A field survey by the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) has recorded a rich diversity of wild bees, including bumblebees, across the high-altitude landscapes of Tawang district in Arunachal Pradesh. The findings have highlighted the importance of protecting alpine flowering plants and natural habitats that support pollinators in the Eastern Himalayas.
The survey was conducted from September 15 to October 7 under the National Mission on Himalayan Studies (NMHS). The team explored areas at elevations ranging from around 2,000 metres to 4,700 metres above sea level, covering a range of high-altitude environments.
A team from the ZSI’s Desert Regional Centre in Jodhpur carried out the fieldwork at several locations, including Sela Pass, Bumla Pass, Nagula, Sangetsar Tso, Chumi Gyatse Falls and Jang. The survey also covered areas close to the India-China border.
The team was led by Research Associate Purnima Pathak, with Project Assistant Habung Elsa assisting in the fieldwork. The researchers documented wild bees belonging to four families — Apidae, Megachilidae, Andrenidae and Halictidae — with particular attention to bumblebees and their association with flowering plants.
During the survey, researchers identified several flowering plants that provide important sources of nectar and pollen for wild bees. These included Cirsium species, Rose Carpet Knotweed (Bistorta vacciniifolia), locally known as Petma Mento, and Cicerbita alpina.
Bumblebees were regularly observed visiting these flowers to collect nectar and pollen, highlighting the role of native alpine vegetation in supporting pollinator populations in the region.
The researchers noted that Tawang has a relatively short flowering season, making the availability of different flowering plants throughout this period particularly important for the survival of wild bees. A continuous supply of floral resources helps pollinators meet their food requirements in an environment where suitable conditions for flowering are limited.
The survey also found that agricultural fields, kitchen gardens and flowering plants around settlements contribute to the availability of nectar and pollen. These areas can provide additional food sources for bees alongside natural alpine habitats.
However, changes in alpine vegetation, disturbances to natural habitats and climate-related shifts in flowering cycles could affect the availability of food for high-altitude pollinators. Such changes may disrupt the relationship between bees and the plants on which they depend.
The researchers stressed the importance of protecting both wild bee populations and the flowering habitats that sustain them. Conservation measures, they noted, need to take into account the availability of floral resources across the short flowering season.
The findings are expected to provide baseline information for further studies on wild bee diversity, bee-plant relationships and the seasonal availability of floral resources in Tawang and other parts of the Eastern Himalayas.
The data could also help researchers map important pollinator habitats, monitor changes in bee populations and develop conservation programmes suited to the region’s high-altitude ecosystems.
The survey adds to the Zoological Survey of India’s ongoing research on Himalayan pollinators, which includes long-term monitoring of bumblebees and their relationships with flowering plants across the Indian Himalayan Region.
By documenting the diversity of wild bees and the plants they depend on, the study provides a basis for understanding how these pollinators survive in high-altitude environments and how changes in their habitats may affect their populations.
The findings underline the need to protect the natural flowering landscapes of Tawang, where the availability of suitable plants and undisturbed habitats is important for sustaining wild bees and maintaining ecological relationships in the Eastern Himalayas.
