Abstract

QUIROZ-GARCIA, David Leonor  and  ARREGUIN-SANCHEZ, María de la Luz. Melisopalynological determination of the floral resources used by Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae) in Morelos, Mexico. Polibotánica [online]. 2008, n.26, pp.159-173. ISSN 1405-2768.

Melisopalynological analysis of three honey samples produced by Apis mellifera was carried out for three different sites in Morelos, Mexico. Altogether 41 taxa belonging to 23 plant families were found, although only seven plant species belonging to four families were important sources (with percentages > 10%). The most important plant families were Asteraceae, Bignoniaceae, Leguminosae and Rubiaceae. In the three samples pollen of herbaceous species was abundantly represented. Only seven pollen types were common to all samples: Asteraceae type 1, Poaceae, Salvia, Dalea, Eucalyptus, Lopezia and Heliocarpus donnell-smithii. One sample was characterized as monofloral and the other two as multifloral.

Keywords : Melisopalynology; melliferous plants; bees; Apis; honey; Morelos; Mexico.