Pollinators

The long beak reaches into the flower, and the bird’s head is dusted with pollen. This day-flying moth uses its strawlike mouthpart—which is about as long as its body—to drink nectar from flowers of many shapes and sizes.

The waxy bract of the banana flower bud curves back to give birds easy access to the flower inside.

Bell-shaped, yellow flowers remain closed unless forced open by a pollinator. The tiny wings of the hummingbird can flap many times in a second, allowing the bird to hover in one place as it feeds.

The possum’s excellent climbing skills help it run up and down flowering trees.

As the bumblebee opens up the flower and scrambles inside to get to the nectar, its fuzzy hairs collect pollen.

Although insects are the most common pollinators, larger animals such as birds and bats also play a vital role in pollination. In return, plants provide sweet nectar. Different flower shapes, colors, and smells attract specific pollinators.

Beetle-pollinated flowers make a lot of pollen that stick to these clumsy insects.

This eucalyptus tree flowers in winter, relying on mammals for pollination at a time when insects are scarce.

Bees and butterflies visit fragrant, brightly colored flowers, which grow in clusters or have large petals for the insects to land on. Many moths prefer white or very pale flowers that open at night, following their sweet floral scents to find them in the dark. Beetles, such

The flower heads of buddleia are so popular with butterflies that it is known as the butterfly bush. Strong, grasping claws help the parrot hang onto the branch while drinking nectar.

Flexible stigmas collect pollen from the lorikeet’s head.

These tubular saguaro cactus flowers cover the bat’s nose in pollen as it reaches inside to drink nectar.

Unlike humans, bees can see ultraviolet (UV) light. Many flowers, such as this marsh marigold, may appear plain to us, but under UV light, we can see how the petals have dark patterns that guide insects to their nectar and pollen.

Under normal light Under UV light

More than 500 species

The bat’s flexible tongue helps it reach deep inside a flower.

as ladybugs, also pollinate pale-colored flowers but choose fruity-smelling blooms. These flowers mimic the scent of ripe fruit to trick beetles into visiting them for food. Of the larger pollinators, birds are attracted to bright, day-flowering blossoms. Hummingbirds favor reddish flowers, but these tend not to be scented, since birds do not have a sense of smell. The petals of birdpollinated flowers are usually bent back to allow the animals easy access. Bats pollinate some night-flowering plants and are attracted to large, pale flowers with a musty smell.