Birds vs. bees: Study helps explain how flowers evolved to get pollinators to specialize
Wednesday, April 19, 2017 - 22:01
in Biology & Nature
Ecologists who study flowering plants have long believed that flowers evolved with particular sets of characteristics to attract specific pollinators. But a recent article suggests that flowers visited almost exclusively by hummingbirds are designed not to lure birds, but to confuse bumblebees and cost them precious time. This extra cost leads most bees to seek nectar rewards elsewhere, thus enabling the plants to more effectively attract more efficient hummingbird pollinators.