The Relationship Between Plants and Insects
摘要
Approximately 75–80% of flowering plants rely on animals to produce offspring. For flowering plants, pollen must be transferred from one flower to another to generate seeds, which begin the next generation. In most cases, this transfer is carried out by animals. About 200,000 animal species play the role of pollinators, the majority of which are insects [87]. Bees, such as honeybees, bumblebees, and wasps, as well as butterflies, moths, flies, ants, and beetles, are among these pollinators (Fig. 7.1). Butterflies are generally active during the day, while moths are active at night. Flowers that rely on moths often emit strong fragrances and are frequently white, making them easier for moths to locate at night. When insects recognize signals such as a flower’s color or fragrance and visit to feed on nectar, pollen sticks to their bodies. As the insect moves from one flower to another, the pollen from the first flower can adhere to the stigma of the second, facilitating pollination. In pollinated flowers, fertilization happens when sperms developed inside the pollen unite with egg cells in the pistil, the female part of the flower. This leads to the creation of offspring.