossoming period lasts@ c. "re the flowers visited !# hone#!ees for nectar or pollen or !oth@ d. "re !ees a!le to collect surplus hone# from some a!undant crops of flowers #ear after #ear@ e. +hat are tile nectar secreting and flowering plants !esides the ma6or crops of tile area@ f. $ow long is the dearth period@ g. +hat !lossom plants are found in a!undance in one to two %ilometer radius of the place selected for apiar#@ h. $ow far weather conditions distur! !ees in collecting !ee, pasturage@ ,ore the num!er of !lossom periods in a #ear in an area greater will !e the potential for !ee%eeping. =ven if the num!er of !lossoming periods are few !ut the duration is longer that

favours !ee%eeping. +hether !ees are visiting for pollen or nectar can !e noted !# o!serving the !ees on the flowers or on the entrance of hive. &his o!servation can provide us the t#pe of flowering plants 8nectar !earing or pollen !earing or !oth9 in an area at a particular period of the #ear and also whether the !ees are more in need of pollen or nectar or !oth. "rea with special crops having more nectar or pollen has a higher suita!ilit# for !ee%eeping. 3imilarl# areas with more varieties of nectar secreting natural flower has a high favoura!le condition for !ee%eeping. 3horter the dearth period greater will !e the !ee pasturage. "reas close to 8within ?)., %m9 nectar and pollen !earing plant and crops are suita!le for !ee%eeping. Finall# the favoura!le weather conditions such as temperature !etween /-o to 1-0C wind speed less than 12 %m per hour, clear sunn# da#s are favoura!le for !ee pasturage. &oo cold, hot and rain da#s prevent !ee from pasturage. 6% Bees and Pollination % $one# !ees while collecting their !ee pasturage from flowers of various crops do an important wor% of pollination for plants. In some crop species, it is so important that !ees visit the flower for pollinating and setting an# fruit or seed. Pollination is tIle transfer of pollen from tile male flower to the female flower of the same or another flower of the same species. Pollination can !e carried out !# insects, wind, water and in rare instances !# animals, other titan insects, including !irds and !ats. &he most common pollinating agents are wind and insects. "mong insects, hone# !ees are tile most important one since the# have a large population living in a colon# and collecting pollen and nectar from the flowers. $one# !ees have got gregarious !ehaviour which ma%e possi!le to %eep them in hives and places where pollinations are re(uired. &he special contri!ution of hone# !ees in the pollination of various crops li%e fruit trees, !ushes, vegeta!le crops and legume crops are descri!ed here. A. Pollination of fruit trees ,an# %inds of insects visits the flowers of fruit trees for their food. &he special a!ilit# of hone# !ees to pollinate fruit trees or !ushes can !e esta!lished !# an e'periment, in which some fruit trees are caged during flowering period along with a !ee colon#, and some other fruit trees are %ept open for other insects to visit in a natural wa#. &he results on plants of straw!erries, %ept in green house with !ees showed that flowers were full# pollinated and produced health# fruits. +hereas the fruits from uncaged trees were malformed and #ield o!tained was ver# poor. &hus, e'periment confirmed the role of hone# !ees in pollination for the fruit trees. 3ome more advantages of hone# !ee pollination in fruit trees are given here. +. Self pollination Fruit tree ma# naturall# !e a predominantl# self)pollinated, !ut some varieties are definitel# !enefited in their natural mode of pollination through hone# !ees. &his occurs in such a wa# that the fruit flowers, which have mature pollen and receptive stigma and waiting for their natural mode of pollination complete their 6o! when visited !# !ees. &he pollen from the anther to the stigma is transferred through the !od# of the hone# !ee. 2. Ade9uate pollination &he population of the insects other than !ees, in man# areas have diminished !# use of insecticides or fluctuation of climate from #ear to #ear. "ttempts to increase their population have not !een so far proved successful. &herefore, the hone# !ees are the onl# insect under human management as pollinating agent. &he !ees does tile act of pollination ade(uatel# and uniforml#, as it scra!!les over the anther pulling at them with its legs and !iting them. &heir

