Pollen of Apis honey from Maharashtra

Melissopalynological investigations are important in establishing an apiary industry. Pollen analyses of the nectar sources of Apis florea Fabr. from the Saoner region indicate the importance of this region for commercial bee keeping enterprises. Twenty seven samples were collected during winter season in the months of October 1997 to January 1998 and November 1998 to January 1999. In addition, 245 pollen loads were analyzed from 19 honey combs collected from the same region. Pollen grains were identified from reference slides. Of the 27 honey samples, 17 samples were unifloral and ten multifloral. A total of 39 pollen types were classified into 21 families. In the analyses of the 245 pollen loads Lagascea mollis Cav. was dominant in 57 pollen loads and Parthenium hysterophorus L. in 55 pollen loads. Weeds such as Parthenium hysterophorus, Sphaeranthus indicus L., Lagascea mollis, Bidens pilosa L. and Justicia procumbens L. were the common sources of nectar and pollen for Apis florea in the region. Agricultural tracts of the Saoner region in the Nagpur District have a good potential for sustaining beekeeping ventures because of the diversity of nectar and pollen taxa.