Why bees are the best pollinators in the world!

Many flowers cannot produce seeds unless pollen is carried from the male part of a flower to the female part. This process is called pollination.

More than 80% of all pollination occurs by insects, including beetles, moth’s and flies but the Honeybee is the leader because they spend most of their life collecting pollen, as this is what they feed their young for development. On the way back to the hive they will land on many flowers, each time leaving small amounts of pollen.

PROCESS OF POLLINATION

Pollen grains from the male part of the flower need to be carried to the female part to create pollination.

When a bee is collecting nectar, their small bodies become covered in pollen. Using their forelegs, they brush the pollen toward their hind legs.

They combine a small amount of honey or nectar to the dry pollen to moisten. This prevents the pollen from falling off in flight.

When the bees visit the next plant, some of the pollen will rub or fall off onto the female part (the Stigma) of the flower.

The pollen will travel down the stigma into the ovary where the plants eggs are sitting. The pollen then fertilizes the eggs which then form into new seeds.

When the mother plant dies and wilts to the ground the new seeds will germinate and in turn become new seedlings and later fully mature plants/flowers.

Farmers will use bee colony’s to pollinate their plants. If this doesn’t happen their crops will dramatically reduce therefore you will see less fruit and vegetables available from your local farmers markets and supermarkets!