Diversity of Bee Pollinators – Global and Indian Perspective

Bees are important diverse group of pollinators that contribute to pollination and reproductive success of many angiosperms. Of the hundred principal crops that accounts for world’s food supply, only 15 % was pollinated by domestic bees (honeybees and bumble bees) and 80% are pollinated by wild non-apis bees (leaf cutter bees, sweat bees, digger bees). Honeybees, bumble bees and stingless bees were social in habit with typical caste system (queen, drones and workers) and division of labour. Seven different species of honeybees were reported from India viz., Apis mellifera, A. cerana, A. florea, A. dorsata and A. labriosa. Among the different species of honeybees, A. mellifera and A. cerana were domesticated in India for the honey production. Native bees like leaf cutter bees, sweat bees, digger bees were solitary in habit and constructs their habit in hollow cavities, pithy stems and underground. The native bees buzz pollinates plants with typical floral morphology results in increased fruit/pod set and yield in different crops.