Pollination by Insects
Science: Year 3 & 4 National Curriculum, topic 1.3.2
Pollination by Insects
There are two main ways that pollen travels from plant to plant. Pollen can travel when it gets stuck to insects.
Bright, colourful flowers
- Plants that are pollinated by insects usually have bright, colourful flowers.
- The flowers are bright and colourful to attract insects.
- 'Attract' means that the insects fly or crawl to those flowers.
Flowers smell
- The flowers sometimes give off a smell.
- The smell can be sweet or like something rotting.
- The flowers smell to attract insects.
- 'Attract' means that the insects fly or crawl to those flowers.
Insects are looking for nectar
- Insects go to the flower because they are looking for 'nectar'.
- Nectar is a sweet liquid made in the flower by the plant.
- Insects use nectar as a source of energy so that they can fly and run.
- Many types of bee can turn nectar into honey for their larvae (children).
Insects enter a flower
- When an insect goes to a flower, it gets dusted with pollen.
- The pollen sticks to the insect’s body.
- When the insect flies to another flower, some of the pollen rubs off and pollinates the plant.
Pollination by Insects
Many different plants are pollinated by insects. There are also many different types of insect that can pollinate plants.
Plants pollinated by insects
- Blackberries are an example of a plant that is pollinated by insects.
Humans rely on pollination
- Humans rely on insects to pollinate plants for a lot of our food.
Bees pollinate plants
Wasps pollinate plants
Flies pollinate plants
Ants pollinate plants
Beetles pollinate plants
Test yourself on Pollination by Insects
Which of these animals pollinate plants?