Foraging Behavior of Apis mellifera Linn. Visiting Some Plant Flowers in Aljabal Alakhder Region –Libya

Abstract

The study aimed to investigate the effects of nectar secretion and climate conditions on the number of honeybee workers foraging on flowers of three different plant species. Nectar samples were taken at different hours of the day. Handling and traveling time of each bee per flower were recorded. The results showed a significant difference during daylight hours on nectar volume (P>0.05). The highest amount of nectar was recorded at 10 am on a Prunus domestica flower plant (0.5± 0.2) and the lowest on a Pyrus communis flower plant at 8:00 am with (0.0132 ± 0.008). Also, the highest recorded handling time was on a Malus domestica flower plant at 10 am with (6.1± 1.7 Sec). And while there was an absence of mean handling time at 4:00 pm on the P. communis flower plant, The results showed that the highest traveling time recorded was on a M. domestica flower plant at 12 am with (2.2 ± 0.1 Sec) compared with the P. communis flower plant that recorded the lowest traveling time at 4:00 pm with (0.1± 0.1 Sec). Furthermore, the results revealed that the preference of Apis mellifera was the M. domestica flower plant. The findings showed a significance (P>0.05) between the effects of climate conditions on the number of bees during visits, while also revealing that there was a relationship between high temperatures and an increase in the number of visiting bees. Meanwhile, the number of visits decreased during the hours of observation with lower humidity.

Keywords

• Apis mellifera
• Flower Preference
• Foraging Behavior
• Handling and Traveling Times.