Diversity of Bee Pollinators and Flora in Cashew

Seven species of bee that maintained constancy on cashew flowers were identified from coastal Karnataka [(Pseudapis oxybeloides (Smith), Lasioglossum sp. and Halictus sp., Halictidae; Braunsapis sp., Ceratina smaragdula (F.) and Ceratina sp., Apidae)] and four species from coastal Tamil Nadu [(Ceratina (Pithitis) binghami Cockerell, C. smaragdula, Braunsapis sp. and P. oxybeloides)]. Time spent by bees for visiting the flowers ranged from 0.8 to 25.1 seconds per flower. Diversity of flora recorded during 2003-08 as floral resources for nectar for all the above bee species during lean and flowering periods of cashew - both at coastal Karnataka and Tamil Nadu - is presented in this paper.