Entomophily

High school (ages 12+)
Animals & Nature

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/entomophily

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the scientific process?Entomophily, the transfer of pollen by insects
2. What is the evolutionary mechanism?Coevolution, where plants and insects exert reciprocal selective pressures
3. How do flowers attract insects?Flowers use bright colors, special patterns that glow in ultraviolet light, and sweet smells to lure insects from far away.
4. Why do insects visit flowers?Insects go to flowers because they get tasty nectar and pollen, which give them energy and help them grow and have babies.

Entomophily: The process of pollination where insects serve as the vectors for pollen transfer between flowers.
Coevolution: The simultaneous evolution of two or more interacting species, each responding to changes in the other.
Mutualism: A symbiotic relationship in which both species involved derive a benefit, such as plants providing nectar and insects providing pollination.
Angiosperms: Flowering plants, characterized by their production of flowers and fruits, which largely rely on entomophily for reproduction.