Tiny orchid flowers pollinated by tiny flies

https://phys.org/news/2024-03-tiny-orchid-pollinated-flies.html

by wglb • 2 years ago

58 10 2 years ago

tomrod• 2 years ago

Pollination through (correct my term here!) symbiosis is so freaking cool. I wonder if these midges have hairs like bees so to help trap pollen?

kuratkull• 2 years ago

Orchid pollen is usually a clump with a sticky "tail" that sticks to pollinators.

gradientsrneat• 2 years ago

Based on the flower size and the images, I'd estimate the stalks of flowers in the image are about 4-5 cm in length. That's pretty small.

hammock2• 2 years ago

Millimeters

jbotz• 2 years ago

The first photo seems to have a ruler besides the flowers, with each line probably being a millimeter. The whole inflorescence (stalk) with hundreds of flowers would thus be a few centimeters in length.

grzeshru• 2 years ago

The older I get the less magic and more alien things appear. We live on an alien planet. This place is a bloody zoo.

contingencies• 2 years ago

Used to be. Biodiversity in densely human-inhabited areas is ~zero. Apparently the best indicator of overall biodiversity is mycodiversity (ie. fungal diversity). The most varied areas are apparently those with extra moisture and a protected situation, often valleys with a non cardinal orientations and minimal human disturbance at the valley floor. If you want more diversity, actively seek out plants native to your area and plant more of them. Remove lawns, add decaying matter. You'll be surprised how quickly you can obtain impressive results.

FWIW some of my teachers have discovered new orchid species and studied their pollination. It is very common in botany to have no idea what exactly pollinates a species. Ants, insects, birds and mammals are all potential pollinators.

bwestergard• 2 years ago

Could you say a bit more about what about this process is alienating to you?

slim• 2 years ago

you suffer from alienation

Tiny orchid flowers pollinated by tiny flies

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