author(s)
SJ Kavitha and PV Rami Reddy

abstract
The experiment was conducted to study the relationship between the onion floral nectar characteristics and honey bee foraging activity. The role of nectar characteristics in influencing their attractiveness to honey bees was evaluated in three cultivars of onion. Onion varieties with more nectar, TSS and caloric rewards attracted large number of honey bees (Apis cerana, Apis florea, Apis dorsata and Tetragonula iridipennis). Arka Pragathi variety was found to produce significantly superior quantity and quality of nectar, that attracted a large number of honey bee foragers. All the onion varieties studied produced the floral nectar which is hexose dominant, rich in fructose and glucose sugars. The honey bee foraging populations showed a significant positive correlation with average nectar volume and TSS (except Apis dorsata for nectar volume), thus honey bee foragers were found to be guided to flowers mainly because of their nectar quantity and quality.