Assessment of honeybee biodiversity in the agro-climatic zones of Uttarkashi of Garhwal Himalaya, Uttarakhand, India

Abstract

The richness and relative abundance of honeybee species were assessed from the Uttarkashi area in Uttarakhand, India. Surveys were conducted in twelve agroclimatic zones from March to May 2025 using the aerial netting technique for the collection of honeybees foraging on different floral resources. Of the total of 291 specimens, the representation included five honeybee species: Apis cerana F., A. mellifera L., A. laboriosa Smith, A. florea F. and A. dorsata F. Predominant one was A. cerana, representing 57.7 per cent of the total population, followed by A. mellifera (19.2%), A. laboriosa (11.6%), A. florea (5.8%) and A. dorsata (5.4%). These results indicate the predominance of both native and invasive species of honeybees in the area. Shannon (H2) and Simpson (1–D) diversity indices were highest for A. cerana (0.3172 and 0.333), indicative of its broad adaptability and even distribution of specimens across the habitats.