Environmental window for insecticide application on muskmelon to minimize the exposure risk to pollinators

Muskmelon is an important vegetable crop, known for its delicious fruits. This plant bears imperfect fowers due to which it has great dependence upon pollinators for fruit setting. To safeguard the pollinators from the harmful effect of pesticides, the present study was carried out at two different locations in Punjab. Three honey bee species viz. Apis mellifera, Apis cerana and Apis forea, were recorded foraging on muskmelon blooms with their respective mean foraging intensity at two locations being 0.28–1.15, 1.19–0.32 and 0.10–0.53 bees/m²/2min. The peak foraging activity of all the bees was recorded during 0900-1100 h. The bees' activity started at 0700 h and ceased completely at 1700 h. Hence, farmers are advised to spray in the evening only after 1700 h so as to ensure safer environmental window for protecting the useful pollinator fauna.