Mountain laurel patches are difficult to walk through, but this time of year I can appreciate that pesky undergrowth because of its beautiful blossoms.
Of course, I am also fascinated with the mountain laurel's pollination system. I am always amazed when I see a flower's ten stamens all bent over, locked in, and waiting to catapult its pollen at a bee.
The booby-trap is set.
When a bee touches those spring-loaded stamens, they "fire" the pollen. You could say that the flowers sucker the bees in to face the "firing" squad for a bit of nectar.
Here several of the stamens fired and plastered the stick with pollen.
Most of the year mountain laurel is just a mess, but when I look at those locked in pollen launchers, I have to say that mountain laurel is lovely enough to live with.
A ring of "fire!" in each flower.
Ten mountain laurel launchers per flower.
Ten bee blasters.
With all those flowers, I'll bet the bees are having a blast!
Oh Dana, the first photo is so lovely. I cannot go into my woods now until the fall as they are so incredibly buggy.
ReplyDeleteFascinating technique that flower has.
Sybil,
ReplyDeleteWe only have to slap at a few mosquitoes at a time around here. I have lived "way up north" where to change a roll of film in my camera meant exposing the back of my hands to a hungry horde. Well, you know...
I feel your "pain".
Our woods might not be buggy (other than ticks), but we do have rattlers. I posted some pics on my other blog. www.picturesofnatureblog.us/2011/06/timber-rattlesnake.html
WHAT ???? Rattlers ! OK. I'll keep my bugs.
ReplyDeleteDana,
No poisonous snakes here.
I'm OK with snakes. Even like them. But fear the deadly kind.
The ticks are making there way up here and we now have cases of Lyme disease. Lucky us !