Identification and characterization of honeybee flora calendar in Southwest Jimma Zone, Ethiopia

Abstract. Mossie T, Worku H. 2023. Identification and characterization of honeybee flora calendar in Southwest Jimma Zone, Ethiopia. Asian J For 7: 54-66. The study was conducted to identify, characterize and document major bee forages, develop an appropriate flora calendar, their phenology, and pollen potential in the various agro-ecological conditions of the Jimma Zone, Ethiopia. A total of 90 beekeepers were purposefully selected from three districts and interviewed to get primary data. The density and abundance of flowering plants were determined using quadrat sampling techniques. In addition, pollen specimens were collected using pollen traps at seven-day intervals and were also traced back to plant species level under a light microscope. The study has revealed the presence of 141 pollen and/or nectar-source honeybee plant species belonging to sixty-two families in the study area. Herbs were the most dominant bee flora growth forms, accounting for 62 (44%) of a total of 141 honeybee plant species, followed by trees at 48 (34%) and shrubs at 31 (22%), respectively. The herbaceous plant had a greater density value of plant species per plot than did trees and shrubs. One hundred fifteen (81.6%) were both sources of pollen and nectar, whereas fifteen (10.6%) were pollen sources and the remaining eleven (7.8%) were nectar-source plant species. The Shannon diversity index and evenness were found to be 2.8 and 0.6, respectively. This indicated that the study area has a rich bee floral plant species and is suitable for beekeeping. Two main flowering periods of honeybee plants were followed by two honey flow seasons. Therefore, beekeepers should follow the floral calendar of honeybee plants to exploit the potential of the area for honey production.