Why orchids pretend to be ducks (photo)
We know a lot about the bizarre camouflage of the insect, able to blend in with the environment, for example, to pretend to be twigs, owls, or tree bark.
But few have heard about some plants is a great “make-believers”. They may resemble insects, animals, or even excrement.
For example, grass seeds Ceratocaryum argenteum like balls of manure. This introduces an error of scarabs. Beetles rolling balls, helping the grass to sow new areas.
Growing in Australia, Orchid Drakaea smell the same as females of the OS. They attract wasps-males. They sit on flowers and help to pollinate plants.
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Orchid Caleana growing in Australia and New Zealand, takes over insects in the same way. In addition, it is similar to a duck.
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Flower of the North-European herbaceous plants, which nasekomojadny similar to the females of burrowing wasps. Trying to mate with a flower, wasps-the males carry pollen.
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The Australian Orchid Chiloglottis reflexa also has the smell of the wasp females. In this case it is especially spread along the ground to attract insects, because females have a local OS no wings.
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Passiflora leaves have small yellow spots. They are similar to eggs of Heliconius butterflies. Because moths of this species do not divide the space egg with the other, the plant is protected from caterpillars.
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Flowers of Aristolochia resemble the ears of mice, and these attract mosquitoes. Thinking that now delicious dinner, the mosquitoes are trapped. They can’t get out of the flower due to the obliquely inward hairs. Crawling in search of an exit, the insect pollinates the flower.
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See also:
- Scientists predicted the imminent extinction of all insects on Earth
- The flowers are not so passive creation
- Is it possible to determine, with the bones of tangerines or without?
Don’t wild orchids