Foraging behaviour of Bombus haemorrhoidalis Smith on Capsicum annuum L. under protected cultivation

Abstract

The Bombus haemorrhoidalis queens were collected while foraging on Adhatoda vasica, Brassica juncea, Hypericum oblongifolium, Papaver rhoeas, Scutellaria linearis, Cydonia oblonga and Antirrhinum majus from February to April. The laboratory reared bumble bee (Bombus haemorrhoidalis Smith) queens established in the field was introduced in flowering (at 5- 10% flowering) bell pepper crop and used for pollination in polyhouse. The number of bumble bees visiting bell pepper flowers were maximum (6.83 bumble bees/m2/5min) during 1600-1800h, whereas, minimum (2.00 bumble bees) during 1200-1400h. The maximum foraging rate (6.17 flowers/min) of B. haemorrhoidalis was during 0800-1000h, whereas, minimum (3.40 flowers) during 1200-1400h. The bumble bees spent maximum time on a single flower (6.90 sec/flower) during 0800-1000h, whereas, minimum time (4.47 sec) during 1200-1400h.