Major Plant and Flora Species Associated with Honeybee Production in Sub-Zoba Dbarwa, Eritrea

Abstract

The study was carried out in three administrative Kebabis of Adi Sherefeto, Temajila and Shketi in Sub-Zoba Dbarwa, to identify the major plants foraged associated with honeybees and to set a flowering calendar of honey plants. Structured and semi-structured questionnaires, group discussions, interviews with key informants and visual methods were used to collect information. A total of 53 plants belonging to 30 families with 31 major species, 13 secondary and 9 minor plants foraged by bees were identified. Becium grandiflorum, Isoglossa solensis, Eucalyptus spp., Shinus molle and Vernonia abyssinica were the five top bee forages. Most of the important bee flora bloomed from August to October and hence this was the peak period of honeybee foraging activity, strong colony strength and time of honey harvest. Therefore conserving and multiplying drought-resistant honeybee plants are needed to enhance honey production.