Department of Entomology, College of Agriculture, G. B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar, 263 145 (U. S. Nagar, Uttarakhand)
Online published on 28 February, 2013.
Eight insect species belonging to the order Hymenoptera and Diptera were observed visiting the blossom of Litchi chinensis Sonn. The activity of insects visiting the flowers was highest (9.33 foragers/panicle/5min) at 1200 h. Among the insect, relative abundance was highest in T. laeviceps (13.89 foragers/panicle/5min; ie 35.39% of total pollinators). The foraging rate of pollinators was highest (16.53 flowers/min) at 10.00 h. Among the foragers, it was highest with E. balteatus (15.16 flowers/min). Average foraging speed of insect pollinators was highest (4.62 sec/flower) at 12.00 h. The average time spent by a single forager per flower was maximum with A. mellifera (5.83 sec/flower).
Insect pollinators, foraging behaviour, Litchi (Litchi chinensis Sonn.)
