[Pollinator] Video-Bee gathering oil from orchid

[Peter Bernhardt]

The orchid-pollination videos on Youtube get better and better and must be
sampled when you have the opportunity.  Go to this site and your can watch
a female in the genus Tetrapedia gather oil from the flowers of an orchid
in the genus Trichocentrum (used to be in Oncidium).  The tumor-like callus
on the lip petal (labellum) contains oileries (elaiophores) instead of
nectaries.  These bees have "oil vials" on their hind legs.  The larvae are
fed pollen and whipped up oil (must be like being breast fed mayonnaise).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tqsJpff8SSU

Peter
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.sonic.net/pipermail/pollinator/attachments/20120510/b2ebca5e/attachment.html>