1. Orchids
By Lauren Wensel

2. Questions to Address….
What are the different pollinators used by orchids?
How does the Orchid attract pollinators?

3. Different Types of Pollinators:
Wingless Worker Ants
Bees
Butterflies
Moths
Flies
Birds

4. Different Ways to Attract Pollinators
Sexual deception
Different fragrances
Bright colors

5. Sexual Deception
The Orchids can attract the male wasps by releasing a chemical, which is similar to that of a female
Found in the Australian Orchid, Chiloglottis

6. Another use of Fragrances
Some of the female bees are attracted to the orchid smell for a different reason
When they visit they scratch and brush themselves against the flower to get the scent
The bees collect the fragrance and store it in their hind tibiae

7. Why do the female Bees collect the fragrance compound?
They could use it for metabolic reasons
The Males attract females with the scent and then use their territorial displays to lure them in
Males use the scent to attract other males to a mating site

8. Male Bees
Diagram of male bee

9. Future Research….
In the future I think it would be interesting to test which of the different types of pollinators are best for orchid fertilization.

10. References
Ackerman, J. D. “Specificity and Mutual Dependency of the Orchid- Euglossine Bee Interaction”. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society Vol. 20. pp
Beattie, A. J., Peakall, R. “ Pollination of the Orchid Microtis Parviflora R. Br. By Flightless Worker Ants”. British Ecological Society. Vol. 3. No pp
Calvo, Richard N. “ Evolutionary Demography of Orchids: Intensity and Frequency of Pollination and the Cost of Fruiting”. Ecology. Vol. 74. No. 4. June pp
Dobson, Calaway H., Dressler, Robert L., Hills, Harold G., Adams, Ralph M., Williams, Norris H. “ Biologically Active Compounds in Orchid Fragrances.” Science. Vol No June pp
Nilsson, L. A. “ Orchid pollination Biology”. Trends in Ecology and Evolution. Vol. 7. No pp
O’ Connell, Lisa M., Johnston, Mark O. “Male and Female Pollination Success in a Deceptive Orchid, A Selection Study”. Ecology. Vol. 79. No.4. June pp
Schiestl, Florian P., Peakall, Rod, Mant, Jim G., Ibarra, Fernando, Schulz, Claudia, Franke, Stephan, Francke, Wittko. “The Chemistry of Sexual Deception in an Orchid- Wasp Pollination System”. Science. Vol October pp