Insect pollinators and their relative abundance on pea (pisum sativum) at Peshawar

The present study was conducted in New Developmental Farm (N.D.F), The University of Agriculture Peshawar during 2014-2015 to find the species of insect pollinators and their abundance on pea at Peshawar. Insects that visited as pollinator were observed on each second day at morning (9:00 am - 12:00 pm) and evening (3:00 pm- 5:30 pm) of the flowering season i.e. 16/2/2015 to 28/3/2015. Total twelve species of insect pollinators were observed out of which seven belongs to order Diptera (Scaeva pyrastri, Eupeodus bucculatus, Eristalis tenax, Episyrphus balteatus, Ischidan scutellaris, Sphaerophora scripta and Calliphora vomitoria), two species (Apis florea and Apis mellifera) belong to order Hymenoptera and two to order Lepidoptera i.e. Pieris brassicae and Zizina otis while only one specie belong to order Coleoptera (Coccinella septumpunctata). Episyrphus balteatus was reported most abundantly with 35.22% followed by Apis mellifera with 15.94%. Eristalis tenax and Pieris bracissae had lowest density as pollinator with 2.77% and 2.94% respectively throughout the flowering season. Percent population of Episyrphus balteatus, Ischiodan scutellaris and Calliphora vomitoria was more during evening than morning. Population of pollinators reached maximum during the mid-till the end of March, 2015.