Date: Tue, 17 Jun 1997 10:27:18 -0400 (EDT) From: L235@aol.com To: cp@opus.hpl.hp.com Message-Id: <aabcdefg2361$foo@default> Subject: Re: Nectar on Sarracenia hoods
Adwait Kulkarni writes:
>Also, I was watching my S. flava, and I observed that there were extremely
>rich nectar reserves just on the hood of the plant. My question to the list
>is: why would flies and insects venture into the danger zone when there are
>bountiful supplies of nectar present right on the hood? In fact, no nectar
>is visible near the lip of the plant but the pools of nectar are there on
>the hood.
Good question .... If I had to guess, I'd say that the nectar on the hood of
most Sarracenia species (flava in particular) provides the first attraction
to flying insects. I find that they will often land first on the convenient
horizontal surface of the hoods, sip nectar there briefly, but then
invariably move towards their doom ... Why? Some comparatively more
attractive substance further towards danger? Curiosity? A mystery of nature
(?)
Jay Lechtman (L235@aol.com)
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