Biology of Insects and Pollination

Aphids are often called farmers' enemy No.1 because they are extremely destructive, attacking a wide variety of crops by sucking plant sap, transmitting viral diseases, and reproducing rapidly. They cause global yield losses worth billions of dollars annually. While locusts, bollworm, and stem borer are major pests, aphids have the broadest host range and most consistent economic impact across crops and regions.

The Pitcher plant (Nepenthes) and Venus fly trap (Dionaea muscipula) are both carnivorous plants that trap and digest insects. The Touch-me-not plant (Mimosa pudica) responds to touch by folding its leaves but is not carnivorous - it's a movement response, not insect-eating behavior.

Insects also visit flowers for their nectar. Nectar is secreted by specialized areas called nectaries, which vary in position from flower to flower. Butterflies and moths feed exclusively on nectar. They possess sucking mouth parts (proboscis). The length of the proboscis has always a relationship to the flower visited. Insects with long proboscis visit flowers with deep tubular corollas.

Ornithophily is a mode of pollination performed by birds The act of pollination is not performed by all the birds except a few. The most common bird pollinators are Sun bird, Humming bird, Crow, Bulbul, Parrot, Mynah etc..

Bats bring about pollination only in the tropics. Bats are nocturnal animals and the flowers they visit are large and emit a strong odour. They move very fast and transport pollen to long distances. Bat pollinated flowers generally produce more nectar than ornithophilous flowers. They also have a large number of stamens.

Parthenogenesis is a regular phenomina in honey bee.

Pollination by bat is called chireptorophily.

Drosophila melanogaster is a species of Diptera, or the order of flies, in the family Drosophilidae. The species is commonly known as the common fruit fly or vinegar fly.

Releaser pheromones are pheromones that cause an alteration in the behaviour of the recipient. For example, some organisms use powerful attractant molecules to attract mates from a distance of two miles or more. In general, this type of pheromone elicits a rapid response, but is quickly degraded.

Drosophila melanogaster was the experimental material of TH Morgan.

Releaser pheromones are pheromones that cause an alteration in the behaviour of the recipient. For example, some organisms use powerful attractant molecules to attract mates from a distance of two miles or more.

Trail pheromones are common in social insects. For example, ants mark their paths with these pheromones, which are volatile hydrocarbons.

 Nasonov pheromone is released by worker bees to orient returning forager bees back to the colony. To broadcast this scent, bees raise their abdomens, which contain the Nasonov glands, and fan their wings vigorously.

Apiculture refers to bee keeping.