Buzz, Bounce, and Stick: The Secret Role of a Flower’s Petal

Buzz, Bounce, and Stick: The Secret Role of a Flower’s Petal

When you think of pollination, you might immediately hear the buzz of bees in your head. But that familiar hum isn’t just background noise: some flowers have evolved to release their pollen only in response to these vibrations, a process known as buzz pollination. Here, bees grasp the flower and vibrate their muscles at the right frequency, shaking loose pollen from the anthers. The grains stick to the bee’s body and hitch a ride to the next blo…