Pollen source variation between agricultural areas and forest edges: a case study of the red dwarf honeybee (Apis florea Fabricius) in the Rarh region, West Bengal, India

Document Type : Paper, English

Authors

1 Department of Botany & Forestry, Vidyasagar University, Midnapore-721102, India

2 Department of Botany, Rampurhat College, Rampurhat-731224, India

3 Department of Botany & Forestry, Vidyasagar University, Midnapore, India

10.22034/jesi.46.3.2

Abstract

Conserving native honeybees is vital for ecosystem stability and food security, yet the impact of changing landscapes on the pollen foraging of the red dwarf honeybee (Apis florea) remains poorly understood. The study investigated how landscape variation influences pollen foraging by Apis florea in West Bengal, examining its pollen resources and collection patterns across agricultural areas and forest edges. We conducted palynological analyses of corbicular pollen loads. The honeybee species exhibited floral constancy and polylecty, collecting a wide variety of pollen types (57 in total). The composition and predominant pollen sources varied between the two landscapes. In agricultural areas, predominant pollen sources were Coriandrum sativum, Cucumis sativus, Cucurbita maxima, Luffa aegyptiaca, and Rhamphospermum nigrum. In contrast, at forest edges, several tree species such as Acacia auriculiformis, Eucalyptus tereticornis, and Terminalia arjuna were dominant, along with some crop species, including Coriandrum sativum and Rhamphospermum nigrum. However, the monthly number and diversity of pollen types did not differ significantly between the two landscapes. Based on diverse characteristics of bee-visited flowers, the honeybee species was considered a generalist forager. In conclusion, the red dwarf honeybee was adapted to diverse habitats. Agricultural land use influenced the botanical composition of pollen collected by honeybees, but did not appear to restrict overall pollen flow to colonies.

Graphical Abstract

Pollen source variation between agricultural areas and forest edges: a case study of the red dwarf honeybee (Apis florea Fabricius) in the Rarh region, West Bengal, India

Keywords

Main Subjects

Article Title [Persian]

تنوع منابع گرده در مناطق کشاورزی و حاشیه جنگل‌ها: مطالعه موردی زنبور عسل کوتوله قرمز (Apis florea Fabricius) در منطقه رار بنگال غربی، هند

Authors [Persian]

  • سومان دی 1
  • اوجوال لیک 2
  • پراکاش کارامکار 3
1 گروه گیاه‌شناسی و جنگل‌داری، دانشگاه ویدیاساگار، میدناپور-۷۲۱۰۲، هند
2 گروه گیاه‌شناسی، دانشکده سالدیها، سالدیها-۷۲۲۱۷۳، هند
3 گروه گیاه‌شناسی، دانشکده رامپورها‌ت، رامپورها‌ت-۷۳۱۲۲۴، هند
Abstract [Persian]

حفاظت از جمعیت زنبورهای عسل بومی، نقشی حیاتی در پایداری اکوسیستم و امنیت غذایی دارد، با این حال اثر تغییرات چشم‌اندازهای طبیعی بر رفتار گرده‌جویی زنبور عسل کوتوله‌ی قرمز (Apis florea) هنوز به‌خوبی شناخته نشده است. این پژوهش، نشان داد که چگونه تفاوت بین چشم‌اندازهای طبیعی روی گرده‌جویی این گونه در بنگال غربی تأثیر می‌گذارد. تحقیق با هدف مطالعه منابع گرده و الگوهای جمع‌آوری آن در مناطق کشاورزی و حاشیه‌های جنگلی طراحی شد. برای این منظور، ارزیابی گرده‌شناسی بر روی بارهای گرده ی جمع‌آوری‌شده در سبد گرده‌ی پاهای زنبور انجام شد. این گونه زنبور عسل، پایداری گل‌گزینی و رفتار چندگل‌پسندی (Polylecty) از خود نشان داد و طیف گسترده‌ای از انواع گرده‌ها (در مجموع ۵۷ نوع) را جمع‌آوری کرد. ترکیب و منابع غالب گرده میان دو نوع چشم‌انداز متفاوت بود. در مناطق کشاورزی، منابع اصلی گرده شامل: گشنیز (Coriandrum sativum)، خیار (Cucumis sativus)، کدو تنبل (Cucurbita maxima)، لوفا یا کدوی اسفنجی (Luffa aegyptiaca) و خردل سیاه (Rhamphospermum nigrum) بودند. در مقابل، در حاشیه‌های جنگلی چندین گونه درختی مانند: آکاسیا (Acacia auriculiformis)، اوکالیپتوس (Eucalyptus tereticornis) و ارجونا (Terminalia arjuna) به همراه برخی گیاهان زراعی مانند گشنیز و خردل سیاه، منابع غالب گرده محسوب می‌شدند. با این حال، تعداد گرده ها (در طول ماه) و تنوع انواع گرده‌ها بین دو چشم‌انداز، تفاوت معنی‌داری نشان نداد. بر اساس ویژگی‌های متنوع گل‌هایی که زنبورها از آن‌ها بازدید می‌کردند، این گونه زنبور عسل به‌عنوان یک گرده‌جوی عمومی (Generalist forager) در نظر گرفته شد. در نتیجه، زنبور عسل کوتوله‌ی قرمز یک گرده‌جوی عمومی است که توانایی سازگاری با زیستگاه‌های متنوع را دارد. توسعه کشاورزی بر ترکیب گیاهی گرده‌های جمع‌آوری‌شده توسط زنبورها تأثیر می‌گذارد، اما به نظر می‌رسد که روی جریان کلی گرده به سوی کلنی‌ها، تاثیری نمیگذارد.

Keywords [Persian]

  • generalist forager
  • floral constancy
  • pollen load
  • pollen type
  • polylectic forager

© 2026 by Author(s), Published by the Entomological Society of Iran

This Work is Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial 4.0 International Public License.

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Journal of Entomological Society of Iran
Volume 46, Issue 3
July 2026
Pages 255-270

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