Flowers use electric ‘buzz’ from bumblebees to release scent and attract pollinators

[downwardsfromzero]

Apparently the electric discharge from an approaching bee induces flowers (well, petunias at least) to release scent (benzaldehyde, in this instance), thus sparing the plants the effort of making it when it's not needed!:

Flowers use electric 'buzz' from bumblebees to release scent and attract pollinators

British researchers have established for the first time the electric 'cue' used by flowers to release increased scent and attract pollinating insects

inews.co.uk

 

[Jozeh]

Nice find, I remember finding this relevant tidbit interesting. Makes sense when viewing things holistically, as it would be rather taxing to visit each flower just to find it has been pollinated/no nectar atm.

shown that bumblebees can sense the electric field that surrounds a flower. They can even learn to distinguish between fields produced by different floral shapes, or use them to work out whether a flower has been recently visited by other bees.

 

[downwardsfromzero]

Micro-wifi communication in nature! I have more to add about this later.

they are both sending and receiving signals.