Abstract
Pollen analytical data of meconia from worker bee larvae of Apis cerana Fabr. collected in the summer (June, 2008) from West Bengal, India (22.35°N, 88.44°E) are presented. Following the community ordination method, the pollen analytical data were used to determine the preference of pollen feeding by the worker bees to the larvae destined to be worker of Apis cerana, which could be recognized as a new protocol in order to ascertain the probable larval food spectrum. Meconium samples were collected from 9 different sites having box hives. Microscopic analysis yields pollen grains of 10 different taxa viz., Carica papaya L. (Caricaceae), Borassus flabellifer L., Cocos nucifera L. (Arecaceae), Psidium guajava L., Eucalyptus sp., Syzygium sp., (Myrtaceae), Punica granatum L. (Punicaceae), Litchi chinensis Sonn. (Sapindaceae), Ziziphus sp. (Rhamnaceae) and Dalbergia sissoo Roxb. ex DC. (Papilionaceae). The community ordination method reveals that the most preferred pollen taxa are of Carica papaya, Borassus flabellifer and Psidium guajava although they were not recovered in significant frequency. The present result may be an useful information for the apiarists, especially during site selection for hive installation.
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