Question

1. An insect's resource-seeking behavior is called a foraging strategy. What factors other than flower characteristics might influence the foraging strategies of the insects you observed? Is it possible that wind or sun exposure, proximity to shelter, humidity, or other site characteristics are in part responsible for differences in pollination frequency?

2. In natural plant communities, different species often open their flowers at different times of day or at different times of year. Why might this be advantageous to all members of the community?

3. What do you notice about flower color, scent, shape, or orientation that might affect attractiveness to different kinds of pollinators? Does flower structure explain any patterns in insect preference?

4. How are flowers shaped to maximize pollen transfer? Are the insects forced to brush against the male parts of the flower (called anthers) in order to enter the flower or in order to access the nectar? How do you think pollen might be transferred to the receptive surface (called the stigma) of the female floral parts?

PLEASE ANSWER 1-4 COMPLETELY!

Answer 1

1. There are many factors, which ifluence the foraging strategies of insects. Foraging strategies can be influenced by genetics, presence of predators. Honey bees foraging strategy is influenced by genetics. Presence of predators will also influence the foraging behaviour of insects. For example insects will not depend a particular type of plant, if it is habitat of predator. Wind, sunlight, humiduty, etc will make difference in pollination frequency. High temperature, rain etc will decrease the pollination frequency. During rainy season the pollen will become clumpy, it reduce the pollination frequency.

2. In nature different species flower bloom in different times, because they bloom when there is best chance of pollination, some require large amount of sunlight, whereas some require less. This will ensure the avaliability of food(nector, fruits) for insects, animals. For example it will helps the honeybees to collect nector irrespective of time or season.

3. Pollinators are attracted to different coloured flowers, for example insects like bees are atracted to brighter colours like violet, whereas birds are attracted to pink or purple colours. Brighter coloured flowers have higher chance of getting pollinated, whereas flowers which have less broghter colour has less chance of pollination. Some flowers secreate larger amount of nectar, strong scent to attract the pollinators towards the flower.

4. Most of the flowers have open access nature, so that many insect can visit the flower, the anthers and stigma are present in easily accessible area, so when an insect visit a flower for nector, the pollen will easily sick into its body parts and this increase the chnace of getting pollinated.