Bee flora for urban beekeeping in Nasik city

The investigations on the bee-flora and their identification, classification was undertaken during the years 2017-2018 in the Nashik City, Maharashtra, India. Honey bee species found inhibiting Nashik city are Apis florea, Apis cerana indica. Apis dorsata and Trigona, The identified bee-flora was further grouped into pollen, nectar, and both pollen and nectar yielding plants, and the forage value of the bee plants has been provided. The study revealed that more than 214 plants are useful to honeybees. However, the present paper lists about 194 bee plant species, which are well distributed and commonly observed in the study area. The identified bee flora comprises of ornamentals, timber, medicinal, fruits, vegetables, and other commercialimportant plants like spices, pulses, cereals, oil yielding, fiber, fodder etc. When all plants are categories as per the floweringperiod, it revealed that throughout the year, bee forage is available in Nashik city. Because of economic importance of theseurban plants, they are protected and propagated. They also serve as alternate food resource for the bees. Being pesticide freeurban area they plays great role in conservation of these bee species. Beehive and bee should be protected in the City.