tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2586566447314247585.post7866625171375888064..comments2023-09-15T09:23:50.662-04:00Comments on Pepper Key Stacie: Fieldguide Friday - Wild Sea Island CottonStacie Steenslandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13773619491652672001noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2586566447314247585.post-54530594893254419082013-03-02T07:48:24.703-05:002013-03-02T07:48:24.703-05:00The reason for the two-coloured flowers on the sam...The reason for the two-coloured flowers on the same bush is pretty amazing. Insects see ultraviolet pigments well, even though they're invisible to us. UV pigments are blocked by most other pigments, especially reds and blues, but not yellows and whites. The flowers open yellow and (though we can't see them) they have dotted lines and actual arrows in UV pigments pointing toward the middle of the flower -- a landing strip and directions for pollinating insects! Many insects are hard-wired so they can't actually choose not to land on the flowers they see. After the flower is pollinated, it doesn't want more insects coming that could risk knocking pollen off the stigma, so the size of the anthocyanin-bearing cells (red pigment) dramatically increases, flushing the flower red, concealing the UV markings -- in effect shutting down the runway and diverting the insect to another flower.B Naqqihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08355050513541181090noreply@blogger.com