Berberis aristata DC: An Important Winter Foraging Source for Anthophilous Insects in Western Himalaya

Abstract

The article presents a first-hand study that provides information about the anthophilous insects of Berberis aristata in Nainital Western Himalaya. By using the direct sampling method, a total of 11 species of anthophilous insects were recorded on the medicinally important plant B. aristata. The recorded anthophilous insects were belonging to the order Diptera, Hymenoptera, and Lepidoptera. The I_VR index value of Apis cerana was recorded as maximum showing that it is a potential pollinator of B. aristata. The study reported a good abundance of anthophilous insects on B. aristata, which revealed that it is a good food source for insects during winter. The study concluded that more efforts should be made to investigate resources that could support and provide switching platforms for pollinators during the winter.