Everything about Pollinator totally explained
A
pollinator is the biotic agent (
vector) that moves
pollen from the male
anthers of a
flower to the female
stigma of a flower to accomplish
fertilization or
syngamy of the female
gamete in the
ovule of the flower by the male gamete from the pollen grain. Though the terms are sometimes confused, a pollinator is different from a
pollenizer, which is a plant that's a source of pollen for the
pollination process.
Types of pollinators
The most recognized pollinators are the various species of
bees, which are plainly adapted to pollination. Bees typically are fuzzy and carry an
electrostatic charge. Both features help pollen grains adhere to their bodies, but they also have specialized pollen-carrying structures; in most bees, this takes the form of a structure known as the
scopa, which is on the hind legs of most bees, and/or the lower abdomen (for example, of
megachilid bees), made up of thick, plumose
setae.
Honey bees,
bumblebees, and their relatives don't have a scopa, but the hind leg is modified into a structure called the corbicula (also known as the "
pollen basket"). Most bees gather
nectar, a concentrated energy source, and pollen, which is high
protein food, to nurture their young, and inadvertently transfer some among the flowers as they're working.
Eusocial bees such as honey bees need an abundant and steady
source of pollen to multiply.
Euglossine bees pollinate orchids, but these are male bees collecting floral scents rather than females gathering nectar or pollen. Female orchid bees act as pollinators, but of flowers other than orchids.
Lepidoptera (
butterflies and
moths) also pollinate to a small degree. They are not major pollinators of our
food crops, but various moths are important for some wildflowers, or other commercial crops such as
tobacco.
Many other insects accomplish pollination.
Wasps (esp.
Sphecidae and
Vespidae),
bombyliid flies and
syrphid flies are important pollinators of some plants.
Beetles,
midges, and even
thrips or
ants can sometimes pollinate flowers.
Green bottle or carrion flies are important for some flowers, usually ones that
exude a fetid odor. Some male
Bactrocera fruit flies are exclusive pollinators of some wild
Bulbophyllum orchids that have a specific chemical attractant present in their floral fragrance. Some
Diptera (flies) may be the main pollinators in higher elevations of mountains whereas
Bombus species are the only pollinators among Apoidea in alpine regions at timberline and beyond. Other insect orders are rarely pollinators, and then typically only accidentally (for example,
Hemiptera such as
Anthocoridae,
Miridae)
Bats are important pollinators of some tropical flowers. Birds, particularly
hummingbirds,
honeyeaters and
sunbirds also accomplish much pollination, especially of deep-throated flowers. Other vertebrates, such as monkeys, lemurs, possums, rodents and lizards have been recorded pollinating some plants.
Plants fall into
pollination syndromes that reflect the type of pollinator being attracted. These are characteristics such as: the size, the depth of the corolla, the color (including patterns called
nectar guides that are visible only in
ultraviolet light), the
scent, amount of nectar, composition of nectar, etc. For example, birds visit red flowers with long narrow tubes and lots of nectar, but are not as strongly attracted to wide flowers with little nectar and copious pollen, which are more attractive to beetles. When these characteristics are experimentally modified (altering colour, size, orientation), pollinator visitation may decline,.
Humans can be pollinators, as many
gardeners have discovered that they must
hand pollinate garden
vegetables, whether because of
pollinator decline (as has been occurring in parts of the U.S. since the mid-20th century) or simply to keep a strain genetically pure. This can involve using a small brush or
cotton swab to move pollen, or to simply tap or shake
tomato blossoms to release the pollen for the
self pollinating flowers. Tomato blossoms are self fertile, but (with the exception of potato-leaf varieties) have the pollen inside the
anther, and the flower requires shaking to release the pollen through . This can be done by wind, by humans, or by a
sonicating bee (one that vibrates its wing muscles while perched on the flower), such as a bumblebee. Sonicating bees are extremely efficient pollinators of tomatoes, and colonies of bumblebees are quickly replacing humans as the primary pollinators for
greenhouse tomatoes.
Millions of
hives of honey bees are
contracted out as pollinators by
beekeepers, and honey bees are by far the most important commercial pollinating agents, but many other kinds of pollinators, from bluebottle flies, to bumblebees,
orchard mason bees, and
leaf cutter bees are cultured and sold for
managed pollination.
Gallery
Image:Scopa 5948.jpg|Scopa (pollen holder) of a Megachilid bee
Image:Iridescent.green.sweat.bee1.jpg|Halictid bee, showing adhering pollen
Image:Syrphid with pollen 6506.JPG|Syrphid fly, showing some adhering pollen
Image:Green bee pink flower.jpg|Halictid beeFurther Information
Get more info on 'Pollinator'.
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