Diversity of Diurnal Insect Pollinators of Mustard
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A field study was conducted to assess the diversity and community structure of diurnal insect pollinators associated with mustard. Pollinators were recorded through quadrate observations, sweep netting and visual counts during the flowering period. Five insect orders were documented, among which hymenoptera showed the highest species richness (16 species), followed by diptera (11 species) and lepidoptera (10 species). Hymenoptera exhibited maximum diversity (Shannon–Wiener index, H′ = 2.30; Simpson’s index = 8.02) with low dominance (Berger–Parker index = 0.19). Diptera and lepidoptera also recorded high diversity and evenness, whereas coleoptera and hemiptera were comparatively species-poor but more evenly distributed. The study highlights the ecological significance of diverse diurnal insect pollinators in mustard Agro-ecosystems and supports the need for their conservation to sustain pollination services.
