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Pollinator

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: Evolution and
reproduction

   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 is 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. Honeybees are fuzzy and carry an
   electrostatic charge. Both features help pollen grains adhere to their
   bodies. Bees often also have a pollen carrying structure such as the
   corbicula of honeybees and bumblebees (also known as the pollen
   basket), or the scopa of the lower abdomen of megachilid bees, made up
   of thick bristles. Honeybees 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 are working.
   Honeybees need a steady source of pollen to multiply.

   Euglossine bees pollinate orchids, but collect scents rather than
   nectar or pollen.

   Lepidoptera ( butterflies and moths) also pollinate. They are not major
   pollinators of our food crops, but are important for many wildflowers.

   Many other insects accomplish pollination. Wasps, bombyliid flies and
   syrphid flies are important pollinators of some plants. Beetles, 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 odour.

   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 colour (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, because of pollinator decline.
   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 have
   the pollen inside the anther, and the flower requires shaking to
   release the pollen through pores. 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.

   Many kinds of pollinators, from blue bottle flies, to bumblebees, and
   leaf cutter bees are cultured and sold for managed pollination.
   Millions of hives of honeybees are also contracted out as pollinators
   by beekeepers.

Gallery

   Scopa (pollen holder) of a Megachild bee

   Halictid bee, showing adhering pollen

   Syrphid fly, showing some adhering pollen
   Retrieved from " http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pollinator"
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