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Why do bees/pollinators pollinate other plants?
(lemmy.world)
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this post was submitted on 11 Aug 2023
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Bees make excellent pollinators because most of their life is spent collecting pollen, a source of protein that they feed to their developing offspring. When a bee lands on a flower, the hairs all over the bees' body attract pollen grains through electrostatic forces.
Basically plants have coevolved with these pollinating insects. Plants that can develop the best pollen that sticks to these insects are able to reproduce more successfully. While bees, as the example, are collecting it as there food. Bees are not "helping" the plant knowingly, its more of the plant is hitching a ride.
https://www.canr.msu.edu/nativeplants/pollination/
So, the plants found a way to hijack the bees' journey by putting some extra pollen on them to take to other flowers, since they're already there taking pollen anyway? That's awesome.
https://youtube.com/shorts/IhYtwBA3NNs
Secondary comment, still not an expert...
But even if there were no bugs on the planet, I'm pretty sure a good stiff breeze would still make pollen move...
The flowers are also evolving to spread pollen to reproduce. Flowers have evolved to be bright, colorful and have pollen that bees want. Flowers are able to get there pollen spread and bees get food.