The word ‘pollen’ was used in science writing since 1760 and means “the
fertilizing part of flowers.” Earlier in history it meant “dust or fine flour.”
Pollination in plants is the process where pollen is transferred from the
anther, the male part of a flower, to the stigma, the female part of a flower.
Pollen can be transferred to one plant or even a nearby plant so that they can
get fertilized and make more flowers. This happens in plants that have flowers
called angiosperms.
Pollination is a very important part
of the life cycle of plants. They cannot produce fruit or even seeds unless they are
pollinated. Pollen is transferred by pollinators, which can be the wind,
or other ways. Once pollination takes place, seeds begin to grow. Pollination
is an important part of a plant’s life cycle from flowering plants to
non-flowering ones.
The sticky pollen from flowering
plants clings to their bodies, where it is carried from one plant to another. The color or fragrance of a flower helps
attract and guide insects to them for pollination. There are two methods of
pollination. Cross-pollination is the most common and occurs when the pollen
goes from the stamen of one flower to the pistil of another flower.
Self-pollination takes place when pollen is transferred from the stamen of one
flower to the pistil of the same flower or plant. Pollination usually occurs
naturally and most often it is due to insects, birds, and small mammals. Here
are some of the most popular pollinators:
Bats-Bats are important
pollinators in tropical places and deserts. They are responsible for
pollinating over 300 fruits, including mangoes, bananas and guavas. Some bats
have very long tongues similar to the moth’s’ proboscis. They can also hover
like hummingbirds. Bats
enjoy strong smelling white and dull flowers that open at night.
They pick up pollen on their face as they drink nectar from a plant.
Bees-Bees are the most
important pollinator. Honeybees are responsible for pollinating over 110 crops
that we eat and use every day like apples and strawberries. Bees have always
been recognized as the main pollinators but some plants like tomatoes are best
pollinated by bumblebees as bees can’t shake the plant like a bumblebee does. Bees
like brightly colored yellow and blue flowers that have places for them to
land. Bees cannot see red. Bees have tiny hairs on their bodies that pick up
pollen when they go to drink nectar from a flower.
Beetles-There are more types
of pollinating beetles than any other pollinator species. When these insects
pick out a flower, they aren’t just after the nectar. They will eat petals and
other parts as well. Beetles like white or green bowl-shaped flowers. They pick up pollen on
their bodies as they munch on flower parts.
Black-and-white
ruffed lemurs-The black-and-white ruffed lemur is the
largest pollinator in the world. These lemurs eat up to 130 different
fruit species. They are the primary pollinator of the traveller’s tree and it
isn’t easy getting to its flowers. These lemurs have to open up the flower,
reach in with their long snout and tongue. While they are eating, the pollen
they brush up against gets coats their fur. The lemur then transports the
pollen to other flowers and fertilizes them.
Blue-tailed day gecko-This small lizard is
found on the island of Mauritius (located off the coast of Africa). It is also
a key helper in spreading around plant seeds. It likes plants from Mauritius,
like Roussea simplex, an endangered plant species.
When they go into eat nectar inside a flower, pollen gets stuck to the scales
on their forehead.
Butterflies-Butterflies pollinate
the same way bees do, but they can’t pick up as much pollen because their
bodies are tall and slender. They
like brightly colored flowers that are flat and have a place
for them to land. When butterflies go in for a drink of nectar, pollen gets
stuck on their body.
Flies-A species of
fly called a midge is one of the pollinators of the cocoa tree. These
flies help give us chocolate. These flies like flowers that smell like rotting
meat, carrion, dung, blood or fungus. Although they don’t have the hairs that
make pollination so easy for bees, flies still pick up some pollen on their
body when they land to drink nectar
Honey possum-A honey possum is
from Australia and is about the size of a mouse. Even though they have honey in
their name, they don’t actually eat it. They live off nectar. Their favorite
flowers are the Banksia and eucalyptus flowers. Their nose
gets dusted with pollen when they drink the nectar.
Hummingbirds-Being a hummingbird
is hard work. They need to drink a lot of nectar to get enough energy to keep
those tiny wings flapping. Red, orange or white tube-shaped flowers must be
strong enough to support a hummingbird’s weight. They reach their long beaks
into flowers in order to get the nectar and when they are finished drinking,
their faces and beaks are dusted with pollen.
Moths-Moths pollinate
flowers that same way butterflies do, but unlike butterflies they continue
pollinating after the sun goes down. Moths like strong-smelling flowers that
are white or dull in colour and have places for moths to land. They pick up
pollen on their wings and legs when go to drink the plant’s nectar.
“If the bee disappeared off
the surface of the globe, then man would have only four years of life left. No
more bees, no more pollination, no more plants, no more animals, no more man.” (Albert Einstein) [i]
[i] Sources used:
·
“Pollination
Facts” Cool Kid Facts
·
“Top Ten Coolest Pollinators” by
Earth Rangers
This topic was suggested
by my wife, Bobbi.
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