The main goal of this study is to provide information about the foraging value of a number of specific plant species for honeybees in Palestine, since one of the limiting factors of Palestine＇s apiculture industry is...The main goal of this study is to provide information about the foraging value of a number of specific plant species for honeybees in Palestine, since one of the limiting factors of Palestine＇s apiculture industry is the unpredicted seasonality in the blooming phenology of nectariferous and polleniferous plant species. This limiting factor can be overcome by increasing and diversifying the population of bee forage plant species throughout man made plantations. In this survey, a combination of literature and field surveys were used in order to identify and compile a list of plant species, which are of importance for fulfilling the honeybee＇s needs of nectar and pollen. The study was conducted through bi-weekly visit to a numbers of randomly selected sites located in some nature reserves and agricultural fields, within the West Bank Governorates. A total of 143 nectariferous and polleniferous plant species, belonging to 37 families, were identified through direct observation of foraging bees, and/or through literature survey. The dominant families are Compositae with 27 （18.8%） belonging species, followed by Lamiaceae family with 24 （16.7%） belonging species, then followed by Boraginaceae family with 8 （5.5%） belonging species and then followed by other families. The identified plant species was grouped into pollen, nectar and both pollen and nectar sources plant species. The polleniferous plant species group counted 17 which is equivalent to 11.8%; the nectariferous plant species group counted 29 which is equivalent to 20.2%; and the third groups of plant species that have been visited by bees for collecting both pollen and nectar counted 97, which is equivalent to 68%. The chronologies of the blooming plant species were also recorded. It was concluded that any of the studied locations can be profitably utilized for commercial and or large scale beekeeping, if the important limiting factor can be overcome by increasing and diversifying the population of bee forage plant species throughout man made plantations. The paper provides information on the wild and cultivated nectariferous and polleniferous plants that are important for the bees in the West Bank Governorates, Palestine.展开更多
文摘The main goal of this study is to provide information about the foraging value of a number of specific plant species for honeybees in Palestine, since one of the limiting factors of Palestine＇s apiculture industry is the unpredicted seasonality in the blooming phenology of nectariferous and polleniferous plant species. This limiting factor can be overcome by increasing and diversifying the population of bee forage plant species throughout man made plantations. In this survey, a combination of literature and field surveys were used in order to identify and compile a list of plant species, which are of importance for fulfilling the honeybee＇s needs of nectar and pollen. The study was conducted through bi-weekly visit to a numbers of randomly selected sites located in some nature reserves and agricultural fields, within the West Bank Governorates. A total of 143 nectariferous and polleniferous plant species, belonging to 37 families, were identified through direct observation of foraging bees, and/or through literature survey. The dominant families are Compositae with 27 （18.8%） belonging species, followed by Lamiaceae family with 24 （16.7%） belonging species, then followed by Boraginaceae family with 8 （5.5%） belonging species and then followed by other families. The identified plant species was grouped into pollen, nectar and both pollen and nectar sources plant species. The polleniferous plant species group counted 17 which is equivalent to 11.8%; the nectariferous plant species group counted 29 which is equivalent to 20.2%; and the third groups of plant species that have been visited by bees for collecting both pollen and nectar counted 97, which is equivalent to 68%. The chronologies of the blooming plant species were also recorded. It was concluded that any of the studied locations can be profitably utilized for commercial and or large scale beekeeping, if the important limiting factor can be overcome by increasing and diversifying the population of bee forage plant species throughout man made plantations. The paper provides information on the wild and cultivated nectariferous and polleniferous plants that are important for the bees in the West Bank Governorates, Palestine.
