How Does Pollination Take Place

Pollination means transferring of pollen from the anthers of a flower to the stigmas of a flower. Pollination is necessary for fertilization, for the formation of seeds. Pollination takes place in a number of ways, it can be done by insects, animal or small birds. It can also be done by the blowing wind or flowing water. Most flowers are adapted by nature to pollinate using the above methods. It is easy to find flowers which are pollinated by insects because they are brightly colored for attracting insects. Besides this many flowers have in them a sweet nectar which is consumed by insects like bees. Such flowers have both the male and female reproductive parts within them.

When an insect enters them the pollen on the anthers sticks to the body parts of the insect and as it moves inside the flower the pollen gets transported to the female reproductive organs. Wind movement also helps the pollen drop off from the anthers into the carpels. When insects or the wind transport the pollen from one flower into the copies of another flower, it is known as cross pollination.

Another form of pollination is self pollinating. This takes place when the pollen is transferred one  flower to another flower on the same plant, or from one part of a flower to another part of the same flower.
Pollination By Animals: Certain flowers are designed in such a way that the chances for cross pollination by insects increases. For example, the petals join together and deliberately form a tube. The nectar is at the base of the tube. Insects have to crawl right into the base of the tube to suck the nectar. As a result of this there are greater chances of there brushing against the anthers and stigmas. Flowers that are pollinated by insects are shaped differently. They have special petals which act like a landing pad. Honey guides or special lines on the petals guide the insects into the flower. The size and the shape the insect which may enter and pollinate the flower. This increases the chance of pollination.

No pollen is wasted and it is transported by the insects to various varieties of flowers. Bees and butterflies play an important role in pollinating flowers. They have hairy bodies, ideal for picking up pollen grains. Buttercups are plants having simple flowers shaped in such a way that they are open and almost any creature entering they can complete the job of pollination.