Orchid bee, the most "colorful" animal in the insect world, but does not know how to make honey

Orchid bee, the most "colorful" animal in the insect world, but does not know how to make honey

Orchid bees or Euglossine are considered the most "colorful" group of bees in the world because they possess extremely eye-catching iridescent colors.

Orchid bees can be considered as a living gem in the insect world because their bodies possess very eye-catching metallic colors such as green, green and yellow. Meanwhile, they have very few cages when compared to other bees in the same habitat, they are so striking that they can be considered one of the most impressive-looking insects on our planet. we.

But it's not just their striking, glossy appearance that sets them apart from other bees. In fact, orchid bees do not produce honey, they do not build nests, and most of the world's extant orchid bees are solitary species. They simply collect pollen and mix them together to create their own "perfume" to attract females.

Orchid bee, the most
There are about 200 known species of orchid bees, distributed in five genera: Euglossa, Eulaema, Eufriesea, Exaerete and Aglae - there is only one species. All of them are found only in South America or Central America and a few of them are found in the United States. Except for the genus Eulaema, all species in the remaining 4 genera possess brilliant metallic colors, mainly green, yellow and blue.

The number of orchid bees in the world is about 200 different species and all of them can only be found in the Americas. Most orchid bees live in forests from northern Mexico to southeastern Brazil, and a few of them are newly discovered in Florida.

Orchid bee, the most
Females collect pollen and nectar for food, and they make nests from a variety of materials such as plants, plastic, mud and other materials. The young will leave the nest, begin their independent life immediately after hatching, and they will never return.

In addition to possessing a very eye-catching appearance, the orchid bee is also easily distinguished from other bees by its extremely long and thin tongue, which can extend to twice the length of its body. It is these long tongues that allow the bee to penetrate deep inside the flower to collect nectar and pollen. So it can be said that orchid bees have a very important role in pollinating rare and difficult orchid species.

Orchid bee, the most
Orchid bees (Euglossines) are the most brilliant bees in the bee world with an extremely iridescent blue appearance. They are also masters of creating impressive and unique scents to attract mates.

Orchid bees only have a life cycle of 3 to 5 months, so males often focus most of their time collecting pollen and creating their own unique "perfume" species. , which they will then use to impress their children. So it can be said that orchid bees are not only an eye-catching species, but they are also a very fragrant insect.

Male orchid bees use their forelimbs to collect "fragrance" from all sorts of surfaces, from orchids to fruit peels and even fragrant pieces of paper, and then store them in specially designed bags. in the hind legs. When they are ready to mate, males gather at fixed locations on tree trunks and then fly around that location to release scent and attract females. And if in case no female bees are attracted, the male orchid bees will understand themselves that they need to collect more scents to make a new "perfume" species.

Orchid bee, the most

Orchid bee, the most
These bees do not produce honey like their relatives, they often use a special tongue twice the length of their body to collect honey and pollen. However, with the males, they have one more job to do, which is to accumulate scents and create a unique perfume that they have to impress the females. They will use their front legs to collect scents and store them in special pockets on their hind legs. During mating season, males will perch on trees and open incense bags to mark and fly around to attract mates.

Scientists have long believed that males collect and use volatile compounds such as pheromones to attract females, but that has never been proven true in behavioral experiments with this species. . It is now thought that perfume was used as a way to impress females and as proof of the "genetic quality" of males. Gathering strong perfumes and forming a complex perfume is not easy, so only the "best" males can create impressive blends and attract many animals. female.