A preliminary study of insect visitors diversity in Goubellat, northern Tunisia in the presence of honeybee colonies

Abstract

Insect visitors provide an invaluable service to the reproduction of many flowering plants. The present study concerns the distribution of insect visitors in a semi-arid environment in the presence of honey bees hives. The study took place in Goubellat a semi-arid region in north of Tunisia between Mars and May 2015. Two plots A and B distant respectively 150 m and 3 km from an apiary of 20 hives were chosen to record the insects present in the tw parcels. The number of insects captured during the study period is 1867 divided into 8 orders were sorted and divided into 4 orders mainly Coleoptera, Hymenoptera, Diptera and Lepidoptera with a percentage of 36,58; 19,5; 11,89 and 2,41% respectively. Within Hymenoptera order, three superfamilies were identified: the Apoidea, the Ichneumonidae and, the Vespoidea. The most represented family within Apoidea is the Apidea family with one species Apis mellifera followed by Megachilidea family represented also by one species, Megachile sp. The Goubellat region seems to be very poor in pollinators. Thus, the honey bee with its pollinating power can play a role in restoring degraded areas and seems to promote competitiveness among other insects.