Abstract

Each region has its own floristic characteristics relative to its geographical position. The specificity of the vegetation and the particularities of each flora require knowledge of the beekeeping flora to determine the forage supply for bees. Where, beekeeping production in the Fray Mamerto Esquiú department (Catamarca, Argentina) is based on the diversity of plant species of the place, composed of the native beekeeping flora, the natural forest and different types of crops (forage, fruit trees, vegetables and ornamentals). The flora is the only resource that bees have to produce honey and other bee products (wax, mead, propolis, etc.), where the botanical resource gives these products particular physicochemical and organoleptic characteristics. The objective of this work is to determine the beekeeping flora present in the Fray Mamerto Equiu department. Expeditions were made during all four seasons. 58 species with beekeeping aptitude were inventoried and identified, represented by 20 botanical families, the most abundant being Asteraceae, Lamiaceae, Rutaceae, Fabaceae and Rosaceae. A higher percentage of herbaceous plants was observed, mainly due to exotic forage agricultural herbs implanted and domesticated, being able to observe a flowering period that extended throughout the months of March, April, May, June, July, August and September, with a maximum between mid-July to September onwards. The biodiversity of beekeeping flora present in the Department of Fray Mamerto Esquiú establishes a sustained pollen offer throughout the year, and obtaining honey and other beekeeping products with differentiated characteristics according to their botanical origins would add a plus for their commercialization.

Keywords

bee, honey, pollen, mellifera