Symbiosis – Relationships of Flowers and Bees

Flowers and Bees – A Symbiotic Relationship

The relationship between bees and flowers is called symbiosis.

Symbiosis: A relationship between two organisms in which the organisms benefit from one another.

How Bees Benefit Flowers.

Bees pollinate flowers, which means they transfer the pollen made by one flower of one plant to the flower of another plant. Bees do not purposely do this. Actually, the bees are trying to collect the pollen to take back to their hives. In the process of going from one flower to another as they collect pollen, some pollen is picked up from one flower and accidentally dropped on another flower. Pollination results in the formation of seeds.

In the photo, the bee has pollen covering its whole body. The yellow pollen makes the bee appear to be yellow.

How Flowers Benefit Bees

Flowers produce pollen, which bees use as food. Pollen provides the nutrients that bees need. Besides honey that bees make, pollen is the only food that bees eat.