Pollination: The Relationship Between Flowers and Bees

Pollination is described as a process in which pollen is transferred within or between plants. This enables sexual reproduction in plants. There are many different types of pollination. Some plants are able to self pollinate while others will require the help of insects, particularly bees. Bees will collect pollen on their body when collecting nectar and as it passes from flower to flower, they will leave the pollen on different flowers. This way the new flowers that will be different from the parent flowers, ensuring genetic diversity. Pollination is also important to fruit production as in many plant's fruit is the product of pollination.

Types of Pollination

There are two main types of pollination: abiotic and biotic. Pollination that requires bees is known as biotic pollination. This is because a pollinator, or insect or animal that moves the pollen grains, is required. Insects are mainly pollinators and flowers will attempt to attract specific types of pollinators. Flowers with colorful petals or strong smells typically use bees for pollination as the color and smell attracts bees. In fact, bees are known to visit specific flowers that contain high levels of nectar and not visit other flowers. This type of flower constancy has been observed for bumblebees and honeybees. Abiotic pollination occurs when other organisms are not required. Only 10% of plants use abiotic pollination. Many times water of wind will transfer the pollen and fertilize the plant.

• Methods of Pollination
• Animal Pollinated Plants
• Types of Pollination

Bee Pollination

Bees mainly pollinate flowering plants. Bees tend to have two different tasks: they gather pollen or collect nectar. Bees have an electrostatic charge. Therefore when the bee touches pollen it will stick to the fuzzy part of the bee. Bees tend to carry nectar and pollen back to the hive, however as the bee moves from flower to flower, some of the pollen will attach to the stamen of other flowers. In this way the bee “accidentally” pollinates different flowers.

• Relationships of Types of Pollinators and Flowers
• Honey Bees are Important Pollinators
• Why We Need Bees
• Guide to Bee Friendly Gardens
• Bumble Bee Pollination

Beekeepers

Beekeepers can be a very important part of pollination as many agricultural crops are dependent on bees for fruit and vegetable production. For instance bees will pollinate kiwifruit, strawberries, celery, star fruit and cauliflower and tangerines to name a few. Additionally scientists have found that as many as 20 bees need to visit a flower for successful pollination to occur. Therefore bee colonies with high quantities of bees are important. Many times farmers will do everything right when growing crops but forget about pollination, then they don’t understand why the crop is low. Beekeepers not only protect bees from predators but they help to maintain hive health. Many times beehives cannot survive the winter due to a lack of nectar. Beekeepers should grow plants near the hive that can survive cold weather and produce nectar, therefore ensuring that bees have food all winter long and can make it until the flowers bloom in the spring. Beekeepers can also locate hives near the crops that require pollination. Bees are more likely to pollinate flowers that are located nearby.

• Managing Bees for Pollination
• Fears of a Decline in Bee Pollination
• The pollinator crisis: What’s best for bees
• Pollination for Beekeeper
• Bees, Beekeeping and Pollination

Bees and Pesticides

The vast majority of bee death by poison occurs when flowers are covered in pesticides and insecticides. This has actually been proven to cause more bee death than if the hive is sprayed with pesticides. Many of these pesticides and insecticides are fast acting and the bee will die in the field before it can get back to the hive. However the slower acting pesticides are more dangerous as the bee manages to make it back to the hive. It will bring back pollen that is contaminated with pesticides and this pollen is turned into food. The contaminated food gets eaten and can potentially kill the entire hive in a short amount of time. If pesticides should be used then it should not be sprayed with plants that are flowering. If spraying is required then some pesticides are less dangerous to bees than others. Additionally many pesticides only kill bees within a few hours after application. Therefore spraying the pesticides at night, when bees are in the hive, ensures that the pesticides are not hazardous to the bees the next day.

• Fruit Pesticides Toxic to Honey Bees
• Honeybee Colony Collapse Disorder
• Bees & Pesticides
• Pesticides and Honey Bees
• Bee Killers? Pesticides are a probable cause
• Bees reject “toxic” pesticides

Gifts for Bee Lovers

• Naked Bee Lotions and Soap - The perfect personal care kit made with real honey!
• Bee Well Bouquet - A whimsical gift of flowers with an adorable bee in the center!
• Beneficial Bug House - Create a cozy home for pollinators in your yard.  They will thank you later!
• Send flowers to a bug lover - Order flowers online and put a smile on their face!

This article was created by Chad Kremp