Diversity, Abundance, and Efficiency of Insect Pollinators of Avocado, Rambutan, and Litchi

Avocado, rambutan, and litchi depend on insect pollinators for successful production. Unlike bee-pollinated flowers with hidden floral rewards, avocado flowers offer exposed nectar and pollen. This attracts a variety of insect taxa to flowers for pollination. Apart from the bees, insects of orders Diptera, Coleoptera, and Heteroptera also pollinate avocado flowers. Rambutan receives on cross-pollination facilitated by insects for successful fruit set. The primary insect pollinators for rambutan are from Diptera and Hymenoptera. Foraging activity of pollinators showed significant diurnal variability (10:00 AM–11:00 AM) in the morning hours. Litchi flowers typically bloom in late winter or early spring. Despite male and female flowers on the same tree, litchi flowers do not self-pollinate due to self-sterility. Apis bees are the dominant pollinators for better qualitative and quantitative yields; Pollinators activity in fruit orchards should be conserved.