Assessment of Major Honey Bee Forage Resources and Floral Calendar Establishment in Selected Districts of Arsi Zone, Oromia Region State, Ethiopia

Abstract

The study was conducted from 2015 to 2017 G.C. with the objective of identifying and documenting honey bee forage plant resource, establishing flowering calendar and recommending the necessary seasonal colony management practices in selected districts of Arsi zone. Semi-structured questionnaire tool was used to collect data. Ninety beekeepers were selected and involved in data collection. Traditional, transitional and modern bee hives were used for honey production. The overall mean of colony owned per household in the current study areas was found to be 5.2+5.2. Honey production was conducted during two seasons namely: major and minor seasons. The mean of honey yield per traditional, transitional and modern hive was 10.8+5.9kg, 19.8+17.3kg and 33.2+48.9kg, respectively. 61.1% of the respondents harvest honey two times a year, whereas 34.5% of them harvest honey once a year and 4.4% of respondents three times a year. Honeybee was found to be in critical shortage of forage during months ranging from December to August. A total of 98 plant floras including trees, shrubs, herbs, cultivated crops and animal feeds and grasses were identified in the current study areas. Guizotia scabra, equiliptus globules and vernonia species were the most frequently identified plant species. The knowledge in the identification of honey bee flora and their flowering time has therefore paramount importance in assisting beekeepers to establish appropriate colony management calendar and honey flow season. Further detail studies focusing on bee flora should be conducted and awareness creation of experts and farmers on seasonal management of beehives through training is required.

Keywords: honey bee, bee flora, flowering time, Arsi, Ethiopia

DOI: 10.7176/JRDM/83-02

Publication date:March 31^st 2022