How bees spark sweet smell of flowers
THE electrical charge created by visiting bumblebees stimulates some flowers to release more of their sweet-smelling scent, scientists have found.
This is the first time a plant has been shown to use the presence of pollinators as a cue to emit more of its attractive perfume - increasing its chances of being visited.
The tiny electrical charge carried by bees is thought to help pollen stick to them during flight but the team of researchers found that it can also announce their presence to the flowers they visit.
Lead author Dr Clara Montgomery said the trait possibly evolved in plants to maximise the effectiveness of the attractive chemicals they release.
“Flowers have a limited supply of these scents, so it makes sense they only release them when their pollinators are around,” she said.
“Essentially, it is only worth advertising when you know you have an audience. Other cues they might use, such as daylight or temperature, can be unreliable, as it might also be windy or raining, which would reduce pollinator presence.
“These scents are also used by insects that want to eat or lay eggs on the plant, so increasing their chances of only attracting pollinators is vital.”
The research was carried out by scientists from the University of Bristol, Rothamsted Research, and Cardiff University.