How do insects pollinate plants?
A beetle collects pollen on its body as it feeds. Photo: © D Nelson. Many insects eat pollen. In the process of eating they become covered in it. Pollination happens when the pollen feeder transfers the pollen to the pollen receivers of the same plant, or another plant of the same species, as the insect looks for more pollen to eat. Disadvantages of attracting a pollen feeder: • They eat the very item the plant wants delivered – pollen. • They tend to be generalist feeders and eat other parts of the plant, including the sexual organs. • They could be considered to be ‘unreliable pollinators’ as the pollinator might not go anywhere near the female organs of the same species of plant.