!od# !ecomes covered with pollen. &his helps in uniform and ade(uate pollination as !ees visit flower to flower. ,. Spread of co)pati.le pollen 3ome orchards are inade(uatel# e(uipped with pollinator varieties. &his re(uires some artificial means for collecting compati!le pollen and also a s#stem to spread the pollen uniforml# among compati!le varieties. &his is done !# construction of a !ee hive in such a wa# that each !ee going into the hive, has to pass through a pollen trap and empt# its pollen pellet. 3imilarl# each outgoing !ee, has to wal% through a pollen dispenser containing pollen of compati!le variet#. &his s#stem thus helps to collect and spread compati!le pollen in the orchards. B. Pollination of (egeta.le crops "mong the more important vegeta!les re(uiring or !enefiting from insect pollination are snap and lima !eans, !eets, carrots, celer#, cole crops, crucifers, cucur!its, egg plant, lettuce, onion, pepper and tomato. Cucur!its i.e. cucum!er, pump%in, s(uash and melons are especiall# dependent on the insects for pollination. &herefore, the hone# !ees can also do the following role in the pollination of vegeta!le crops. +. /nifor) pollination Installing one or more colonies of hone# !ees per acre increases the total #ield and improves fruit si*e, shape and uniformit# of development time. &he factors especiall# important in case of cucum!er are result of uniform pollination !# !ees. 2. Cross pollination 3uccessful plant !reeding programmes are currentl# producing vigorous h#!rid strains of onion and carrots. Crosses are made using male sterile lines and hone# !ees to transfer the pollen. &he similar !reeding techni(ue is now used for recentl# discovered male sterile lines in vegeta!les such as so#a!eans, tomato and cole crops. ,. Pollination of legu)es "mong the most important legumes that are !enefited insect pollination are alfalfa 8*edicago sativa9, clovers 8Trifolium9, sweet clover +*elilotus9, hair# vetch +Vicia villosa9, !irds foot 8"otus cornicuatus9, !eans 8Vicia faloa9. Pollination in legumes are done !# a tripping mechanism , i.e. as the insect visit the flower, the reproductive parts, anther lo!es and stigma enclosed in the %eel are forced to come out and touch the !od# of the insect, !# the weight of the insect of its pro!ing activit#. $one# !ees do not successfull# pollinate commercial legume crops li%e alfalfa grown for seed production. "nother t#pe %nown as alfalfa leaf cutting !e *egachile pacifica is found to !e completing A2B of the polination activities on seed alfalfa. &he alfalfa leaf cutting !ee is a favoured pollinator of seed alfalfa in the North latitudes of "merica. It has a high fidelit# to alfalfa !loom and its foraging period is naturall# s#nchronised with alfalfa !looming period. Its gregarious !ehaviour ma%e it readil# managea!le for nesting in man made nesting places. 3till another !ee %nown as al%ali !ee 8 ,omia melanderi9 is an important insect in alfalfa seed production of the Pacific north west. It is a ma6or pollinator up to 12 per cent of the acreage. 6I. *oraging Bees for Pollen Collection In recent #ears, there has !een an ever increasing interest in emplo#ing hone# !ees to collect pollen for various uses in human diet, plant !reeding etc. :emand for pollen has

