The Flowers and the Bees: Pollination

14Feb,2025

The Flowers and the Bees: Pollination

BY : Rhiannon Nevinczenko

Flowers have long been used in gestures of romance, courtship, appreciation, and apology between people. People, however, are not the only ones who appreciate their vibrant petals and fragrant aromas. Those features do so much more than bring smiles - they feed the world.

Of the extant plant species, 90% are flowering plants, and therefore rely on animal pollination. The color and scent of the flower acts as an advertisement to those pollinators. Pollinators know that flowers mean nectar (i.e., food). Flower anatomy forces the pollinator to get some pollen stuck to their body on the way to or from the nectar, thus delivering it to the next flower they visit. Pollen grains contain the male plant’s gametes, or reproductive cells. Without pollination, these cells would not be able to reach and fertilize another flower’s ovules (female reproductive cells).

Pollinators, such as bees, butterflies, wasps, hummingbirds, moths, bats, and even flies are the heroes of the food chain. By ensuring plant reproduction, they also secure food production for the entire terrestrial food chain, including you!

Infographic by R. L. Nevinczenko, © 2025 Quality Science Labs, LLC
Bee photograph by Manuel Muñoz via Pexels, Pexels license.

Currencies

Follow Us

Your cart is currently empty.