Symbiotic Relationships

Symbiotic Relationships

The Bee and the Orchid

            As human beings, we often mistake the big things surrounding our world as the little things. Take flowers as an example, without flourishing plants everything we’ve ever known would be replaced by abundances of green monotone. Not only do they supply a food source to aeronautical pollinators, such as bees, but also allow essential life.

            Bees and orchids share a mutualistic symbiotic relationship, in which complementation occurs without harm. In fact, each organism depends on the other for individual life support. Theoretically, if there were no orchids to pollinate – there certainly wouldn’t be any bees to survive. Initially, orchids are not capable of living on their own nor can the bee attract its mate astray from the significant scent.

            When you happen to dissect the orchid itself, its found to be precisely constructed for the flying insect. The flower lends the bee a “landing platform” and later fills their stomachs when collecting perfumes. Orchids stick packets of pollen onto the bees that soon become honey when water within it diminishes.

            A few orchids depend entirely on pollination of male bees for reproduction and substance. Additionally, these flowers are known for, believe it or not, mimicking other botanical organisms. When pollinated by hummingbirds and butterflies, orchids are perceived to be much warmer colors. Whereas when nectar lovers decide to feed, they tend to mimic antlers of other plant types by coloring blotchy yellow.      

            With that in mind, the symbiotic relationship between the orchid and the bee entails a certain partnership, in which not all organisms merely exist through one single species. We can justify that multiple relationships adequately display how interconnected the natural world really may be. After all, to what extent is the orchid benefiting without the bee or in other case, what good is the bee without the orchid. As we all rightly wonder, what came first the chicken or the egg?

References:

Kate, Ihle. "Bee Jeweled." Orchid Bees. ASU - Ask A Biologist, 4 Dec. 2012. Web. 07 Sept. 2014.

MORETHINKING. "The Orchid and the Bee (An Introduction to Symbiosis in Nature)." More Thinking. More Thinking, n.d. Web. 07 Sept. 2014.

Company, Houghton Miffin. "Symbiotic+Relationships." The Free Dictionary. Farlex, n.d. Web. 07 Sept. 2014.

Horak, David. "Orchids and Their Pollinators." Brooklyn Botanic Garden. BBG, 1 Apr. 2004. Web. 07 Sept. 2014.

Orkin. "What Do Honey Bees Collect: Bee Pollen Collection." Orkin. Orkin, n.d. Web. 07 Sept. 2014.