Biodiversity and relative abundance of different honeybee species (Hymenoptera: Apidae) in Murree-Punjab, Pakistan.

Journal Article

Ali, Khalid Ali Khan, Mohammed Javed Ansari, Ahmad Al-Ghamdi, Deepak Sharma, Hussain . 2014

• المجلة \ الصحيفة: Journal of Entomology and Zoology Studies
• رقم العدد: 4
• رقم الإصدار السنوي: 2
• الصفحات: 324-327

مستخلص المنشور

Biodiversity studies of an area provide the basic data compulsory to measure the
anthropogenic impacts like habitat loss, introduction of invasive species, climate change, and
pollution on biological communities [1-3].
Biodiversity has become a leading research idea in recent years and also a popular field for
audience attraction in the media [4]. Honeybees belong to the Apoidea group and are consistent
flower visitors and major plant pollinators, both in natural as well as agricultural ecosystems [5,
6].The study on biodiversity of honeybees and other flower visitor insects is assisted by the
observation and capture of many individuals which exploit different and measurable resources
[7].
Many researchers have addressed in detail the aspects of pollination [8, 9], trophic resources
partitioning [10] and spatial and temporal distribution of honeybees [11-13].
Honeybees in Pakistan were traditionally kept for honey production for the last two centuries
and they have also contributed significantly in increasing crops productivity, fruit bearing and
seed set in forest plants [14]. Four honeybee species i.e. Apis cerana Fabricius, 1793; Apis
florea Fabricius, 1787; Apis dorsata Fabricius, 1793 and Apis mellifera Linnaeus, 1758 are
found in Pakistan. A. cerana F. and A. mellifera L. are mostly found in the north western hills
and foothills of Punjab, Khyber Pukhton Khawah, Gigit Baltistan, FATA (Federally
administered tribal areas), some parts of Baluchistan, Sindh and Azad Jammu and Kashmir
while A. dorsata F. prefers foothills, plains, forests and semi-desert areas up to an altitude of
1100 meters in all provinces and A. florea F. is mostly found up to an altitude of 600 meter and
rarely found above 1500 m [15]. A. florea F. is absent north of the Himalayas [16] and found in
all provinces in plains, coastal and sub-coastal areas and foothills throughout the year [17].
In the past, annual honey production in Pakistan was very low but the beekeeping industry
flourished after the importation of A. mellifera L. in 1977-78 [15]. There are more than 400,000
bee colonies with an average annual honey production of 21 kg per colony. The bee flora
present in the country can support up to 3,500,000 bee colonies .Total annual honey
production of the country is approximately 10,000 metric ton [18].