. Practical botany. Botany. POLLINATION AND FEKTILIZATION 123 â ^f. 116. Insects as carriers of pollen. Most flowers which re- quire or are benefited by cross-pollination and wliich are not wind-jjollinated depend upon insects as pollen carriers. It is not an overstatement to say that, in general, flowers seem to have acquired their colors (other than green) and their odors as means of attracting the attention of insects which may serve to cross-pollinate them. Insects vary greatly in their efficiency as pollinators, Fig. 112. Pollen-carrying apparatus ^^e Small ones with smooth sur- of leg of
. Practical botany. Botany. POLLINATION AND FEKTILIZATION 123 â ^f. 116. Insects as carriers of pollen. Most flowers which re- quire or are benefited by cross-pollination and wliich are not wind-jjollinated depend upon insects as pollen carriers. It is not an overstatement to say that, in general, flowers seem to have acquired their colors (other than green) and their odors as means of attracting the attention of insects which may serve to cross-pollinate them. Insects vary greatly in their efficiency as pollinators, Fig. 112. Pollen-carrying apparatus ^^e Small ones with smooth sur- of leg of honeybee faces on the head, legs, and ab- A, right hind leg of a honeybee (seen domen, such as ants and many from behind and within); B, the tibia Uppflpâ narrvincr littlp nollpn («i), seen from the outside, showing the oeeues, carrymg little poiien, collecting basket formed of stiff hairs, while beeS, After moths, and butterflies often carry considerable quan- tities. Many bees in particular are provided with a special collecting apparatus for pollen (Figs. 112 and 113). Although the portion which they carry to the hive or nest for food is of no use for pollination, much of that which is smeared over the general surface of the body serves to pollinate the stigmas of flowers which they afterwards visit. A good practical illustration of the importance of insect visits is afforded by the case of cucumbers grown in winter under glass. It is found necessary to keep hives of bees in the cucumber houses in order to insure pollination and consequent crops of cucumbers. Some idea of the number of insect visits may be gathered fact that in a single locality dandelion flowers have. Please note that these images are extracted from scanned page images that may have been digitally enhanced for readability - coloration and appearance of these illustrations may not perfectly resemble the original Bergen, Joseph Y. (Joseph Young), 1851-1917; Caldwell, Otis William
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