AboutOrchids

Orchids need bees more than bees need them. Scientists have long known that male orchid bees use orchid scents to court females. Many tropical species like Stanhopeas and Cycnoches rely on their perfumes to attract amorous male bees as pollinators. The males collect scent compounds using special brushes on their legs, and pollinate flowers in the process. Experts had believed that bees and orchids co-evolved, and each depended on the other, but it turns out that bees don’t really need orchids. New research from UC Berkeley shows that the bees appeared 12 million years before the orchids, and orchids provide only 10% of the fragrances which the bees collect. Instead, tree resins and fungi make up most of the males’ colognes. Rather than co-evolving, the orchids’ evolution follows the insects’ preferences.

With bee populations declining globally, this new info highlights risks for orchid extinctions. Researcher Santiago Ramirez notes “Many of these orchids don’t produce any other type of reward, such as nectar, that would attract other species of bee pollinators. If you lose one species of bee, you could lose three to four species of orchids.”

Explore posts in the same categories: Conservation, Fragrant Orchids, In the News

This entry was posted on Tuesday, September 27th, 2011 at 9:10 pm and is filed under Conservation, Fragrant Orchids, In the News.

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