My Science School

Some flowers have brightly coloured petals. When bees and other insects see these bright colours they go to the flower to search for nectar. Other flowers have strong scents so that insects will go to them.

This bee saw the petals and is looking for nectar.

Insects see differently from humans. Some colours that look dull to us can attract insects to flowers when they are searching for nectar. Some rare flowers are very brightly coloured and have unusual shapes to attract insects who might otherwise ignore them.

Some flowers have strong scents to bring insects to them.

The Buddleia bush smells so sweet and attracts so many butterflies that it is called the ‘butterfly bush’. It is the nectar in the flower that smells sweet. Some flowers, such as the Rafflesia, smell of rotting meat, which attracts flies to them.

An evening primrose looks different to a bee than it does to us.

Bees can see ultra-violet light so they can see flower markings that are invisible to us. The flower markings point towards the nectar, stamens and carpels in the middle of the flower. Some flowers, such as this evening primrose, even advertise a landing platform for bees. This way, plants make sure that plenty of insects visit them.