Pollen source foraging preference of honeybees (Apis cerana) in Endane biodiversity corridor of Sinharajah Forest Reserve, Sri Lanka

Abstract

Identifying the most preferred foraging plants of honeybees is a prerequisite to harvest year-round bee honey production. This study evaluated the foraging preference of pollen sources by honeybees in the Endane Biodiversity Corridor. Pollens of different plants in the study site were collected, microscopically analyzed by preparing slides. The pollen abundance of different pollen bread samples from six colonies were examined using a haemocytometer. Pollens of 54 flowering plant species belonging to 28 families were used to prepare reference slides, and among them, pollens belong to 36 plant species from 22 families were observed in collected pollen bread samples. According to the pollen analysis by Poisson regression, the abundance of pollens was significantly different (p<0.0001) among the bee colonies. Memecylon umbellatum, Gliricidia sapium, Trema orientalis, Spondias dulcis, Symplocos cohinchinensis, Cocos nucifera, Elaeocarpus serratus, and Alstonia macrophylla were identified as the primary pollen sources for honeybees in the study area. In addition to the flowering plants, weeds are also preferred by the honeybees for the pollen requirement.