Pollinators visiting summer vegetables ridge gourd (Luffa acutangula), bitter gourd (Momordica charantia L.) and brinjal (Solanum melongena)

Abstract

The forging activity of insect pollinators visiting the summer vegetables i.e. Ridge gourd (Luffa acutangula), Bitter Gourd (Momordica charantia L.) and Eggplant or Brinjal (Solanum melongena) observed. Two orders Hymenoptera and Diptera were identified as the major pollinators of these vegetables. The order Hymenoptera include six species (Apis Sp., Bombus sp., Xylocopa sp., Halictus sp. and two unidentified species 1 from Halictidae family and 1 from Megachilidae families) and order diptera include there 3 species of pollinators (Eristalinus sp. and 1 un-identified specie from family Syrphidae and Muscidae each). The foraging rate was much higher early in the morning i.e. 6-7 am. Ridge gourd (Luffa acutangula) have the more abundant number of insects pollinating it followed by Bitter gourd (Momordica charantia L.) and Brinjal (Solanum melongena). The total number if insect pollinators show that the order hymenoptera include the most abundant number of insect pollinators.

Keywords

• Pollinators
• Summer vegetables
• Ridge gourd
• Bitter gourd
• Brinjal