Spectrum of plant species foraged by Apis mellifera adansonii Latreille in the North Sudanian phytogeographical region of Burkina Faso |
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| Authors: | Paul Schweitzer Aidoo Kwame Joseph Issaka Boussim |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Laboratoire d’Analyses et d’Ecologie Apicole, Centre d’Etudes Techniques Apicole de Moselle, Guenange, France;2. Department of Entomology and Wildlife, International Stingless Bee Centre, University of the Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana;3. Laboratoire de Biologie et Ecologie Végétale, Université de Ouagadougou, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso |
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| Abstract: | Melissopalynological analysis of 60 honey samples collected from 50 Kenyan Top Bar Hives in the North Sudanian phytogeographical region of Burkina Faso established the plant species foraged by honeybees Apis mellifera adansonii. Forty-three pollen types from 29 families were identified in the honey samples. The most common families were Mimosaceae (9.30%), Asteraceae (6.98%) and Anacardiaceae (6.98%). The most frequently visited plants were Combretum (66.66%), Tridax procumbens (66.66), Acacia seyal-group (50%), Cleome viscosa-group (50%) and Cyperus esculentus (41.67%). The results showed that Apis mellifera adansonii is polylectic with a heterogeneous foraging behaviour. Pollen analysis showed that the honeys from the two main honey flows of Burkina Faso were polyfloral. |
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| Keywords: | pollen analysis polyfloral honey apiculture melliferous plants Burkina Faso |
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