increased mar%edl# and man# !ee)%eepers are now involved in pollen collection and sale even though it results in decreased hone# production. Pollen is collected through !ees !# attaching to the !eehive, a special device called pollen trap. A. Pollen trap Pollen trap consists of a grid made of wire cloth, two mesh per s(uare centimeter or mesh per s(uare inch and wire si*e ?? gauge. &hus is designed in such a wa#, that at the entrance of the hive a pollen laden !ee must pass through the grid in order to enter the hive. &he dimensions of the grid allow the !ee to have to access the hive onl# after her pollen load has !een dislodged. &he loose pollen pellets fall into a tra# that is periodicall# emptied !# the !ee)%eepers. 4ften two grids are used, spaced -). cm apart to increase the pollen trapping efficienc#. " well constructed pollen trap will collect a!out -2 per cent of tile incoming pollen i.e. -22 g of pollen per da# during ma6or hone# flow period. &he process of pollen collection !# pollen trap re(uires some precautions. &he# are mentioned here. +. r$ing of pollen &he collected pollen is su!6ected to sun dr# as (uic%l# as possi!le to save it from spoilage !# moulds. For this purpose, some pollen tra#s are lined with cloth or a fine screen to facilitate the dr#ing of the pollen. 2. Pre(ention of re-gat#ering &he !ees are attracted towards the nearest sources of pollen i.e. tra# containing trapped pollen. &o avoid such loss of pollen, the tra# is covered with a piece of screen 1 )5 mesh per s(uareC centimeter or A)D mesh per s(uare inch to prevent the !ees from entering and regathering the pollen. ,. Pollen spoilage &he environmental humidit# occasionall# pose a special pro!lem in collection of pollen. Pollen gets wet and spoiled. &herefore, care must !e ta%en to prevent the pollen from getting spoiled during humid environment of the !ee hive. Pollen should !e collected fre(uentl# and the tra# should !e cleaned and dried at each collection. Pollen traps are usuall# constructed of wood rather than metal, since there is less moisture condensation on the wooden surfaces. Pollen traps should !e installed onl# in those hives whose parts are tightl# fitting. 4. Pollen trapping stress It is a fact that the (ueen emplo#s a certain num!er of wor%ers to collect pollen, to meet the immediate needs of the colon# li%e !rood rearing etc. But the same pollen have !een stac%ed !# the artificial device pollen trap in the entrance. &his results in pollen trapping stress on the colon#. &o avoid such stresses, the traps should !e used onl# on health# populous colonies during period when pollen is plentiful. Pollen traps should !e removed periodicall# i.e. after a!out ten da#s, to allow the colon# to collect pollen for its own use. If the favoura!le conditions continue, the trap can then !e reinstalled. 5. Spread of diseases ,ost of the trapped pollen is used for the feeding of hone# !ees. &he use of contaminated pollen from tile trap results in spread of chal%!oard disease and other pro!lems. &o avoid such losses, it is imperative that pollen !e trapped onl# from health# colonies and carefull# cleaned to remove an# possi!le pathogenic material. B. /ses of pollen

&rapped pollen is used in a variet# of research programmes including studies in plant !reeding, pollination, and human consumption. It is also used in preparation of pollen supplement for hone# !ees and as a food supplement for humans. &he various uses of trapped pollen are given !elow. +. Pollination Pollen is %ept in a pollen dispenser device fi'ed at the e'it gate of the hive in such a wa# that each outgoing !ee has to wal% through the pollen. &he pollen adheres to the !od# of the !ees and is spread in the field for effective pollination. 2. :u)an consu)ption Bee collected pollen is used as a part of the human diet. =uropean athletes were among the first to use pollen as a food supplement and reported positive effects. "t present, pollen is used as a health food 8tonic9 or in the treatment of certain diseases i.e. prostaitis, !leeding stomach ulcers, respirator# infections and the control of allerg# reactions. ,. pollen nutrition Pollen is the principal source of proteins, vitamins, lipids and minerals for hone# !ees. " shortage of pollen can result in the failure of hone# !ee colonies to develop their optimum populations. For this reason pollen during a!undant flow periods are collected for feeding the colonies during the period of shortage. 3ometimes a pollen su!stitute or a pollen supplement are fed to the colonies. 1. Pollen su.stitute " pollen su!stitute is an# material that can !e fed to colonies to replace its need for natural pollen i.e. so#a!ean meal or dried whe#. .. Pollen supple)ent " pollen supplement contains /2 per cent of natural pollen mi'ed with some other protein source. Pollen su!stitutes that are widel# used are in the form of a dr# mi'ture or a moist patt#. i. r$ )i;ture &en per cent dr# pollen, free from infection of diseases is mi'ed in dr# mi'ture containing so#a !ean flour 1 parts, dried !rewer s #east one part, and dried s%immed mil% one part. &his dr# mi'ture is fed to !ees in a feed lot s#stem. &his re(uires protection from adverse weather conditions. ii. 4oist patt$ 5-2 g of dr# mi'ture prepared as a!ove is mi'ed with cold sugar s#rup prepared !# dissolving ? parts !# volume of sugar in / part hot water. &he mi'ed paste is converted into patties. Patt# is placed as close as possi!le to the com!s containing unsealed !rood, for feeding to the !ees. 6III% Conclusion +hat is descri!ed is onl# a general feature of the ma6or geographical areas in India which can !e used as !ee pasturage. $owever, a !ee %eeper has to !uild up from this general understanding a more practical and specific understanding of his area as a !ee pasturage. $e can also !uild up a !ee pasturage.

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