Flowering legumes as pollen and nectar-rich habitats for bees : preference of bee pollinators to different forage species
2016
Kirilov, A | Nikolova, I | Georgieva, N | Mladenova, R
The intensive use of pesticides in agriculture over the last decades has led to the destruction of a great part of the population of wild bee - pollinators. The objective of the study was to determine the period of flowering and the preference of the bees for different species of flowering leguminous crops. Crops of six (6) species of intensively flowering forage crops were selected: alfalfa (Medicago sativa), sainfoin (Onobrychis viciaefolia), birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus L.), forage peas (Pisum sativum L.), phacelia (Phacelia tanacetifolia Benth) and cocksfoot (Dactylis glomerata L). The most prolonged period of flowering was observed in sainfoin (38 days), followed by birdsfoot trefoil, phacelia and cocksfoot. Considerably higher density of bee pollinators was found in sainfoin. The flowering of alfalfa is longer in its first regrowth and shorter in the second. The largest number of wild bees - pollinators appeared in sainfoin and the second largest number in alfalfa. Birdsfoot trefoils are characterized by the lowest attendance of bees. Bees were not found in peas and cocksfoot. The highest density of honeybees (Apis mellifera) was found in Phacelia. Their number is influenced by weather conditions
显示更多 [+] 显示较少 [-]