author(s)
Rachna Pande and Ramkrushna GI

abstract
Honey bees perform a special service by pollinating several plant species. But the performance of honey bees depends on the over-all health of the colony which directly depends on the availability of bee flora in a region. The present investigation Nagpur and Wardha regionswere surveyed for study of diversification of honey bees’ flora from April 2017 to March 2018 which is under the cultivation of agro-horticultural crops and covered with wild plantation. Total 92 plant species were recorded as bee flora, out of which 35 were horticultural crops, 15 were agricultural crops, 12 were ornamental plants and 30 were wild plant species. It was observed that different fruits, vegetables, cereal, pulses, oilseed crops, fiber crops, ornamental plants and wild plants species were the supplier of nectar and pollen in natural and crop ecosystem. Results on intensity of visitation demonstrate that in the entire categories frequent visit and moderate visits were common except in ornamental plants. Among the fifty (50) cultivated plant species twenty-six (26) plant species received frequent visit of honey bee. It was also observed that percent abundance of bee flora were highest in March with maximum 48.9%. On the basis of information on overlapping flowering period, circular bee flora calendar was developed which can be used as a ready reckoner for the farmers. It revealed the presence of some of the plants which acted as a food source of honey bee throughout the year.