Saturday, June 30, 2012

Schoen: Mutualism



This photograph, taken at 42o15’03.67”N, 71o38’08.42”W, displays the mutualistic relationship between a Golden Northern Bumble Bee, Bombus fervidas, and a White Clover, Trifolium repens. The bee is gathering nectar and pollen that are essential to its diet and survival. At the same time, the bee is accidently picking up extra pollen that easily sticks to its hairy body. This bumblebee will continue to visit other flowers of the same species to gather more nectar and pollen and, while doing so, will rub off this pollen onto the stigma's of other White Clovers. This pollination is what allows the plants to develop seeds and reproduce.  


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