author(s)
Venkatesh Hosamani, Reddy MS, Venkateshalu, Hanumanthaswamy BC, Ravikumar B and Ashoka N

abstract
The investigation was carried out to study the Foraging activities of different honey bees in onion ecosystem during rabi-summer 2010-2011 at farmers field at Benkanakonda village near KVK, Hanumanamatti, Haveri District the results revealed that the dammer bee, T. iridipennis started its activity at 0800 hr with an average of 1.50 bees/sq.mt/ 5 min and attained peak at 1200 hr (4.37 bees/ sq.mt /5 min). The foraging activity trend remained almost same upto to 1400 hr it gradually decreased with lowest foraging activity measured at 1800 hr. The rock bee started visiting the onion plot early at 0600 hr with an average of 0.55 bees/sq.mt/5 min. It gradually increased and peak activity was observed at 1000 hr with an average of 5.13 bees/sq.mt / 5min. A. cerana started foraging activity after 5 per cent flowering commenced at 0600 hr with an average of 0.62 bees/sq.mt/ 5 min. The maximum activity was found between 1000 to 1200 hr which varied with an average of 5.64 to 4.04 bees/sq.mt/5 min. The foraging activity of A. florea was not found at 600 but 800 onwards. The peak activity of A. florea on onion crop was recorded from 1000 to 1400. On an onion umbel 4 to 5 individuals were found at a time for foraging. The comparative foraging activity of different honey bee species indicated that, among the four species A. florea was predominant as maximum bees visited with an average of 4.99 bee/sq.mt/5 min, followed by A. dorsata (2.69 bees/sq.mt/5 min) and A. cerana (2.45 bees/sq.mt / 5min). The less activity was observed with T. iridipennis (1.69 bees/ sq.mt/5 min).