Insect-pollinated flowers rely on insects to facilitate pollination for reproduction. The beautiful appearance of these flowers exists not for the joy of humans, but is arranged to suit the visual world of pollinating insects.
To ensure the survival of their offspring, such insect-pollinated flowers have evolved to display the colors and shapes that are easily detectable by pollinating insects.
They have adapted their forms to match insect vision and altered their shapes, colors, and ultraviolet reflection patterns (nectar marks) to display the seductive colors and shapes that are most easily found by insects.
Insect-pollinated flowers possess vividly colored petals and enchanting shapes to appeal to insect vision. Furthermore, they emit strong sweet scents to signal their presence to insects from a distance, secrete nectar as a reward to attract them, and provide nutrient-rich pollen.
Unlike wind-pollinated flowers, which rely on the fickle winds to disperse pollen, insect-pollinated flowers utilize the lively assistance of insects. This eliminates the waste involved in aimlessly scattering large amounts of pollen over long distances.
The color vision of insects has acted as the selective pressure that causes the evolution of flowers. Flowers have adopted the attractive colors and shapes for insects by elaborately altering their pigments and ultraviolet reflection patterns.
The colors, shapes, and scents of flowers, which we admire in every season, are the result of steady adaptations that enables trees and plants to survive in the lifelong struggle for existence and to sustain their prosperity of descendants.
