AT A GLANCE
Are lobelia interesting for bees?
Lobelia, especially Lobelia erinus, are bee-friendly and serve as an important food source for bees. They visit plants for both nectar and pollen, pollinating the flowers and transporting the pollen to the nest.
Is the lobelia bee friendly?
The lobelia is absolutely bee friendly. She serves as important food source for the small flying insects, to which we owe delicious honey. Bees eat both nectar and pollen lobelia interested, as field observations show.
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How does a bee behave on a lobelia?
The behavior of a bee on a lobelia is an exciting observation: it often slips completely into the five millimeter long corolla tube to to enjoy deeply hidden nectar.
When crawling in, the entire Upper body of the bee dusted with pollen, as long as the bellflower plant is in the male phase of flowering.
A few seconds later the bee comes out again. She briefly cleans her antennae and then flies on to the next lobelia flower, where the natural spectacle begins again.
What do bees do with lobelia pollen?
The bee stores the pollen of the lobelia and then brings him to her nest. This is how it happens: After visiting a few flowers, the bee stays longer on the petals. There she brushes the passively collected pollen off her body and relocates it through her middle legs into the pollen transport devices on her hind legs. Finally, the bee transports its pollen prey to the nest.
Tip
Lobelia species are also pollinated by other animals
Different species of Lobelia are pollinated by different animals. With some plants of the attractive genus, hummingbirds or bats also take on this task.
