Apicultural flora and apiary management in the reconcavo - south Bahia region.
Vidal M. das G., Santana N. da S., Vidal D.
Author Affiliation: Centro de Ciências Agrárias Ambientais e Biológicas da UFRB, Cruz das Almas, BA, Brazil.
Revista Acadêmica Ciências Agrárias e Ambientais 6 : 503-509
Abstract : Native and exotic nectar- and pollen-producing plants visited by Apis mellifera in the counties of Cruz das Almas, Governador Mangabeira, Muritiba, São Félix and Cachoeira, Bahia, Brazil, were studied during 1980-82 and 2001. Bees visiting flowering plants were observed weekly. The flowers of 39 plant species belonging to 17 families and 30 genera were visited by bees. Plants most frequently visited by bees belonged to Compositae, Leguminosae and Verbenaceae. Of the 39 species visited by bees, 48.7% were herbaceous. The highest percentage of flowering occurred from July to September, during which the following plant species exhibited peak flowering: Vernonia membranacea, V. fruticulosa, Citrus spp., Eupatorium ballotaefolium, Centrarherum violaceum, Blanchetia heterotricha, Mikania cordifolia, Cosmos caudatus, Borreria verticillata, Borreria capitata, Eucalyptus spp., Lantana aculeata [L. camara] and Serjania species. Thus, the apiary should be improved in July through the following activities: unite weak colonies, introduce queens, and prepare supers with impressed beewax. Peak flowering was again observed from October to December, during which flowering was evident in the following: Anacardium occidentale, Croton campestris, Struthanthus sp., Turnera subulata, Mangifera indica, Eugenia malaccensis and V. fruticulosa. Flower shortage occurred from January to March. The plant species that exhibited flowering throughout the year were Aspilia foliata, Cosmos caudatus, Melissa officinalis, Antigonon leptopus, Richardia grandiflora and Stachytarpheta bicolor. These plants, along with the species that showed peak flowering, contributed the most to honey production in the aforementioned regions.