The Bees, The Trap, and Their Final Fate

(Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey) In a 2020 Bug Squad blog, we described milkweed as a "floral trap." Milkweed produces pollinia, a sticky pollen packet from a single anther, which attaches to honey bees during pollination. This mechanism compels insects to assist in reproduction while rewarding them with sweet nectar. Orchids also produce pollinia.

The nectar is highly attractive, drawing honey bees and other insects that eagerly navigate the flowers. The scene can resemble a busy intersection, with bees buzzing around, waiting for their turn. However, this floral trap can ensnare bees, leaving some struggling to escape the sticky nectar trough, and occasionally resulting in trapped or dead insects.