Adaptations for Pollination

Life Science - Middle School

1
/
2
Plants make their own food using sunlight through photosynthesis, yet they still depend on the wind and animals to help them reproduce through pollination. Grasses and coniferous trees use the wind (1) for pollination. Yet almost 90% of all plants are pollinated by animals. Some plants are pollinated by birds like the hummingbird (2). These plants often have tubular-shaped flowers, just right for the long thin beak of the hummingbird. A few night-blooming plants are pollinated by bats (3). But by far, more plants are pollinated by insects (4) than anything else. Plants have adapted many traits to attract pollinators. Brightly colored blossoms attract bees, flies, butterflies and moths inside to collect nectar and pollen. Sometimes there are lines on the petals (5) to guide insects down into the blossom or a sweet smell to attract pollinators from a long way off. Insects will move from blossom to blossom, collecting nectar and spreading pollen to other blossoms, aiding the plant in its reproductive cycle. Adaptations for Pollination 4 1 3 5 2
Plants make their own food using sunlight through _______________________________________, yet they still depend on the wind and animals to help them reproduce through _______________________________________. Grasses and coniferous trees use the _____________________ (1) for pollination. Yet almost 90% of all plants are pollinated by animals. Some plants are pollinated by birds like the ___________________________ (2). These plants often have tubular-shaped flowers, just right for the long thin beak of the hummingbird. A few night-blooming plants are pollinated by ___________________ (3). But by far, more plants are pollinated by ___________________________ (4) than anything else. Plants have adapted many traits to attract pollinators. Brightly colored blossoms attract bees, flies, butterflies and moths inside to collect nectar and _____________________. Sometimes there are lines on the ________________________ (5) to guide insects down into the blossom or a sweet smell to attract pollinators from a long way off. Insects will move from blossom to blossom, collecting nectar and spreading pollen to other blossoms, aiding the plant in its reproductive cycle. 4 5 1 3 2 94-4046 Adaptations for Pollination