Diversity of native bees on Parkinsonia aculeata L. in Jammu region of North-West Himalaya.

A study was conducted in Jammu region of Jammu and Kashmir State to determine the species composition and relative abundance of pollinators on Parkinsonia aculeata L., (Family Fabaceae) is a perennial flowering plant, growing as an avenue tree on roadsides. Parkinsonia flowers attracted 27 species of insects belonging to orders Hymenoptera, Diptera and Lepidoptera. They included Megachile bicolor (Fabricius), Megachile hera (Bingham), Megachile lanata (Fabricius), Megachile disjuncta (Fab.), Megachile cephalotes (Smith), Megachile badia (Fab.), Megachile semivestita (Smith), Megachile vigilans (Smith), Megachile relata (Fab.), Megachile femorata, Andrena sp., Amegilla zonata (Linnaeus), Amegilla confusa (Smith), Apis dorsata (Fab.), Apis cerana (Fab.), Apis florea (Fab.), Ceratina smaragdula (Fab.)., Xylocopa latipes (Drury), Nomia iridescens (Smith), Nomia curvipes (Fab.), and seven species of unidentified insects. Megachile bees were most abundant and constituted more than 95% of the insects visiting Parkinsonia aculeata flowers. Species diversity measured by Shannon Wiener index showed a high value of H' = 2.03, reflecting a diverse pollinator community in the area. The foragers of all the species were found to be most active between 11.00 and 15.00 hrs and the population of flower visitors declined thereafter. Information on diversity of native pollinators from disturbed habitats and their specific dependence on P. aculeata during dearth period will provide a base for conservation of pollinators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]