TREES BEES USE
Beesfor Development Journal 82
TREES BEES USE BHOCA – a bee forage plant Shiny Rehel, Keystone Foundation, Tamil Nadu, India
can see the profuse, mass flowering of Bhoca, like a floral mat laid on the tree canopies. It is a characteristic species of dry deciduous forest in this part of South India.
Apicultural value Pterolobium hexapetalum is a major source of nectar and pollen for the honey bees Apis dorsata, Apis cerana and Apis florea. Trigona sp also forage on the flowers, but Apis dorsata is the predominant forager. The honey harvested from Apis dorsata colonies is very sweet, slightly watery and has a pleasant aroma.
Pollen grains Spherical, tricolporate (see right)
Botanical description Pterolobium hexapetalum is an extensive straggler, with long, arching branches. Leaves compound, leaflets oblongoblanceolate Flowers in axillary or terminal racemes, yellowish white colour Pod samaroid, oblong, apically winged red pod Seeds solitary at base, obovoid
Botanical Name Pterolobium hexapatalum
Family Caesalpinaceae
Names In Tamil language Karuindu, Telugu language Walekadula
Pterolobium hexapetalum is indigenously named as Bhoca in the Nilgiris by the Irula community. Bhoca originates from the foot hills (Mettupalayam) up to the hills (Kotagiri). During March and April you
© SHINY REHEL
What plants do your bees use? Send details to Bees for Development – address on page 2
Bhoca Pterolobium hexapatalum – a bee forage plant 11
