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European Honey Bee or Apis mellifera
This photo was taken on Lot H at UNCW on March 20, 2018
This honey bee was found pollinating all of the near by white clover plants or Trifolium repens (a popular plant that attracts Honey Bees) in the area by lot H on campus. Pollination is defined as the maneuvering of the pollen grains from the anther (male sex organ) of the flower to the stigma (female sex organ); thus Honey Bees stimulate the reproduction of several flowers. Honey Bees serve as efficient pollinators for plants because of their hairy bodies trapping the pollen from one plant and depositing it in another. The purpose of Honey Bees going to the flowers in the first place is to collect nectar (sugar rich) and pollen (protein rich) to support their young. In addition, the nectar is not beneficial to the plant other than its usefulness in attracting pollinators, so the bees are in no way harming the plants in this process.
During the pollinating process, they tend to stay within a 1.5 mile radius from their hive. Generally, they focus on pollinating one plant species at a time, which increases their efficiency in pollinating plants. Their small size is desirable asset that permits them to fit into many different plants' shapes and sizes. The Honey Bees are attracted to plants based on their color, fragrances, or even odors.
At the individual level, the relationship between the Honey Bees and the White clover can be described as a mutualistic symbiotic relationship since both species are benefiting from the interactions with one another. In addition, this interaction would be described as a non-symbiotic mutualism since the two organisms do not physically coexist, albeit still depend on each other for an essential function; the bees for food and nutrients, the plants for reproduction. At the population level, the interaction between the Honey Bees and White Clovers may result in the increase in white clover populations if the Honey Bee's population increases; or vice versa.
Sources
www.librarything.com/topic/136783
www.aces.uiuc.edu/vista/html_pubs/BEEKEEP/CHAPT8/chapt8.html
www.thespruce.com/best-plants-to-attract-bees-4142007
Bio 366 book- Elements of Ecology the 9th edition
European Honey Bee or Apis mellifera
This photo was taken on Lot H at UNCW on March 20, 2018
This honey bee was found pollinating all of the near by white clover plants or Trifolium repens (a popular plant that attracts Honey Bees) in the area by lot H on campus. Pollination is defined as the maneuvering of the pollen grains from the anther (male sex organ) of the flower to the stigma (female sex organ); thus Honey Bees stimulate the reproduction of several flowers. Honey Bees serve as efficient pollinators for plants because of their hairy bodies trapping the pollen from one plant and depositing it in another. The purpose of Honey Bees going to the flowers in the first place is to collect nectar (sugar rich) and pollen (protein rich) to support their young. In addition, the nectar is not beneficial to the plant other than its usefulness in attracting pollinators, so the bees are in no way harming the plants in this process.
During the pollinating process, they tend to stay within a 1.5 mile radius from their hive. Generally, they focus on pollinating one plant species at a time, which increases their efficiency in pollinating plants. Their small size is desirable asset that permits them to fit into many different plants' shapes and sizes. The Honey Bees are attracted to plants based on their color, fragrances, or even odors.
At the individual level, the relationship between the Honey Bees and the White clover can be described as a mutualistic symbiotic relationship since both species are benefiting from the interactions with one another. In addition, this interaction would be described as a non-symbiotic mutualism since the two organisms do not physically coexist, albeit still depend on each other for an essential function; the bees for food and nutrients, the plants for reproduction. At the population level, the interaction between the Honey Bees and White Clovers may result in the increase in white clover populations if the Honey Bee's population increases; or vice versa.
Sources
www.librarything.com/topic/136783
www.aces.uiuc.edu/vista/html_pubs/BEEKEEP/CHAPT8/chapt8.html
www.thespruce.com/best-plants-to-attract-bees-4142007
Bio 366 book- Elements of Ecology the 9th edition