Why do pollinators visit flowers?
Insect and other animal pollinators obtain food in the form of energy-rich nectar and/or protein-rich pollen, from the flowers they visit and in return, the flowers receive the services of pollinators carrying pollen from one flower to another. While food is often a sufficient lure for pollinators, flowering plants also attract pollinators using a combination of petal shapes, scents, and colors. Pollination syndromes have been described to depict the attraction of certain types, shapes, colors, and fragrances of flowers to a range of pollinators. To learn more, examine the Pollination Syndromes web page and the Trait Table.
