Honeybee Flora for Commercial Beekeeping in Manipur, India

Beekeeping, otherwise known as apiculture is a lucrative business providing supplementary or major income to the people in rural areas. Honey has certain health benefits, with its nutritional composition closely similar fruits and natural sweetener. Honeybees are also good pollinator gives valued products such beewax, propolis, bee venom, etc. However, for commercial beekeeping, selection of species very important yearly flow honey, beekeeper should know flora preferred by bees every seasons. The present study revealed that, out total 161 plant identified, which visited honeybees (Apis cerana Apis mellifera) nectar pollen, maximum belong horticultural crops (33%) followed wild plants forest trees (29%); ornamental avenue (28%). least (10%) was recorded agronomic crops.