ABSTRACT

A. florea, commonly called a dwarf honeybee, provides a valuable supplement to commercial honeybee colonies by pollinating certain crops and forest plants more efficiently than its domesticated counterparts. Partial domestication of A. florea and attempts made to utilize A. florea in crop pollination have given positive results in many studies. The role of A. florea in pollination has been reviewed with respect to its foraging preference, foraging behaviour, foraging distance, foraging efficiency, abundance of A. florea and impact of pollination by A. florea. Identification and propagation of suitable bee flora may help to maintain wild honeybees, especially the dwarf honeybee, which is an important pollinator of almost all flowering crops.