![]() ![]() ![]() Non-native plants and showy cultivars may look and even smell nice in our gardens, however, their structure is likely not compatible with the abilities of the indigenous insects. That’s why, if we want to protect and promote the diversity of pollinators, it’s important to provide a diversity of native plants that produce the flowers to which they are adapted. It’s not like a particular bee can switch from gathering nectar at a flat yellow flower to feeding on a tubular red flower. If one of the pair is not present, the other will suffer. With each of these examples, there are pairings of pollinators to plants, called pollination syndromes. This is then deposited on future plants that are visited, creating the cross-pollination necessary for reproduction. Moths and butterflies can utilize their long tongues to reach into tubular flowers.Īs insects and other fauna (small mammals and birds) collect their sweet meals, the structure of the flowers often ensures that the animal bodies get covered with pollen. Beetles easily crawl into bowl-like flowers. Bees do well with flat flowers that provide a “landing pad”. Once the pollinators arrive at the flowers, the shape of the bloom can determine if they successfully access the nectar they seek. These are not always visible to human eyes, but can be seen by the insects. Nectar guides (lines leading to the source of the nectar) are often present on flowers frequented by butterflies and bees. Fresh but mild fragrances bring in butterflies and moths while strong sweet smells emitted at night attract moths. Putrid smells, especially when associated with red flowers, mimic rotting meat and attract flies. Scent is also a magnet for some pollinators. Dull white or green flowers bring in beetles bright white, yellow, blue or ultraviolet attract bees butterflies are drawn to bright red and purple, moths to pale red, purple, pink or white and hummingbirds find red flowers attractive. To increase the visitation of pollinators to the flowers, plants have numerous ways of attracting movers and shakers.įlower color varies widely and each color is likely to attract different types of pollinators. But about 80% of flowering plants require animals to transfer their pollen. ![]() Grains generally rely on the wind and some plants depend on moving water to carry their pollen. Therefore without pollination we would not have tree fruits, berries, grapes, melons, squashes, grains, tomatoes, coconut, coffee, chocolate, and more. During the process of seed production, fruits which are the containers for the seeds (or sometimes the platform as in the case of strawberries) form. This coupling of pollen with ovules produces the seeds which allow for reproduction and the continuation of that particular kind of plant. ![]() To review the basics, pollination occurs when the pollen from the male part of a plant is transferred to female part of a plant. But there are many other unique pollinators, all providing important services. When asked to think about pollinators, bees usually come to mind. Animals that eat a monarch become very sick and, thereafter, will avoid this distinctively patterned butterfly.This week is National Pollinator Week (June 20-26), a time to raise awareness of the importance of pollinators and to encourage people to protect and promote them. The milkweeds’ toxins remain permanently in the monarch’s system, even after the caterpillar metamorphoses into a butterfly. As the caterpillar hatches, it eats its own egg then switches to a diet of milkweed leaves. Female monarchs lay their eggs on the underside of poisonous milkweed leaves. The vivid markings of the monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) serves as a “skull and crossbones” warning, signaling “Poison!” to the butterfly’s predators. Monarch butterflies are also an important food source for birds, small animals, and other insects. The flowers they chose are varieties that are brightly colored, grow in clusters, stay open during the day, and have flat surfaces that serve as landing pads for their tiny guests. While feeding on nectar, they pollinate many types of wildflowers. More than beautiful, monarch butterflies contribute to the health of our planet. Monarch butterflies need milkweed plants to lay their eggs. ![]()
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