Arguably some of the most beautiful bees in the world, the more than 200 species of Orchid Bees range in color from metallic blue to green to deep purple. They’re simply stunning!
Averaging about a half inch in length, these flying jewels are native to Central and South America. And as their name suggests, they are important pollinators of many species of orchids.
While their striking appearance would certainly capture your attention, a male Orchid Bee can’t rely on his good looks when looking for a mate. For success, he depends on his own brand of home-made perfume.
To create and store the perfect fragrance, male Orchid Bees have specially adapted legs that let them collect fragrant chemicals from the orchids they visit. But as it turns out, the scent of flowers is not enough. The bees will also visit and collect scents from fungi, rotting wood, and even animal dung.
Wait! Animal dung? You don’t need to be a genius to assume that the scent of animal poop would not exactly compliment the typical fragrances of flowers.
For a long time, it was believed that it was the perfect smelling mix of chemicals that would capture the attention of discerning females.
However, researchers now believe that the more complex the fragrance is, the more attractive it is to the ladies.
A more complex fragrance means that the busy little male who concocted it, spent a great deal of time zooming around gathering scent from a wide variety of sources.
Collecting from a wide variety of sources is an indication that he’s in tip top shape and is therefore a desirable partner in terms of passing along his genes.
