BEE VISITATION AND FORAGING ACTIVITY OF INDIAN HONEY BEE, APIS CERANA F. IN BT AND NON-BT COTTON HYBRIDS AT DHARWAD

摘要

The Indian honey bee, Apis cerana F. formed 26.53, 26.0 and 31.02 per cent of total pollinators on Bt RCH-2, Bt MECH-12 and non-Bt RCH-2 cotton hybrids, respectively. Peak visits on all these hybrids were recorded at 1200 h with 4.56, 5.93 and 6.12 bees/10 flowers/min, respectively. The overall mean bee visits on Bt cotton hybrids 2.23 and 3.55 bees/10 flowers/min did not vary from that recorded on non-Bt cotton hybrid 2.84 bees/10 flowers/min. Similarly pollen, nectar and outgoing foragers and the bee mortality in the colonies kept in Bt and non-Bt cotton hybrids were at par with each other. It is concluded that Bt cotton hybrids RCH-2 and MECH-12 are safe to A. cerana bees.