Determination of Nectar Resources through Body Surface Pollen Analysis: A Study with the Stingless Bee Tetragonula iridipennis Smith (Apidae: Meliponini) in West Bengal, India

Knowledge about floral resources is essential for bee management and conservation. Pollen analysis of honey the most traditional method determining nectar a species. However, collection samples difficult in cavity-nesting natural stingless colonies. Furthermore, it detrimental to wild bee’s colony may threaten their survivability. We analyzed adhered body surface pollen incoming foragers (which were smeared incidentally during foraging) as an alternative determine nectariferous flora Tetragonula iridipennis West Bengal, India. By this method, we have identified 75 types. The number obtained types was lower human-altered habitats Midnapore city (44 types) than semi-natural Garhbeta (71 types). Excluding few non-nectariferous plants, came from plants both crop non-crop Non-crop flowering (viz. Ailanthus excelsa, Borassus flabellifer, Eucalyptus tereticornis, Lannea coromandelica, Peltophorum pterocarpum, Tectona grandis) provided significant amount species and, therefore, play important role conservation